Colorado Fall Fishing Report: Taylor River Lodge

As we say goodbye to the dog days of summer here in Colorado, we welcome the cooler temperatures that create iconic fall fishing conditions! This summer in Gunnison Valley, we saw long stretches of hot sunny days with little rainfall, and we are already beginning to experience our lower flow, late season fishing conditions.

Walk-wade fishing is starting to pick back up as the brown trout become more aggressive throughout the fall. We have noticed redds (trout spawning beds) formed by spawning browns which we aim to avoid when wading around ourrivers. Protecting these breeding grounds will result in reproduction for years to come.

Reports of kokanee salmon moving into the Gunnison River have gotten anglers excited. Kokanee are a landlocked, freshwater, sockeye salmon that migrate to their breeding grounds each fall. Huge pods of these salmon will work their way from the Blue Mesa Reservoir all the way up to the Roaring Judy Fish Hatchery. Kokanee can put up a fight when hooked, but don’t lose focus on the trout as they will be just behind these big schools feeding on their eggs!

We are still seeing some decent dry fly action in the middle of the day, with blue-winged olive mayflies and caddis remaining the most productive. Beatis nymphs and midge pupa are a good bet for a dry-dropper rig as the adult bug imitations begin to taper off. Throwing streamers can also be an effective method for catching aggressive trout. With prime fall fishing potential and great autumn colors, our guides will be sure to make the most of your day on the water!

By: Elliot Manning
Colorado Angling Manager