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The Crested Butte Fly Fishing Report
Fishing Reports from the Taylor River, Gunnison River, East River & More
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CRESTED BUTTE FISHING REPORT - JUNE 30, 2024
Fishing is now excellent across the entire Gunnison County watershed. However, wade fishing is still challenging in spots due to water levels. Right now, the best way to catch them is wading in mellow areas, on smaller creeks, or float fishing.
Dry fly fishing, nymph fishing, and streamer fishing are all on the table! GO GET IT!
From now until the end of summer, we expect wade fishing to improve in accessibility daily.
What type of flies are the fish eating? Buggy ones!
This is the time of year when fish are far less picky and will take a variety of fly imitations. As such, don’t overthink your fly choices. It’s more about keeping your flies in the water and presenting them where the fish are hanging out. And when in doubt, use something a little larger for the next week or two (size 12-14 nymphs are good choices).
We like a dry-dropper rig for a versatile rig that will fish well on every river and stream right now. Attach a dropper nymph 2-3 feet below the dry fly for presentations near the bank. You’ll want your nymph to be 4-6 feet below the dry fly for drifts in deeper water.
Taylor River Fishing Report
Fish are hungry and eating well! But the water is very swift, and good drifts are difficult to come by. For your best chances of catching them, cherry-pick the calmest water with the most straightforward currents. Move to the next location if the water is swirling, turbulent, or overly fast.
If you choose to fly fish on the Taylor River but want a more mellow wading experience, check out the Catch & Release (C&R) section below the dam. However, prepare to share the water with plenty of people as the C&R is quite popular mid-summer.
Perdigons, French Nymphs, Stimulators, Chubby’s Pheasant Tails, and Caddis nymphs are all great ways to fool them on the Taylor.
Gunnison River Fishing Report
The Gunnison is now low enough to float fish. We recommend casting either a shallow dry dropper rig towards the banks or a deep bobber-nymph rig down the middle of the river.
If using a nymph rig, ensure your flies have enough mass and color for a fish to find in the depths, especially when the water is still moving quickly.
Our favorites on the Gunny are Rubber Legs, 20-inchers, Duracells, French Nymphs, and Heavy Caddis imitations.
East River Fishing Report
The East River is firing on all cylinders from a fishing perspective. Fish are where you expect them to be and are willing to eat a variety of bugs above and below the surface. The catch: It’s still a little high for comfortable wading in most locations.
River flows on the East have been hovering around 1,000 cfs for the past several days and continue to hold there as we experience daily storms, effectively sustaining the water levels.
The best wading on the East will be when the flows are between 400 and 750 cfs. We expect to be in that range within a week or two. If you are wading before then, please use caution and prepare to primarily fish from the shore or only in shallow, calm water where you can find it.
Recommended Flies
These are the flies we’ve reached for most often over the past week. And they’ve all helped us catch fish!
– Size 12-14 Yellow or Orange Stimulator
– Size 14-16 Beadhead Pheasant Tail
– Size 14 Perdigon/Spanish Bullet
Fly Fishing in the Rain
We’ve entered Monsoon season with consistent (almost daily) rain that typically lasts for a month, give or take. And although we’d all like to fish in sunny, 70-degree weather, fishing in the rain can be a fun experience and very productive if equipped with the right gear! In fact, some of the best days of fly fishing we’ve had over the past several years has been in the rain.
As such, if you’re hitting the water this month, check the forecast well in advance and bring a rain jacket!
For a reliable, waterproof piece that will keep you dry during big downpours, we like the Patagonia Torrentshell 3L Rain Jacket. It is lightweight and does the job every time.
Or, for a nice packable water-resistant piece, we like the Houdini Jacket, also from Patagonia. It is not fully waterproof like the Torrentshell, but it is excellent in light rain and lasts only a few minutes. We like to put the Houdini Jacket in our pack as an insurance policy for when we observe blue skies, but we know the mountain weather patterns can change any minute.
Thanks for reading.
Crested Butte FIshing Report - June 11, 2024
This week’s report can be summarized with one message: Water is high, dark, and dangerous.
Fishing is about as challenging as it gets (as of today), with extremely high flows in most Crested Butte and Gunnison Rivers.
This includes large rivers (the Gunnison, East, and Taylor Rivers) and freestone small creeks.
The Gunnison River hovered over 4,000 cfs in town. The East River a CB South nearly hit 3,000 cfs over the weekend. And the Taylor River has reached 1,400 cfs in Almont. Flows out of the Taylor Reservoir Dam are even uncharacteristically high, sitting at 625 cfs this morning.
The Bottom Line: All primary watersheds are swollen and generally unsuitable for fly fishing. See information below about the current streamflows on some of the primary rivers near Crested Butte.
Gunnison River Flows Near Gunnison: 3870 cfs (Bad and dangerous for fishing).
Taylor River Flows Below Dam: 625 cfs (“Ok” for fishing at C&R, but will not be easy)
Taylor River Flows in Almont: 1230 cfs (Holes, pockets and eddies are blown out – bad and dangerous for fishing).
East River Flows at Cement Creek: 2230 cfs (bad and dangerous for fishing)
Slate River Flows at Baxter Gulch: 1090 cfs (bad for fly fishing)
Gunnison River Flows Near Gunnison: 3870 cfs (Bad and dangerous for fishing).
