Spring Creek is one of our favorite places to fly fish in Gunnison County. And for the beginner, intermediate, or expert angler, it is one of the best places for fly fishing near Gunnison and Crested Butte.
Although its name suggests its water comes from a spring, its primary fishing sections are below Spring Creek Reservoir, effectively making it a tailwater fishery. Further, this is not only a great trout stream for fly fishing in the spring but also a reliably good one in the summer and fall!
Located in an adjacent canyon to the Taylor River, Spring Creek primarily holds brown trout with the occasional cutthroat at higher elevations.
Spring Creek is one of the region’s better beginner and family-friendly trout streams. In many areas, it is easy to learn to cast without snagging your fly in the shrubs too often.
Trout in Spring Creek are often located where you’d expect them to be: behind rocks, near under-cut banks, and in medium-speed seams. They will also be located in micro-eddies throughout the creek.
Fly fishing on this trout stream isn’t a slam dunk, but it usually doesn’t feel like rocket science with a decent drift and getting your nymphs deep enough.
The main downside to Spring Creek is it takes a little more work to get to the best locations.
Description
There are three primary sections of Spring Creek:
- Above the reservoir
- Meadow below the reservoir
- Canyon section below the meadow.
The headwaters of Spring Creek begin above Spring Creek Reservoir, where the fishery is a narrow stream, and the angling is technical. Stealthy approaches and accurate casting are required to fool a trout here.
Below Spring Creek Reservoir, the stream is a reliable tailwater trout fishery consisting of approximately four miles of meandering trout water through a meadow.
Below the meadow section, the creek becomes a technical fishery in a tight canyon with plenty of willows and overhanging trees to wreak havoc on your hook set.
Spring Creek fishes great from early May until early October in the four miles of public water below the reservoir. Because of its tailwater characteristics, fishing tactics are predictable for most of the season.
Brown Trout in the creek typically range from 8-12 inches, with the occasional fish reaching 14 inches or more.
Spring Creek is a family-friendly trout fishery for wading. However, during peak run-off in May and June, the creek’s smaller tributaries can fill it to the point where it is unsafe to wade.
Banks can be slippery when the ground is west, and it’s easy to fall in when not paying attention. Avoiding this creek during high flows is recommended if you are fishing with small children.
Be mindful of the potholes surrounding the creek, often disguised by tall grasses by mid-summer. Over the years, these hazards have claimed the knees of many unsuspecting anglers – you’ve been warned!
Throughout Spring Creek, you will find plenty of pocket water, small wave trains, and a few deep runs scattered throughout the river. Fish will hold in all locations of the river.
There are very few eddies of significant size on Spring Creek, but plenty of micro eddies scattered throughout the pocket water sections and along the banks.
Recommended Tactics
The best way to catch fish on Spring Creek is with a dry-dropper set up for most of the year. We’ve also found great success with tight-line nymphing with a 10-foot 2-weight rod.
Realistic-looking nymph flies in sizes 14-18 without too much flash are best for Spring Creek.
Some of our favorites are Pheasant Tails, Hares Ears, Frenchies, and Brown Perdigons. Stoneflies are also present throughout the spring and summer.
In the early part of the season (before June), we like to throw muddler streamers across the creek into the micro eddies opposing us in an attempt to move a trout.
From four miles below the reservoir until the creek meets the Taylor River (approximately eight miles of water), the creek requires a technical approach with excellent line management skills due to the tight nature of the canyon’s foliage.
There are some private sections of water close to the Taylor River-Spring Creek confluence, so please be aware of where you are before potentially trespassing on someone’s land.
There is no USGS streamflow gauge on Spring Creek, so the best way to learn what stream flows are like coming out of the dam is to get eyes on it. For most of the season, flows are low enough to wade through many areas of the creek.
Best Fly Rods for Spring Creek
The best fly rod for Spring Creek directly below the dam until the canyon tightens would be a 9-foot, 4-weight rod. The rod length will provide the reach needed to high-stick and mend with ease. The strength of a 4-weight will allow you to punch your casts through the wind when it inherently becomes gusty most afternoons.
Like most smaller trout streams, a 10-foot, 2-weight rod can be a fun way to catch fish if you are into tight-line nymphing.
In the tighter canyon section of Spring Creek, a 7.5 to 8.5 foot 3-weight or 4-weight will be most appropriate. As mentioned above, accurate casts and outstanding line management are required in the canyon section to avoid getting caught in the trees.
For the most recent fly fishing conditions in the area, check out our fishing reports here.
Pros & Cons of Spring Creek
Pros
- Easy access from Gunnison and Almont, CO.
- A great alternative to the Taylor River.
- Beginner-friendly in many locations, including families with kids.
- Predictable tactics and conditions for most of the season.
- Dry-fly fishing can be excellent.
- Road-side fly fishing opportunities.
Cons
- Wind can pick up in the meadow by mid-day.
- Although it’s a tailwater, it still gets blown out and is dangerous in late spring.
- Most popular spots can get busy.
- Fishing is technical and not for beginners in the canyon section.
- A longer drive from Crested Butte than some of the other local trout streams.
How to Get There
You can reach Spring Creek by turning north from the Taylor River road near the Harmel’s Resort, approximately seven miles north of Almont, CO.
The road turns to pavement after approximately two miles. It continues as a dirt road for approximately 11 miles until it becomes a strenuous 4×4 route above Spring Creek Reservoir.
Before May, the creek could be substantially inaccessible due to the road being full of snow. In 2023, a big snow year near Crested Butte, avalanche debris covered several parts of the road until early June.
The entrance to the Spring Creek Canyon is about a 30-minute drive from downtown Crested Butte, with the upper stretches of the creek taking nearly 1 hour to reach.