The Gunnison Valley is famous for harsh winters, with white-outs and temperatures down to 30 to 40 degrees below zero. It’s hard to think about fly fishing then but it’s a perfect time to sit down at the tying vise with a pint of our own Irwin Brewing Company ale and tie up some flies for the upcoming season. We’ll be watching the rivers like hawks, as the valley warms up and rivers swell with runoff and then settle down again, and the bugs begin to hatch. Summer dry fly season will be upon us and it’s game on. Big stoneflies, Green Drakes, Pale Morning Duns, and more. It’s happy hour for bugs and brews!

• 2 full days of fly fishing, can combine walk/wade and float fishing
• 1 or 2 anglers (maximum 2:1 guest to guide ratio)
• Best suited for adults and older teens with some fly fishing experience
• Transportation from/to the lodge provided
• Locations will depend on weather and conditions at the time. Fish where the best hatches are, from smaller creeks to bigger rivers.
• All gear provided, including rods/reels, waders and boots, tackle and flies. Specialized gear provided for dry fly fishing – lighter tackle, 3 and 4-weight fly rods, premium fiberglass and custom bamboo fly rod options.
• Season: Late June through early September

• Full-day fly fishing trips – approximately 7 to 8 hours each day
• Private guide
• Lunch, snacks and drinks
• All transportation to and from fishing locations
• Package includes happy hour casting clinic on Taylor River Lodge pond the evening before (on arrival day, if needed or requested)
• Use of all rods/reels, waders and boots, tackle and flies
• Irwin Brewing Company beer tasting at the lodge
• Private water options are available at an additional rod fee of $100 per angler per day

• Our premium angling products are offered at an additional $200 per angler, per day supplement and can be added to your nightly rate for individual days that you would like to fish.
• If you are interested in one of our premium lodging and fishing packages for the duration of your stay, please book our dedicated TRL Angling Product via the link below or give our sales team a call.
• All fishing packages must be booked in advance and are subject to availability. These angling products are only available for guests at Taylor River Lodge.

What do trout want? Anglers have spent centuries trying to solve this riddle. Our Match the Hatch (aka Bugs N’ Brews) two-day fishing package is totally focused on dry fly fishing and matching the hatch during the peak summer season. Our guides will pick the best locations for the most insect activity and zero in on those places and related hatch times. This could include smaller creeks and bigger rivers, and walk/wade fishing and float fishing, all depending on timing and conditions. Learn how to identify aquatic insects and their life cycles, and how to choose and present corresponding fly patterns to fool our wary trout. Not only will this be a fun and amazing fishing trip, but you’ll gain valuable knowledge that will take you to the next level as a fly angler.

Day 1: Welcome

• Afternoon arrival at Taylor River Lodge
• Welcome by Eleven staff and tour of the property
• Enjoy a drink and snack and settle into your accommodations
• Casting clinic/tune-up on the Taylor River Lodge pond (if needed or requested)

 

Day 2: Full-day Match the Hatch fishing program

• Chef-prepared breakfast
• Start time is usually between 8 and 9 am, depending on time of the season and conditions
• Walk/wade fishing at a location with good insect hatches and best dry fly fishing opportunities at the time
• Fish all day with streamside lunch with discussion on insects and their life cycles and matching the hatch
• Happy hour back at the lodge

 

Day 3: Full-day Match the Hatch fishing program

• Chef-prepared breakfast
• Depart lodge at agreed upon time in the morning
• Walk/wade (or float trip) targeting hatch times and using flies identified the day before
• Fish all day with lunch on the river, and further discussion on insects and matching the hatch
• Happy hour back at the lodge with Irwin Brewing Company beer tasting
• Wrap up with a brief overview of Eleven Angling, highlighting our lodges and fishing adventures in Florida/Bahamas, Iceland, and Chile

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 around the communal fire pit.