Taylor River Flows Below Dam: 625 cfs (“Ok” for fishing at C&R, but will not be easy)
Taylor River Flows in Almont: 1230 cfs (Holes, pockets and eddies are blown out – bad and dangerous for fishing).
East River Flows at Cement Creek: 2230 cfs (bad and dangerous for fishing)
Slate River Flows at Baxter Gulch: 1090 cfs (bad for fly fishing)
Last week, Gunnison County Sheriff has shut down any forms of floating on the East, the Slate, and the Gunnison Rivers due to the danger of floating during high water under unpassable bridges.
These closures, coupled with the challenging fishing conditions, make it unacceptable to float. We expect this restrictions to be lifted in the coming week or two.
Per review of the stream gauge graphs, it’s possible that we have experienced peak flows (or are very close to peak flows) over the weekend. But we’ll know more in the coming days. We advise anglers and all river users to watch the stream flow water gauges across the valley (see links above) and wait until flows come down before getting back on the water.
Nevertheless, if you cannot avoid fishing this week, there are a few places you can fly fish safely:
– C&R on the Taylor
– Taylor above the Reservoir
– Willow Creek
– Spring Creek
– Cochetopa Creek
– Lakes, ponds, and reservoirs.
Although these are safer places to fish, it doesn’t mean the fishing will be very good. We’re not saying trout can’t be caught, but it will be tough.
If you do choose to fish right now, use bright-colored, oversized flies with drifts exclusively passing through areas of soft, slower water. Seek out waters that are slightly off color, but not muddy. A good rule of thumb is if you can see your wading boots in 18-24 inches of water, the water color is good for fishing.
At the C&R, it’s business as usual, with smaller nymphs (size 16-20) brought to the bottom of the water column with weight. Dry fly fishing can be decent mid-day, but nymphing will still be your best bet.
Above the reservoir on the Taylor River, streamers thrown to undercut banks can be a solid tactic. In another week, you should be able to switch to nymph rigs or dry dropper rigs. At Willow Creek, a double nymph rig with a small, white indicator (or dry fly indicator) will be your best option.
Stay tuned for updates. Thanks for reading.
Crested Butte FIshing Report - June 1, 2024
Over the past several days, the entire Gunnison and Crested Butte area has experienced high daytime temperatures, which have encouraged flows on our primary freestone watersheds to skyrocket.
Additionally, flows have systematically increased on the Taylor River from dam-released water.
The increased water in all rivers and creeks means that fly fishing will become quite as challenging for the next few weeks. To succeed, we recommend lowering your expectations on fishing conditions and cherry-picking only the choicest water.
River Flows
Gunnison River Flows Near Gunnison: 2450 cfs (BAD for wading and float fishing – pick somewhere else to fish).
Taylor River Flows Below Dam: 407 cfs (substantially challenging and dangerous for wading except at the C&R and the slowest pools)
Taylor River Flows in Almont: 839 cfs (not good for wade fishing unless you strictly are casting in shallow water or from land).
East River Flows at Cement Creek: 1530 cfs (bad for fly fishing unless you are fishing from land to soft and slow water)
Slate River Flows at Baxter Gulch: 929 cfs (bad for fly fishing)
Fishing Report
To be successful on the Gunnison River, nymph fish with heavy/flashy/large attractor patterns through the slowest water and close the banks. Do not float fish anywhere except the lower section of the Gunnison River, as the section from Almont to the town of Gunnison is currently not passable under some bridges.
However, as a whole, we really don’t recommend float fishing, even with a guide, unless you’re simply looking for a fast boat ride.
Note on Guided Fly Fishing: The best fly fishing guides will be straight forward about these conditions and suggest a walk/wade trip to some of the more manageable trout streams near Gunnison and Crested Butte. Outfits who suggest a float trip right now are wasting your time and money.
The same advice noted for the Gunnison is also recommended on the East River.
On the Taylor River, flows are not hospitable to most wade fly fishers in most public access points due to the strong currents. If you choose the fish the Taylor, we mostly recommend casting from shore or in water less than knee-deep.
Otherwise, head to the Catch & Release (C&R) section of the Taylor River below the dam to find plenty of hungry trout and about 15-25 of your closest angling buddies casting side-by-side (yeah, it’s busy there).
On smaller streams (Spring Creek, Brush Creek, Cement Creek, Willow Creek, Texas Creek, Coal Creek, a dry dropper rig with a very buoyant dry fly will offer you the best chances of hooking them.
Remember to drop your nymph on your dry dropper setup 1.5x to 2x the stream’s depth.
Fly Recommendations
In most of our fishing reports, we recommend the best flies for the overall conditions. We are not recommending flies this week for the large rivers due to their poor fishing conditions.
Instead, we are making recommendations for flies that will fish well on the smaller creeks only, mostly in a dry dropper setup.
By clicking on the links and purchasing flies, Slackwater earns a small commission on the sale, which helps fund these fishing reports. We thank you in advance for your support!
These six flies, or variations thereof, are all you need to catch fish on small creeks near Crested Butte & Gunnison:
– Stimulator (size 12-16)
– Chubby (size 12-14)
– Tungsten Bead Soft Hackle Hares Ear (size 16-18)
– French Jig (size 16-18)
– Spanish Perdigon (size 14-18)
– Beadhead Flashback Pheasant Tail (size 14-16)
Don’t overcomplicate things on small creeks! Fish a dry dropper rig with a buoyant dry fly suspending a nymph around 36-40 inches below. Cast into softer water as well as medium-speed riffles that are about 18-24 inches deep for the most success.
