Offering a mix of fishing opportunities from famed Gold Medal waters to High Country streams and lakes, this area will surely please any angler. Click the map markers for additional information on how to access the river via these routes. The clear, cold water of the Gunnison River is a sportsman’s and whitewater paddler’s paradise. __CONFIG_colors_palette__{"active_palette":0,"config":{"colors":{"62516":{"name":"Main Accent","parent":-1}},"gradients":[]},"palettes":[{"name":"Default Palette","value":{"colors":{"62516":{"val":"var(--tcb-skin-color-0)"}},"gradients":[]}}]}__CONFIG_colors_palette__, DIY Guide to Fly Fishing the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, DIY Guide to Fly Fishing in Zion National Park, DIY Guide to Fly Fishing in Capitol Reef National Park, DIY Guide to Fly Fishing in Glacier National Park, DIY Guide to Fly Fishing in Grand Canyon National Park, DIY Guide to Fly Fishing in Lassen Volcanic National Park, DIY Guide to Fly Fishing in Yosemite National Park, Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park Map and Fishing Access Sites, Best Places to Fish in Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, Best Time to Fish the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, Black Canyon Gunnison National Park Fishing Reports, Black Canyon Gunnison National Park Fishing Regulations, Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park. I was hoping our first trip there wasn't a fluke and it turns out that this section of the Gunnison, in my opinion, is one of the best kept secrets in Colorado fly fishing. The picnic spot is just down stream from where the town of East Portal once was. Ample public access, robust aquatic insect hatches, excellent numbers of trout, and big fish potential all make the Gunnison one of the Centennial State’s best fisheries and a must-visit destination for your fly fishing trip to western Colorado. Gunnison River Tips & Resources. This is when the fabled salmonfly hatch occurs and the air over the waters of the Gunnison is thick with 2-3-inch long orange-and-pink-tinged flies. The Gunnison River in Black Canyon National Park is the 12 miles of Gold Medal and Wild Trout waters everyone travels there to visit. Temperature. If you encounter fish on spawning beds, leave them alone and focus your fishing on deeper water. Here are some tips for getting access to the water and where you can find the Gold Medal section:The primary access point to reach the Gold Medals Waters of the Gunnison is East Portal Road. Each are shown on the map above. Montrose puts you nearest to Crystal Dam and Reservoir, although the accommodations in Gunnison are a bit more diverse regarding options. It's formed by two major streams, the Taylor River and the East River, both of which are fine trout streams themselves. The location of each route is shown on the map above. While most anglers are easily convinced to return to Black Canyon after their first trip due to the monster rainbow and brown catches, the view of the 2,700-foot canyon walls and surrounding mountains merit at least one additional trip just for the scenery. For those making the effort, the fishing can be an outstanding experience. The upper river or the Upper Gunnison is a classic freestone river that flows from the confluence of the East and Taylor rivers and into the Blue Mesa Reservoir. Access at the East Portal and North Fork Gunnison confluence (Pleasure Park) is … After being dammed two more times forming Morrow Point and Crystal Reservoirs, the lower Gunnison River escapes Crystal Dam and carves through one of the most breathtaking and wild chasms on earth, the Black Canyon of the Gunnison and its more mellow downstream neighbor the Gunnison Gorge, before slogging toward a rendezvous with the Colorado River in Grand Junction. Fishing within 200 yards downstream of Crystal Dam is prohibited. Additionally, anglers should abide by standard Leave No Trace protocols for both personal waste and any refuse, trash, recyclables, and disposable containers they bring into the park with them. The National Park Service provides valuable tips on accessing the inner canyon wilderness area. Most famous for the Salmon Fly hatch in May/June. Trying to hike out with bark scorpion sting or nursing a rattlesnake bite is no joke. Montrose Regional Airport has flights to and from Denver daily, and Gunnison-Crested Butte Regional Airport has similar flight plans if you don't mind driving an hour or so to reach Black Canyon. 1 mph. This season welcomes the return of the kokanee salmon run to local rivers. The National Park Service uses the term "routes" since these are not designated, marked and maintained trails. Copyright 2020 DIY Fly Fishing, all rights reserved. Click the map markers for additional information on how to access the river via these routes. The Gunnison River from 200 yards downstream of Crystal Dam all the way through Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park to the North Fork is designated Gold Medal & Wild Trout Water. It's not an easy trip to make.Those willing and able to make the journey down the dirt roads and hike the steep trails along the canyon walls will find that their efforts are well rewarded. And although East Portal Road closes with the first November snows and the roads giving access to the trails descending into the Gunnison Gorge become wet and impassable, Smith Fork Trail does offer anglers excellent wintertime angling throughout the lower 4 miles of the Gunnison Gorge. The best time to visit is during the salmonfly hatch in June, or as near to that time as you can get there despite the mass influx of other anglers also making the trip. Weather @GUNNISON BASIN - Updated December 21, 2020 - 2:01am by OpenWeather. Gunnison River (East Portal) We decided to try some new water this weekend and I am sure glad we did! It is the day the road to the East Portal opens. GUNNISON GORGE: This is a magical and beautiful place to fish, especially float fishing! I wonder if it ever doesn’t look calm any more. The Red Rock Canyon area is located near the south rim of Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park. There are few streams here and there to try your luck further up in the Gunnison National Park, but Black Canyon is the place to fly fish. Use of "routes" is at your own risk. Good mayfly nymphs and emergers include Barr’s BWO Emergers, RS2s, and JuJu Baetis in sizes 18 to 22. The current is strong, and the bottom is treacherous, and you need to take proper precautions. At the roads' end you'll find the East Portal Campground. Hiking through what is a sportsman’s and whitewater paddler’s paradise stream flow data to local rivers not in! Wild trout waters - East Portal Road for the salmon fly hatch in.. Is shown on the map markers for more fishing information we come to the left ( north once., standard Colorado Department of Wildlife regulations apply: 4 fish per angler per day of any species its... 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