Western River Fishing Trip

Nice 21" Gunnison Bow

I had the chance to spend a few days last week out on the river with some friends from back home.  We left Wednesday morning to head out to the Gunnison Gorge to try and hit the salmon fly hatch.  We hiked down into the Gorge Wednesday afternoon at the Ute Trail access point in time to get an hour or so of fishing before dark.  Between the hours of 6:00 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. the fishing was great!  Between the group we got two fish over 20″ within the first hour on the river.  The hot patterns were Pats Rubber Legs in a #6 with brown or black bodies and Orange Crystal Stimulators in a #12.

We hit the river the next day hoping to get some action on Salmon Fly dries.  There were bugs flying around, clumped up in the bushes, everywhere but on the water where we needed them.  Try as we might, those fish wanted nothing to do with the patterns we were throwing.  We were still able to pick up fish on Pat’s Rubber Legs, Yellow Sallies in #16’s and #18’s, Mecury PMD’s in #16’s and #18’s and Elk Hair Caddis in #16 with dark bodies.

As for the salmon flies they should begin laying eggs any day now.  The weather down in the gorge has been nice and warm which should start the bugs moving back to the water which in-turn should start the fish slamming size 4 dry flies!  The flows on the river should be holding pretty steady over the next few weeks around 2,200 CFS which should also help the fishing.

For the last day of the trip we drove up to the Frying Pan River to get a little change of scenery.  The fishing on the Pan was great!  Fish were keying in on mysis shrimp and red pure midge larva and blood midges close to the dam and caddis and small parachute adams down river.  With the flows being a little high this time of year, the fish were keying in on bigger shrimp and nymphs. If you have some time, I would definitely recommend spending some time on the rivers out west.

Dave Dickensheets