Summary
If you are coming to Crested Butte to fly fish during the first 1/2 of June, choose smaller waters where you can actually present a fly naturally. The East, the Taylor, and the Gunnison Rivers are currently not fishing very well, especially for beginners, and are actually dangerous in many locations.
If you’re looking for the most success during periods of high and turbid water, hire a guide who you can rely on to give it to you straight. We like Crested Butte Angler as our top fly fishing outfit in Crested Butte (ask for Jason). Otherwise Three Rivers in Almont, CO will take good care of you.
You pay good money for a guide, and we recommend doing your research to find a guide you like, has experience, prioritizes hospitality, and is someone you can trust. Read more about what to expect from a guided fly fishing trip here.
Thanks for reading.
Thank You To Our Readers!
We’d like to thank our readers for supporting the Slackwater project. We are committed to providing you thoughtful, honest, and thorough fishing reports that you can actually learn from and rely on.
We know you have a lot of choices on where to get your fly fishing reports, so we appreciate you choosing us.
If you enjoy our content, we encourage you to make a purchase of the flies recommended. But clicking on the links and buying flies, you are directly funding Slackwater as we earn a commission on every fly recommended. Your support makes it possible to continue providing you the best fly fishing advice and reports from the Crested Butte & Gunnison Valley.
Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Crested Butte FIshing Report - May 25, 2024
Summary
Happy Memorial Day Weekend!
Runoff is in full swing on the trout streams and rivers near Crested Butte, with expected (small) fluctuations due to cooler and rainier/snowier days. Trout are still feeding, as they typically are most of the year.
But it is now more challenging for the angler to present their fly to them on the larger rivers.
Focus on the smaller streams in Gunnison County and the Crested Butte area for the easiest fishing conditions. When the flows bump in the coming days with warmer temps, fly fishing the area’s larger rivers will not recommended!
River Flows
Gunnison River Flows Near Gunnison: 1320 cfs (decent for wade, good for float fishing).
Taylor River Flows Below Dam: 257 cfs (great for wade fishing)
Taylor River Flows in Almont: 546 cfs (ok for wade fishing).
East River Flows at Cement Creek: 707 cfs (“ok but challenging” for wade fishing)
Slate River Flows at Baxter Gulch: 390 cfs
Crested Butte & Gunnison Area-Wide Fishing Report
The East River and the Gunnison River are running fast and furious and will trend towards stronger stream flows in the coming weeks. Wading is now challenging and dangerous in many locations on these rivers, except for the obvious long, slow eddies and random pools.
If you plan on wade fishing the East River or Gunnison, we strongly recommend slowly testing the waters, always prioritizing your stability and safety. Remember, your safety should be your number one concern. Don’t forget to bring a wading staff to give you an extra point of stability when walking on the riverbed, ensuring a safe and enjoyable fishing trip.
Recommended Flies for Crested Butte/Gunnison Fly Fishing
We do not recommend fishing with dry flies on the larger trout streams right now unless you are casting toward calm water and actively observing fish feeding on the top. We repeat: Don’t be the schmuck dry fly fishing this week — if you are this guy, you clearly haven’t read our report.
Smaller streams that will be fishing better this week include:
– Spring Creek
– Cochetopa Creek
– Willow Creek
We are approaching prime dry dropper season on these small creeks, which is one of the most fun ways to fish two sections of the water. Read more about the dry dropper set up here.
The photo above is of Willow Creek from May 25, 2024, near Taylor Reservoir. As you can see, there is plenty of snow hanging on up high that will be rushing downstream soon.
Standard dry dropper, single or double dry fly, or streamer techniques will all be productive on smaller streams.
– Egg Sucking Leech (size 4)
– Bead Head Mop Fly (size 8-12)
– Duracell Bomb (size 12-14)
– Pats Rubberlegs (size 12-14)
– Squirmy Wormy Jig (size 14)
– Beadhead San Juan Worm (size 14)
– Hares Ear Beadhead (size 14)
Taylor River Fishing Report
Flows have begun to steadily creep up out of the dam below Taylor Park Reservoir, clocking in at 260 cfs for the past 5 days. We expect flows to jump above 300 (and possibly close to 400) within the next 7-10 days.
When Taylor River flows exceed 350-400 cfs, most sections will be difficult or dangerous to wade fish.
As such, the time to fly fish on the Taylor is NOW! Don’t miss out on this prime fishing opportunity – get your gear and head to the river this week.
Can you fly fish on the Taylor during the high flows of late spring and early summer? Yes, you can. But fishing conditions as a whole are better (and easier) for anglers right now than they will be in a week or two.
When flows are high, we recommend fishing only the slowest pools and eddies or try your hand at the famous Catch & Release (C&R) section below the Taylor Reservoir Dam.
Summer on the Taylor will be busier, and anglers will be more limited on where they can wade, hence the sense of urgency we are recommending today.
Mayfly and caddis nymphs do best subsurface, most often with a little added weight. We like using a drop shot technique to add weight to a rig. However, heavier flies or standard split shot practices can also work.
