The Gunnison Gorge is one of the most sought-after fly-fishing trips in the state of Colorado. Fourteen miles of floating through pristine wilderness in search of trophy trout. The allure of catching big trout with big dry flies is more than enough to entice any angler to visit this remote environment.
The Gunnison Gorge offers much more than fishing, however. The geological history of this area is fascinating and the exposed rock in the canyon ranges in age from the billions of years old. You don’t have to be a geologist to appreciate the unique landscape.
I count myself extremely fortunate to be able to work in this pristine wilderness environment. It’s difficult to believe that I just finished my third season working in the Gorge and I can honestly say that I’m looking for many more seasons down in “the crack.”
June
The month of June is always an exciting one. Our season really kicks off and everybody is filled with anticipation of the stonefly hatch. This year’s hatch wasn’t as prolific as in years past, but the big bugs started flying around mid-June.
If you find yourself in the Gunnison Gorge when the stone flies are out, you’re in for a real treat! Fish eat with reckless abandonment, which creates some great days of fishing.
Huge Fly Fisherman Trip
For the second year in a row, I had the privilege of taking Ben, who’s a Huge Fly Fisherman, and his crew through the narrow passage of the Gunnison Gorge. We had a fun crew, and the adventure started even before we reached the river. I won’t spoil anything for you; there’s a great video documenting the trip.
July
As the big stone flies’ numbers dwindle, they make way for the summer hopper bite. But, before the fish start keying in on hoppers, there’s usually a bit of lull in the bite, for a few days.
I’d say that there’s a good week or so of that lull but that’s not to say that there aren’t fish feeding. Typically, I’ll see smaller fish during this post stonefly hatch time. Although, there are certainly still some nice fish caught.
My go to strategy for this time of year is the hopper / dropper. The fish seem to be more likely to eat a smaller subsurface than rise to the top and eat a big hopper. However, there are some that will come up and eat the dry fly.
August
The month of August can be a slower month for the fishing. Summer is in high gear, the temperature is hot, and if the flows are low, it makes for some difficult fishing. This year, August was all of the above.
I found myself nymphing with my clients throughout the month of August. The dry fly bite was far and few between and with the lower flows, the fish had moved into deeper water. We still had to work to find them and there were a lot of little fish caught.
During the month of August, I always expect to work a little harder to find fish. They can be a bit pickier and dialing in what they want can be a trial-and-error game.
September
During the month of September, I found myself on the Lower Gunnison more than in the Gorge. The fishing was tough everywhere, though. September was plaqued by hot weather and lower than ideal river flows.
The lower Gunnison is what we call the stretch from Pleasure Park down. This can be an awesome stretch of river; however, the past two seasons it hasn’t fished up to its potential. It’s been frustrating, to say the least.
My summer concluded with a 3-day trip through the Gorge. The fishing was tough, but the company was pretty solid. It was just a two-boat trip so me and one other guide, Tyler, would be responsible for getting all the work done.
We worked hard, found some fish, shared a bunch of laughs and ate some really good food. It was a solid finish to an incredible summer down in this oasis in the desert.
Guiding in the Gunnison Gorge isn’t like your typical guide day. It’s a lot more than just fishing. Keeping clients safe, well-fed, and enjoying themselves is critical. But, at the end of the day, when I find myself looking up at the star-filled sky, I know I’m right where I belong.
This Gorge season tested me in many different ways. River flows varied throughout the summer, requiring me to really dial in my lines through the rapids. This past season I saw flows drop down to almost minimum, which I hadn’t had to deal with since my first year guiding in the Gorge.
If you’ve ever wanted to come see and fish the Gunnison Gorge, we have some available dates in July, August, and September. Feel free to shoot me an email if you have any questions: [email protected]
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