Fishing Mecca in a Wealth of Waterways – Gunnison County, Colorado

With hundreds of miles of scenic waterways and 3 million new fish released each year from hatcheries, Gunnison County is an excellent choice for a fishing vacation. The county, which is roughly the size of the state of Connecticut, offers crystal-clear reservoirs, three classic rivers, countless creeks and clear alpine lakes, and a plethora of fishing events throughout the spring and summer.

FISHING EVENTS
Blue Mesa Fishing Tournament, May 5 - 6
Kiwanis hosts this annual tournament at Blue Mesa Reservoir near Gunnison to raise college scholarship funds for area high school students. Approximately 120 teams of two start at Elk Creek Marina and angle for trout (rainbow, brown, cutthroat and other). The entry fee is $120 per team, with an extra $10 to enter the Mackinaw trout competition. The top prize is approximately $1,000 to $1,200. In addition, the names of 10 lucky participants will be drawn on May 5 to be eligible for the grand prize drawing on May 6. For information, contact Carl Long at (970) 641-9023 or Bruce Saunders at (970) 901-0110.

Monarch Search & Rescue Fishing Tournament, May 19 - 20
Approximately 80 to 100 teams of two will fish for salmon and rainbow and brown trout at Blue Mesa Reservoir. The entry fee is $120. For information, call Joanne Stone at (970) 641-2795.

Fourth Annual River Awareness Week, May 25 - 30
High Country Citizens’ Alliance (HCCA) will host the Fourth Annual River Awareness Week, May 25 - 30. River Awareness Week is designed to promote awareness about the role of rivers in the Gunnison Valley’s environment and economy. Activities for the week typically include fly-fishing workshops, hikes, tours, music, sea kayaking demonstrations, river clean-ups, films and more. For more information, contact HCCA at (970) 349-7104 or visit www.hccaonline.org.

Seventh Annual Taylor Park Marina Fishing Derby, June 23
Cash prizes will be presented for longest northern pike, largest pike by weight, most pike caught, and largest trout caught in the Taylor Park Reservoir. Registration begins at 6 a.m., with eligible fishing times between 7 a.m. - 5 p.m. The entry fee is $25 per person.

Registration for the kids’ division is free (non-cash prizes). For information, contact Taylor Park Marina at (970) 641-2922 or (719) 395-6484 or visit www.taylorparkmarina.com.

Sixth Annual Caddis Cup Fly-Fishing Tournament, July 18 - 19
Crested Butte Land Trust’s annual Caddis Cup starts off on July 18 with a casting clinic by Scott fly rods in the morning and an evening barbecue at a local ranch, where participants are matched with experienced local guides. The afternoon is open for practicing on local waters. On July 19, teams head off with a picnic lunch and fan out for the day. Prizes are awarded for biggest brown, rainbow, total aggregate inches and best fish tale for the one that got away. The event entry fee is $600, with all proceeds benefiting the Crested Butte Land Trust. For more information or to register, call (970) 349-1206.


FLY-FISHING WORKSHOP & PACKAGE
Surrounded by the Gunnison National Forest and snowcapped peaks and situated at the confluence of three of Colorado’s best fishing rivers, Three Rivers Resort in Almont is the perfect getaway for fishing. Willowfly Anglers, the resort’s Orvis-endorsed outfitting service, will host an Orvis Fly-Fishing School on June 14 - 15. In two days, participants will learn casting techniques, essential knots, stream entomology, equipment selection, reading water and more. This package start at $530 per person and includes three nights’ lodging in modern cabins, two full days of professional fly-fishing instruction, all fishing equipment (if needed) and guaranteed good times in the mountains. Call (888) 761-FISH or go to www.3riversresort.com.

FISHING MECCA
The wealth of water in Gunnison County makes for exceptional fishing: less pressure on the fish means more success for anglers. Gunnison County’s lakes and streams are home to kokanee salmon, northern pike, and brown, rainbow, cutthroat, brook and Mackinaw trout. Area waters entice dry fly-fisherman from June through early November with their strong fly hatches.

The area’s largest and most popular fishing river, the Gunnison River, begins near the small town of Almont at the confluence of the East and Taylor rivers. Stretches of this legendary trout stream, including a section of Gold Medal Trout Water downstream from Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Monument, are among Colorado’s finest trout water. The Gunnison River is the second largest river in the state and has more fish per mile than any other river in the state, according to the Colorado Division of Wildlife.

The free-flowing East River is smaller, with a section of wild trout water above and below the Roaring Judy Hatchery, located approximately 11 miles north of Gunnison. The Roaring Judy ponds, located beside the river at the hatchery, provide a home for record-breaking brown trout and many small rainbows.

The Taylor River flows through its craggy canyon in the shadow of the jagged Sawatch Range to Taylor Park Reservoir, a beautiful high mountain lake that teems with cutthroats, rainbows and browns. Below the dam, a prime catch-and-release area yields 6- to 12-pound rainbows and is reported to contain rainbow trout that are larger than the current state record of 18.5 pounds.

Good fishing — by boat or from the shoreline — is also found at easily accessible Blue Mesa Reservoir within the Curecanti National Recreation Area. With 92 miles of shoreline, Blue Mesa Reservoir is Colorado’s largest body of water.

Many of Gunnison County’s unspoiled alpine lakes — where solitude and breathtaking scenic beauty is the norm, rather than the exception — also are accessible by vehicle. For those who prefer a guide, Gunnison County has a number of private outfitters for scenic backcountry fishing and float trips. Visit www.GunnisonCrestedButte.com for a list of outfitters.

“There is a lifetime of fishing opportunities in the Gunnison Valley between lakes, streams, rivers and high alpine lakes,” says Brian Bell, partner in Almont Anglers, a fly shop and guide service. “There is well over 1,000 miles of fishable water open to the public in Gunnison County.”

To sign up for an email newsletter about fly-fishing conditions on the Gunnison River, East River, Taylor River and the Taylor River catch-and-release area, visit www.GunnisonCrestedButte.com and click on “e-mail newsletter sign-up” in the upper right corner.