Read more here on the intricacies of fly fishing the Taylor River throughout the year.
The photos below are of a Taylor River brown and rainbow trout caught on a beadhead hares ear on May 25, 2024.
Best Flies for Taylor River During Medium-High Stream Flows
– Duracell Bomb (size 14-16)
– Rainbow Warrior (size 16)
– Spanish Perdigon (Size 14-16)
– Beadhead Hares Ear (Size 14-18)
– Beadhead Epoxyback Copper John Jig (Size 14-18)
– Jigged Caddis Pupa (size 14-16)
Fly Fishing Forecast
We expect flows to continue climbing in the primary watersheds for the next several weeks before stabilizing and coming down. During these periods of high water, please be very careful when wading or floating.
Our crystal ball tells us flows should start declining in the last half of June, but this will highly depend on how warm it is over the coming weeks. If we stay in a cool-ish weather pattern, expect runoff to be extended. If day-time weather is sunny and hot for days on end, expect runoff to peak by June 15, give or take.
In the meantime, get your flies deep, stay safe, and have fun out there!
Thanks for reading.
Scroll down for archived Crested Butte, Gunnison and Taylor River Fishing Reports
Where DO you Get Your Fishing Tips?
Raise your hand if your tired of the same ol’ generic, outdated fly fishing reports that really don’t teach you anything… we are!
That’s why we created the Crested Butte Fishing Report. The goal of this project is to provide accurate, timely, and educational fly fishing advice for those targeting trout in central Colorado. Get the Gunnison River Fishing Report as wells as fishing reports for the Taylor River, East River, and many other places in Gunnison County.
Fly fishing advice doesn’t have to come only from hiring a guide – it comes from Slackwater. And it’s free.
Crested Butte FIshing Report - May 13, 2024
Summary
Fishing conditions were variable and challenging throughout this cold snap, which lasted over a week. Flows dropped dramatically from May 6 to 11, and hatches were less abundant. These conditions were in-line with what we predicted in last week’s report.
It appears that as of yesterday, Sunday, May 12, 2024, we are back into “spring mode” with forecast temperatures in the 50s and 60s for the foreseeable future. Runoff will ramp back up starting now, and the best fishing for the next several weeks will be today through Thursday—go get it!
River Flows
Gunnison River Flows Near Gunnison: 837 cfs as of 7:55 AM Monday morning (great for wade and float fishing).
Taylor River Flows Below Dam: 200 cfs (great for wade fishing)
Taylor River Flows in Almont: 345 cfs (great for wade fishing).
East River Flows at Cement Creek: 451 as of 7:55 AM Monday morning (great for wade fishing)
Slate River Flows at Baxter Gulch: 184 as of 7:55 AM Monday morning.
Fishing Report
Could fish be caught during this last cold snap? Yes, absolutely. It was simply a little harder and required more patience.
Trout were found in softer water and often required frequent fly changes and dozens of presentations. The brown trout pictured above took a size 16 brown perdigon fly in a 24-inch deep soft riffle on Saturday, May 11 on the East River. Anglers who fly fished the Gunnison River reported they found their catches in similar locations as well as the deepest, slowest runs.
Below are some photos of what the river scene looked like nearly every morning for the past 7 days. The first photo is of the Gunnison River near Almont. The second one is the East River near Roaring Judy Fish Hatchery.
Fishing on the Taylor River was more consistent, however, with the release from the dam providing a more stable environment.
We expect fish to be more cooperative to take your fly this week with warmer day time air temps forcasted and an increase in projected hatches.
For the best chances of hooking ’em this week, we recommend nymph fishing with heavy rigs, once again. Focus on the soft, medium-soft, and medium-speed waters. Cast through all types of features, including holes, runs, and light riffles.
Should flows increase by more than 50% this week (which is totally possible), you will find more (and larger) fish holding closer to the edges of the river. In the softest water, approach the zone with stealth and always fish upstream of where you’re standing to avoid spooking the trout.
When rivers double their stream flow, which could reasonably be by this weekend, we advise anglers to stick to the Taylor River or smaller trout streams in the Crested Butte/Gunnison Area. Or if you continue to fish on places like the Gunnison or East River, be very careful wading as flows will be fast and potentially dangerous. Fish will be held up very close to the river’s edges in undercut banks and areas with slow water and plenty of structure.
Recommended Fly Fishing Rigs
Go back to indicator, dry dropper, or tight-line nymphing this week on the larger water sheds. Don’t be afraid to get your nymphs deep; however, it’s also worth drifting your flies 12-18 inches above the river bed, as we expect some fish to key in on emergers rising to the surface.
In general, dropper flies should be tied below an indicator or a dry fly with a piece of tippet approximately 1.5x the depth of the river. For example, if the run is 3 feet deep, you should tie drop your nymph fly 4.5 feet off the indicator.
Double dopper rigs should produce fish on your line, with the heaviest fly on the end (also known as the point).
On smaller creeks such as Spring Creek, Cement Creek, Willow Creek, Cochetopa Creek, and Tomichi Creek, watch for fish rising for the opportunity to cast dry droppers or single dry flies.
You need to remain versatile this week, preparing for varying tactics in changing water conditions. For your best all-around rod, we recommend a 9-foot, 5-weight rod with a floating line. We like the Orvis Recon as a mid-priced performance rod.
