This unique 5-day, 5-night trip combines the best of all worlds in the realm of fly fishing for trout. The experience starts with three nights and two fishing days at Eleven Taylor River Lodge, followed by two nights and three days float fishing the Gunnison Gorge National Conservation Area Wilderness.

In our slice of Colorado, we benefit from being located in the heart of the Gunnison Valley, which is a sought-after destination for discerning anglers. Our guests have access to hundreds of miles of rivers and streams suitable for anglers of all skill levels, from first-timers to advanced fly anglers. We are surrounded by Forest Service and BLM lands that create a wilderness environment while providing convenient, yet uncrowded, entry points to some of our finest fisheries.

Now, Eleven is introducing a 3-day deluxe Gunnison Gorge float fishing trip with RIGS Fly Shop. This is Colorado’s premier multi-day guided fly fishing trip, providing access to the Gunnison Gorge National Conservation Area/Black Canyon. Groups have up to six people with a dedicated gear boat which goes ahead to set up camp, allowing anglers more time on the water. Due to its popularity, this trip can book out months in advance. Booking early is recommended.

• Three nights and two days of guided fishing at Taylor River Lodge
• Casting clinics on the property’s casting pond
• Float fishing and wade fishing
• Two nights and three days of guided float fishing in the Gunnison Gorge National Conservation Area Wilderness
• Suitable for: Anglers of all ability levels, couples, and families

At Taylor River Lodge

• Three nights of accommodations in riverside cabins with double occupancy
• Two days of guided fishing with 2 guests:1 guide ratio
• All meals, snacks and après prepared by your private chef
• Beer, wine, and spirits
• Fly fishing and other necessary gear provided, including rods, reels, lines, leaders, flies, wading boots, personal waterproof boat bag and more. Of course, bring your own gear if you prefer.
• Pre-trip planning with an Eleven Experience Manager

Camping float trip on the Gunnison Gorge 

• Two nights of tent camping and three days of guided float fishing with a 2:1 guest to guide ratio
• All gear is provided, including dry bags and camping equipment, and all meals and shuttles are included to and from the lodge

Starting at $6,400 per person based on double occupancy and including all land use fees. Five nights of accommodations, five days of guided fishing. Note: Final rate depends on accommodations chosen at Taylor River Lodge. Please call to discuss the options.

*Photos courtesy of RIGS Fly Shop/Matt McCannel.

At Taylor River Lodge, Eleven guides live and breathe fishing. They thrive on getting to know you and seeing your excitement while on the hunt for big trout. If really getting after it on some of the best water in the Rockies sounds exciting, our team of guides will safely lead you on the trip of a lifetime.

Gunnison Gorge Float Fishing (Gunnison Gorge National Conservation Area) is an experience guests never forget—one that keeps them coming back again and again. The Gorge deluxe trip format provides a more intimate experience, with smaller client group sizes (only 6 guests per trip), additional amenities and services, and a dedicated gear boat allowing for lighter rafts. With these upgrades, you get to spend more time exploring the pools and runs of the river, while enjoying the beauty of the canyon, the resounding quiet and abundant wildlife, along with amazing food and comfortable camp accommodations.

• Match the Hatch – Focus on dry fly fishing and matching the hatch, plus a chance to cast larger attractors and terrestrials that can produce explosive strikes.
• Streamers – Looking for those monster brown trout? Get down with big articulated streamers and hang on.
• Nymphing – 90% of the time trout are feeding below the surface. Sight nymphing can be as visual as dry fly fishing. The old dry dropper nymph is a proven way to catch plenty of rainbows and browns.
• Float fishing from the boat or wading the banks and riffles – You’ll be able to really cover the water by mixing floating and wading. Our boats give you access to prime spots you can’t reach on foot, while stopping and working an area carefully can bring out fish you want another pass at.

Where to begin? There are thousands of trout fishing flies, from standard dries like Parachutes and Wulff’s to traditional pheasant tail nymphs to the hottest streamers. Your Eleven guides will have all the flies you need for fishing across all our rivers in the Gunnison Valley, and in the Gorge.