If you are fishing smaller creeks, a shorter 4-weight rod can be a good option. Check out our gear review on the Scott G Series 884 4-weight fly rod here.
Recommended flies for this week
– Bead Head Mop Fly (size 8-12)
– Pats Rubberlegs (size 12-14)
– Bead Head Flashback Pheasant Tail (size 14-16)
– Tungsten Bead Soft Hackle Hares Ear (Size 14-16)
– Spanish Perdigon (size 14)
– Radiation Baetis (size 16-20)
– Flossy Worm (size 12-14)
– Chubby Chernobyl (size 10-14)
Crested Butte Fly Fishing Forecast
We predict this will be the best week of fly fishing on the main freestone watersheds (East, Gunnison) until sometime in mid to late June. Daytime air temps will begin facilitating a turbulent spring runoff, making fly fishing more challenging. When flows get high, stick to the Taylor River Tailwater section, or opt for smaller trout streams that have more favorable river flows.
Again, even in changing environments, when some may say fly fishing is tough, there will still be ways to catch them—but they will require creativity and different approaches.
At Slackwater, we are committed to providing you with an honest, inclusive fishing report that provides you with the best beta and doesn’t sugar-coat anything. If fishing is good – we’ll let you know!
We invite you to follow along with the Crested Butte Fishing Report in the coming weeks, and all summer, for fly fishing tips and advice for where to trout fish in 2024.
Our next report will be sometime between May 21st and May 25th.
Thanks for reading.
The Crested Butte Fishing Report thanks you for your support -- and we invite you to check out the Orvis Recon Fly Rod!
Slackwater’s Crested Butte Fishing Report is here to provide you the best information on where to fish and how to catch them during your vacation to the Crested Butte or Gunnison Area.
If you enjoyed the latest edition of this report, AND you’re in the market for a new fly rod, we invite you to consider clicking on the links below to learn about the Orvis Recon 9-foot, 5-weight.
The Recon is an all-around trout tamer good for varying conditions on a lot of different types of water in Colorado. We love fishing a 9-foot, 5-weight rod when conditions require quick changes of our rig on medium to large trout streams. Those types of conditions are now prevalent in the Crested Butte/Gunnison area!
The 9-foot, 5-weight Recon is the rod we put in our clients hands the most often as it casts accurately and feels amazing when hooking up to small and large trout alike. Read more about the Recon at Orvis or Trident Fly Fishing, below.
Crested Butte FIshing Report - May 8, 2024
Here’s a quick update on what has happened to fishing conditions on the Taylor River and near Crested Butte/Gunnison since our last report on May 5th.
As predicted in the May 5th report (see below), the recent cold snap this week has modified the trout’s feeding behavior.
While it’s not possible to say EXACTLY what trout are thinking, we believe that quick changes to a trout’s environment (i.e., drops in flows, changes to air and water temps) confuse the fish during the spring and make them retreat to their “winter-esque habits.” They are looking for some sense of stability in their environment to be the most eager to eat our flies.
Here are a couple images of East and Gunnison River flows, showing the stark drop in stream flows since Monday.
Because of the drop in flows on the freestone watersheds, we recommend fly fishers to move to the Taylor River for the most consistent and cooperative trout.
Taylor River flows have also bumped up, holding around 200 cfs, which was an increase of about 30% more water since May 5. See the graphic below. However, even with increased flows, trout are still feeding and have settled into a good holding pattern quickly.
Click on the links below for up-to-the-minute river flow data.
Recommended Fly Fishing Tactics
Stick with a heavy nymph setup on a indicator or dry dropper rig on the Taylor River. We like a 10-foot, 4-weight rod for this type of fishing because it gives you the reach for high-stick nymphing as well as the strength to still land big fish. Should dry fly fishing become an option, a 10-foot, 4-weight rod will give you the finese and accuracy to present flies with ease.
We like the 10-foot, 4-weight Orvis Helios F rod for these conditions. It feels like a good balance between an all around nymph/dry fly/streamer rod and a contact-nymph or euro rod. It has the touch of a lighter weight rod while still being strong enough to handle heavy rigs.
Gunnison River and East River fly fishing is still an option, but those fish will be slightly more picky. We recommend fishing only the deepest and slowest moving water, and cast several times through a section before moving on.
Trout on the Gunnison and East are still willing to move for a streamer, if that’s your style. Otherwise fish deep with heavy nymphs and accurate, drag-free drifts.
Recommended Flies for the Taylor River
– Two Bit Hooker (Brown & Olive, size 14-16)
– Bead Head Flashback Pheasant Tail (size 14-16)
– Tungsten Bead Soft Hackle Hares Ear (Size 16)
– Spanish Perdigon (size 14-16)
– Radiation Baetis (size 16-20)
– Flossy Worm (size 14)
– Generic Egg Pattern (Size 16-18)
Make sure to use flies that are plenty heavy to get them down deep. If you are fishing with flies that don’t have much weight (i.e., an egg or a worm), consider pairing them with a heavier jig pattern or using drop-shot to get them deep.
As the week progresses, we expect day time temperatures to increase (slowly) almost each day. By next week, flows should be back up on all Crested Butte area rivers and the fish will again spread out, becoming more cooperative to eat your fly in various types of currents.
Here is the 10-day forcast for Crested Butte weather.
Sometime around next Monday through Wednesday, after temps have stabilized and flows are back up, we expect trout to be back into a feeding pattern similar to what we saw last week. This is expected to be the best fishing conditions we’ll have experienced over the past 10 days.
Further, this window could possibly be the best fishing we will see until after runoff has peaked in June. Get it while its good!
See the report, below, for tactics on how to best catch them this week.
Starting towards the end of next week (around May 18), we expect rivers to be higher and faster as we enter the beginning of our true runoff in Central Colorado.
Thanks for reading.
Learn More about the
Orvis Helios Performance Fly Rod
The 10-foot, 4-weight Orvis Helios may be our all-around, all-time favorite “do it all” kind of rod.
It is light, accurate, and has all the qualities serious anglers demand from a performance fly rod.
Out favorite place & time to fish this rod is when we plan on nymph fishing, but require flexibility to adapt to changing conditions. Specifically, fly fishing seems to get easier on the Taylor River when ‘re fishing this rod.
Sure, it nymph fishes like a dream, but when we need to switch it up to a dry dropper, a single dry, or even a light streamer, the Helios steps up the plate.
East, Gunnison & Taylor River Fishing Report - May 5, 2024
Summary
Early runnoff fly fishing conditions are now FIRING on many rivers and streams near Crested Butte!
River flows are up, but have varied greatly over the past several weeks as we bounce in an out of warm and cold weather patterns. It’s no wonder pre-runoff fly fishing in Crested Butte is one of our favorite times of year to be on the water.
Water color on the larger freestone rivers (Gunnison and East River) are a touch darker, making it exceptional for large attractor pattern nymphs. Trout are found in the soft and medium-soft water, including holes, runs, and slower riffles. Unless you see fish rising for dries, focus on fishing the bottom of the water column throughout the river and avoid the fastest sections.
We are expecting snow and cold weather from Monday, May 6 to Friday, May 10. This cooler weather pattern will inevitably slow down the runoff and potentially change the fish’s feeding behavior some. Read on to learn methods for fishing during weather pattern swings during spring in Crested Butte as well as the report on Taylor River and Gunnison River fishing.
A colorful wild Rainbow trout caught on May 4, 2024 near Crested Butte.
River Flows
Gunnison River Flows Near Gunnison: Between 750 – 925 cfs (4 day range).
Taylor River Flows Below Dam: 154 cfs (increased from 104 cfs on May 1).
Taylor River Flows in Almont: 275 – 340 cfs (4 day range).
East River Flows at Cement Creek: 500-660 cfs (4 day range).
Slate River Flows at Baxter Gulch: 250 – 330 cfs (4 day range).
Click through to the links above for up-to-the-minute reports on stream flows from all of the primary trout streams near Crested Butte with USGS gauges.
Crested Butte Area-Wide Fishing Report
For the past week, anglers have had their pick on wherever they want to go for the best fly fishing near Crested Butte. The East, the Gunnison, the Taylor, and several small creeks, including Cement, Brush, Cochetopa, and Tomichi, have all been exceptional.
Fish are mostly taking nymphs, with the occasional trout looking up for a dry. If you’re determined to catch them on a dry, we highly recommend the dry dropper method. This technique allows you to present a nymph to subsurface-feeding fish, increasing your chances of a successful catch, even if it’s not on the dry fly.
Nymph-eating trout mostly hold on the bottom of the river, so get your flies deep and in the zone for the best chance of catching them.
We like heavy, flashy attractor pattern nymphs during periods of varying stream flows and off-colored water. These are often considered euro-style jig patterns. However, they can be fished with a conventional fly fishing setup such as a dry dropper or an indicator rig just as easily.
Here are the top four heavy attractor patterns we’re currently using for Crested Butte trout fishing:
– Jigged CDC Pheasant Tail (size 14-16)
– Squirmy Wormie Jig (size 12)
– Perdigon (size 14)
– Duracell Bomb (brown, purple, olive – size 14)
The best spots on the East River are where there is plenty of structure in the water, providing fish micro-eddies to hold in. Remember that the water at the bottom of the river is moving slower than the water on the surface. As such, even though we recommend staying away from the fastest sections of a river, it’s worth casting a few times through medium-speed riffles. Riffles can create small sections of slower water on the river bed where fish will be holding and feeding.
Read more about fishing conditions on the Taylor and Gunnison Rivers below.
If you’re committed to staying close to Crested Butte, check out Brush Creek or Cement Creek for some small stream fishing.
The same flies working on the larger water sheds are also working on the smaller ones, although sizing down one size hook is a good idea (i.e., a size 14 pattern used on the East should be a size 16 pattern on a smaller creek).
Taylor River Fishing Report
The time to fish the Taylor River is NOW! Taylor River flows out of the dam are currently around 150 cfs, making it one of the best times for wade fishing on this river. Wading gets trickier once flows jump above approximately 300 cfs, and fishing becomes more challenging.
Focus on the obvious holding locations for trout: behind a boulder, in tailouts, and near eddy lines.
On the warmest afternoons, you’ll find trout looking up for a dry fly. However, the bulk of your catches will still be with a nymph. We recommend a double nymph rig on the Taylor River, with your point fly being the heaviest and your dropper fly being lighter, tied 12-16 inches up in the water column.