We will mostly use WF floating lines in 5 to 6 weights, though we can go smaller. Sometimes DT lines come in handy on small creeks. Some streamer and lake fishing can call for sink-tip lines as well. 9-foot leaders in 3X to 6X are most common, but we cut them back or add on as the situation requires. Waders, wading shoes, lanyards; we’ve got it covered.

For fly fishing we mostly use 8.5 to 9-foot rods in 5- to 6-weights with matching reels, though we have lighter specialty bamboo and fiberglass rods for small streams. We use mostly floating lines but sink tips are also effective with streamers. We use top equipment from Sage, Simms, Scott, Orvis, Rio, SA, Ross and more.

*Photos courtesy of RIGS Fly Shop/Matt McCannel.

Blue sky, emerald green pine trees and granite cliffs frame all of your adventures at Taylor River Lodge. The property is a private, eight-cabin retreat open from late May through mid-October. The off-the-grid location deep in Colorado’s Taylor Canyon is the perfect setting for friends, families and corporate groups to unplug and reconnect. Fishing is at the heart of the experience, with a trout pond and a mile stretch of semi-private river steps from the cabins, and the Gunnison River minutes away for float trips. The surrounding mountains offer rugged single track and scenic hiking trails, and the on-site rock climbing wall, archery, and hatchet throwing area will make you nostalgic for your Scout days. After a day outdoors, steam and soak in the Bathhouse or cozy up in the main lodge with a good book. Evenings take on a campfire vibe with stargazing and cocktails in the crisp Colorado air.

A RIGS Gunnison Gorge experience spares no expense to provide delicious home-cooked meals. All menus are thoughtfully prepared in advance but special requests and food allergies can be accommodated. The camping amenities provide all the comforts of home, or at least all the ones the horses can haul! Expect elevated sleeping cots, comfortable outfitter tents (2 people per tent), wine glasses, high back chairs, and much more.

*Photos courtesy of RIGS Fly Shop/Matt McCannel.

Your trip starts with 3 nights and 2 days at Eleven’s Taylor River Lodge, followed by 2 nights and 3 days float fishing the Gunnison Gorge National Conservation Area Wilderness.

DAY 1: Arrive at TRL and settle in. Orientation with your Experience Manager and fishing guides. Casting warm-up and instruction on the pond. Cocktails and dinner at the lodge.

DAY 2: Walk/wade the lodge’s private stretch of the Taylor River, focusing on getting tuned up for the Gorge trip by using a variety of techniques for tailwaters.

DAY 3: Float the Gunnison River, focusing on fly fishing from a boat in preparation for the Gunnison Gorge float trip. Fish all day with lunch on the river. Happy hour back at the lodge with a video on fly fishing the Gunnison Gorge. Orientation for the Gorge trip will be provided at this time, along with assistance packing dry bags. Wrap up with a brief overview of Eleven Angling, highlighting our lodges and fishing operations in Florida/Bahamas, Iceland, New Zealand, and Chile. Dinner at the lodge.

DAYS 4, 5, 6: Depart Taylor River Lodge early (4 AM to 5 AM) for shuttle to Montrose. Meet RIGS van and drive to Chukar Trail for the hike down to the river. All participants are required to carry their own personal gear down the one-mile hike to the put-in. Guests must be in reasonable physical shape to complete this hike with up to a 50 lb. pack, as it is the only way into this remote wilderness canyon. Wrap up with a brief overview of Eleven Angling, highlighting our lodges and fishing operations in the Bahamas, Iceland, and Chile. The Gorge trip includes 3 days of fly fishing and 2 nights camping on the river, with all meals included. Shuttles from the take-out at Pleasure Park back to Taylor River Lodge or to local airports are included on DAY 6. Additional night at TRL is optional.

*Photos courtesy of RIGS Fly Shop/Matt McCannel.