Spring Creek, one canyon over from the Taylor, is also fishing well, with dry-dropper and streamer fishing being the most productive.
Fishing at the famous C&R section of the Taylor River, where, historically, the largest trout are found, is as productive as ever. Small nymphs, midges, and eggs are the best patterns at the C&R. Focus on high-sticking with a longer rod for the best results.
Above the dam, in Taylor Park, temps and stream flows are still in the pre-runoff phase. If you are not specifically fishing IN the Taylor Park Reservoir (aka the lake), we recommend checking out Willow Creek near the inlet. Fishing in Willow Creek for the first 1/2 mile upstream from the lake should be very good for the next 2 months!
Gunnison River Fishing Report
Stream flows on the Gunnison River are in the zone for prime float fishing conditions (between 700 and 900 is prime). It’s important to remember that we predict river flows on the Gunnison and East River (a Gunnison River tributary) will drop with the cooler temps this week.
Wade fishing is also great on the Gunnison, especially near Almont, Van Tuyl, and White Water Park public access areas.
Nymphing and streamer fishing tactics are both producing some good fishing. Like all other trout streams in Gunnison County, we advise anglers to fish their nymphs deep, ideally with a double nymph rig and heavy attractor flies.
Other small trout streams near the Gunnison River include Cochetopa Creek and Tomichi Creek.
Reports from fishing on the lower Gunnison near Delta show the early snowmelt has negatively affecting fishing. Waters coming out of the North Fork are extremely off color, due to spring runoff, making fishing conditions very challenging.
The best conditions on the Lower Gunnison are near the East Portal in the Black Canyon.
Short & Long-Term Forcast
This upcoming week will produce varying conditions and possibly some fish that slow down on their feeding habits. When stream flows vary dramatically, trout sometimes get confused and will “hang out” for a day or two before they figure out their changing environment.
During these times of quick weather changes, we advise fly fishers to keep things simple and their drifts deadly accurate. Size down on your flies and stick to nymphing this week!
Fishing on the Taylor River should remain relatively consistent throughout this upcoming cold snap, with predictable nymph fishing conditions.
Next week, daytime highs will return to the 50s and 60s, and we predict that the bulk of the spring runoff will begin to materialize. Mid-May is typically when rivers start to roar, and we expect that will be right in line with what we’ll experience this year.
If fishing heavy water during spring runoff isn’t your jam, we advise checking out places like Spring Creek, Cochetopa Creek, and Willow Creek near Taylor Reservoir. These are all excellent places for late spring fishing when the larger rivers are more challenging.
Thanks for reading, and happy fishing!
Archived REportS
TAYLOR RIVER FISHING REPORT - May 2, 2024
While we will do a more extensive Crested Butte fishing report update in the coming days, we wanted to give all Gunnison County fly fishers a quick update on the fishing conditions on the Taylor River.
As of May 1 (yesterday), flows have increased by 50 cfs out of the dam near the C&R section on the Taylor River and are holding around 150 cfs.
You can find information on Taylor River flows here. In our opinion, these flows will make fly fishing on the Taylor about as good as it will get until later in the summer and early fall. Flows between 140 and 280 are excellent for wade fishing, and make getting into some of the more secluded areas possible.
Additionally, the slight bump in flows on May 1 provide more water for the trout to spread out. As such, it’s time to fish all sections of the river including pockets, holes, runs, and eddies.
Brown and rainbow trout will be found throughout the river, mostly keying in on nymphs with some fish looking up for dries by the afternoon. We recommend using indicator nymphs with a small bobber from 9:00 to 2:00 then switching over to a light or heavy dry dropper setup for the afternoon.
At the Catch and Release section, it’s business as usual with small, realistic looking nymphs being most effective. Focus on your drift and enjoy the crowds that have inherently swarmed this section as of late.
Here are our current favorite flies for the Taylor River:
Best Dry Flys
– Parachute Adams (size 14-16)
– CDC Comparadun BWO (size 18)
– Flicks March Brown Dry (size 14)
– Stimulator (size 12-16)
– Chubby Chernobyl (size 12-14)
Best Nymphs
– Two Bit Hooker (Brown & Olive, size 14-16)
– Bead Head Flashback Pheasant Tail (size 14-16)
– Tungsten Bead Soft Hackle Hares Ear (Size 16)
– Spanish Perdigon (size 14-16)
– Radiation Baetis (size 16-20)
The photo below is a decent brown that ate a purple perdigon fly (size 16) under an indicator nymph rig.
Thanks for reading this update of the Taylor River Fishing Report!
Crested Butte Fishing REport - April 13, 2024
Summary
Fly fishing conditions are quickly improving in Crested Butte with higher daytime temperatures, rising water levels, and trout beginning to move out of their winter-holding patterns on the warmest days. We consider this time of year our pre-runoff season, and it’s one of our favorite seasons to fly fish in Crested Butte.
River Flows
Gunnison River Flows Near Gunnison: Between 320 – 460 cfs for the past week.
Taylor River Flows Below Dam: 103 cfs
Taylor River Flows in Almont: 140-170 cfs
East River Flows at Cement Creek: 90-200 cfs
Slate River Flows at Baxter Gulch: 160-220 cfs
Click through to the links above for up-to-the-minute reports on stream flows from all of the primary trout streams near Crested Butte with USGS gauges.
Fishing Report
The river flows on the Gunnison are now prime for wade fishing. Trout will be more selective during the cooler hours of the day, demanding precise presentations on the bottom of the river. By mid-afternoon, watch for rising fish for the opportunity to catch them on a dry.
The obvious location for trout to hold will be in the deeper runs, large and slow holes, and mellow riffles. We recommend a bobber dry dropper rig or an indicator nymph rig for the most success.
Additionally, we recommend fishing further downstream to find water that’s had a chance to warm up throughout the day. Target areas with plenty of structure, including rocks a debris, will be where fish will be.
The Gunnison River forms from the confluence of the East and Taylor Rivers in Almont, Colorado. Due to warmer weather, the East (a freestone river) is picking up speed quickly, contributing to rising flows on the Gunnison. The Taylor (a tailwater) has consistent flows out of the dam; however, it is also fed by small tributaries throughout Taylor Canyon that are making the Taylor River Flows in Almont push 200 cfs.
For the next month or so, the East River flows will directly impact the Gunnison River Flows.
The Taylor River flows are also excellent for wading; warmer afternoons are the best time to catch fish. A light dry dropper will work in the mellow riffles or a heavy nymph indicator rig will work well in the deeper runs.
If you’re not fishing at the C&R, we recommend fishing on the lower Taylor, closer to Almont, where water has had a chance to warm up throughout the day.
We recommend fishing at the Roaring Judy fish hatchery public water section on the East River. Like all other Gunnison County trout streams, we advise anglers to wait until the afternoon on the East River for trout to be more cooperative.
Fish on the East river are in the slower pools, deeper runs, and mellow riffles. Don’t waste your time fishing in fast water on the East.
On all Crested Butte rivers, BWO/baetis flies are the most consistently attractive meal for a trout in April. You can also find success with stonefly nymphs, such as a Pat’s Rubberlegs (size 12-14).
Recommended Flies
Here are some of our best fly imitations for BWO/baetis nymph patterns:
– Pheasant Tail (size 14-18)
– Leggy PT Tung Bomb (Size 14-16)
– Barr Emerger (Size 14-18)
– Brown Spanish Bullet (Size 16-18)
– RS2 (Size 18)
Top Dry Fly BWO/baetis flies
– Parachute Adams (Size 14-18)
– BWO Last Chance
– Sparkle Dunn Dry
Pairing a BWO with a midge or a junk fly pattern can be a deadly combo when nymph fishing. Here are our recommended midge and junk fly patterns that have been working well:
– Black Beauty
– Juju Baetis
– RS2
– Egg patterns
– Worms
– Green Weenie
Short-Term Crested Butte Fishing Forecast
For the next 10 days, high temperatures are forecasted to bounce between 40 and 50 in Crested Butte and 50 and 60 in Gunnison. These temps will further encourage freestone rivers to continue increasing flows. Once the East river reaches 600 cfs (give or take), it becomes a little more challenging to fish and will require very heavy and long nymph rigs to be successful.
Fishing is good right now, and it should stay good for several weeks while we’re still in the pre-runoff season. Float fishing should improve and improve on the Gunnison in the coming weeks, although it’s still a little “bony” right now. Flows on the Gunnison that are great for float fishing are between 600 cfs and 1300 cfs. Flows higher than that make it challenging and flows above approximately 1,800-2,000 are dangerous and should be avoided.
Once the larger rivers near Crested Butte enter the bulk of the spring runoff, we recommend fishing smaller trout streams such as Spring Creek, Tomichi Creek, Cochetopa Creek, and Willow Creek.
Long-Term Crested Butte Fishing Forecast
Fishing on our primary watersheds can be excellent until mid-May if we can maintain a steady and slow beginning to our spring runoff. For the best mid-day fishing, watch for sustained temperatures in the 40s and 50s for several days in a row.
If day time temps sustained in the 50’s and 60’s, the peak runoff will come sooner, as will blow-out conditions and tough fishing. So get it while it’s good right now!
Should we experience any spring blizzards, rainy days, or sudden drops in temperatures (which are common for the next month), fishing can shut off or change very quickly. As such, we recommend planning your days on the river in advance when daytime temps have been consistent and warm for a few days in a row.
Thanks for reading the Crested Butte Fishing Report!
Team Slackwater
What Makes Our Fishing Report Better
A mediocre angling report will include what flies to use and general information you probably already know.
Great fishing reports do much more. It’s time we kick mediocre reports to the curb and catch more fish.
The info you’ll receive in the Crested Butte Fishing Report is characterized by its timeliness and frequent updates. This ensures anglers have access to the most current information, giving them a leg up on making it a successful day on the river.
In addition to the general river details, our fishing reports will give you beta on the best locations to fish near Crested Butte, water levels, hatches, recommended fly tackle, and predictions for the days ahead. We will also provide recommendations for the best rods, reels, and other fly fishing essentials to use when conditions require specific tools.
Our mission is to create excellent reports you can rely on. Period.
Stream Flows for the Best Trout Streams Near Crested Butte
Part of knowing how to fish a river is to know how much water is flowing through the river.
The volume and speed of water impacts how trout feed and behave. Find our river flows for the Taylor River, Gunnison River, and East River in the links below. Stream flows are measured in cubic feet per second (CFS).
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