Summer Fly Fishing Conditions improve, despite Colorado drought

After the thrill of spring fishing season on the Lower Gunnison River and the fabled “Stone Fly Hatch” have wound down, anglers are left to ask: where do we go from here? With a myriad of conflicting conditions and reports on current drought conditions throughout Colorado, as well as being in the midst of fire season, anglers have been left chasing water instead of fish and high and dry on many traditional float fishing rivers throughout the state. Not the case for RIGS guided drift boat float fishing section: Lower Gunnison River – Gunnison Gorge NCA.

As demand for water often plagues many smaller trout streams, the Gold Medal waters on the Black Canyon of the Gunnison / Gunnison Gorge are actually on the rise, with almost ideal stream flows stabilizing and settling in for the summer. This demand on water downstream inadvertently gives us the highest and best river levels of the year – making for prime fishing habitat, cooler water temperatures and ideal conditions for aquatic insects to proliferate – great for sizable trout and consistent feeding habits.
While not inherently an easy section to walk wade fish, it pays to visit this section with experienced float fishing guides, familiar with the waters, where the fish are and why they’re there. Otherwise, wind, heat and solid flow with little river structure can quickly add up to a frustrating walk wade day on unfamiliar waters.

Drift Boat Float Fishing, by design, is by far the most successful way to experience this section of the Lower Gunnison River.  While our float fishing trips on the upper Wilderness section of the Gunnison Gorge NCA offer amazing scenery, rapids, and wildlife opportunities, it’s the lower sections and the ability to utilize the ultimate float fishing craft (Drift Boats), thus providing trout anglers the edge. Mellow waters, daily accessibility, and low crowds make Drift Boat Float Fishing on the Lower Gunnison River (Gunnison Gorge NCA) a prime time event not to be missed by even the most avid fly anglers.
Call RIGS today to reserve your space on this limited availability drift boat section for the best-guided fly fishing of the summer!

• 1-Day Colorado Drift Boat Trips – Float Fishing
• Overnight (2-Day) Colorado Drift Boat Trips – Float Fishing
  
• Gunnison Gorge Float Fishing

The Cimarron River fly fishing – high country fishing at its best!

As the runoff starts to taper down and the fishing begins to kick off, the Cimarron River is one of the most majestic and productive sections of water in the region. A short drive from Ridgway up and over Owl Creek Pass drops you into another world. Bear, elk, and moose can be seen throughout the Cimarron region leading down to Silver Jack Reservoir.

After spending an afternoon of 30 plus fish I can faithfully say “Cimarron River fly fishing is amazing!”. If you like to fish high alpine streams, this is the place for you. Whether you want to throw some small dries or spend the day nymphing, the Cimarron River has you covered. I recommend driving up to the sections above Silver Jack and throwing an A.P Emerger trailed by a Green Copper John. That combo was working extremely well from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. Before you head out there make sure you stop by the shop and get the latest advice on fishing the high country, book a trip with an experienced regional fly fishing guided or check out the array of new products just in!
~ Spencer Mack/Fly Fishing Guide

Float Fishing the Gunnison Gorge – Best Fishing Trip in Colorado, is an experience you will never forget and keep you dreaming of the day you will return. It is considered one of the best fishing trips in Colorado and one of the 50 places to fish before you die by Chris Santella. I tell people that have never experienced the Gunnison Gorge, that fishing is only half of the trip.  It is the beauty of the Black Canyon, the wildlife you encounter, the amazing food and of course, the fishing is world-class.

RIGS offers four different formats on our Float Fishing Trips, Full-Day Drift Boat, 3/4 Day Uncompahgre Single Angler, Overnight Drift Boat, and Deluxe Three-Day Float Fishing. With all trips, whether on our Deluxe three-day float fishing trip or our full-day drift boat trip, we never have our clients sitting on top of a pile of gear in the back of the boat, we provide you with comfortable high back seats.  On overnight sections, we also provide you with comfortable cots to sleep on; far better than a sleeping pad on the ground.  At no additional cost, sleeping bags will be provided upon request. The main difference between the Deluxe and the Drift Boat trips is the section of the Gunnison River. While both sections are within the Gunnison Gorge National Conservation Area, only the Deluxe is within the 14-mile wilderness section. The Drift Boat trips are a great way to extend that three-day trip into a four or five-day trip. Learn more about the Drift Boat Trips here. 

The Deluxe trips have six clients to four guides with a dedicated gear boat. The Deluxe format includes all rental gear, flies and leader/tippet as are part of your trip.  Most importantly, with a dedicated gear boat, everything, whether lunch or dinner, is set up and ready when you arrive. No waiting, just fishing, eating and enjoying your time. The Deluxe allows you to take advantage of some one-on-one guide time and get the most out of this amazing river. When you are ready for lunch, lunch is waiting; with tables/chairs, and cold refreshments.  The same thing happens with the camp for the night.  Our gear boat guide will breakdown lunch (while you are fishing) and head downriver to set up camp.  That means you can stay out during the prime fishing time with your guide. As we hit the beach at camp, be ready to enjoy an appetizer, drink and settle into your already set up tent and cot.  As the second course arrives, sit back, enjoy the twilight of the inner gorge and the company of great friends.  The Deluxe trip, in short, allows you more time on the water, fewer people, phenomenal cuisine in an all-inclusive experience.

People always ask what is the best time of year to go on a trip through the Gunnison Gorge.  Though the stonefly hatch is the most popular, there are many other hatches that occur in the gorge worth experiencing. From May through September, the Gunnison Gorge is a world-class place to fish.  In May you have all of the Stone Fly nymphs staged on the banks.  The water is a bit higher and the water is off-color but fishing with stonefly nymphs and worms is out of this world;   making short casts to the bank this time of year is a ton of fun.  June is the Stone Fly Hatch.  If you hit the hatch you will have some unbelievable dry fly fishing.  You are throwing bugs that are the size of a small bird.  By July and August, you can expect to start throwing Hoppers/Dropper rig, hopper fishing can be just as good as the Salmon Fly Hatch.  But never count out throwing a nymph rig for success.  September and October can be a mixed bag of Hopper/Dropper rigs, nymphing with small Beatis patterns, BWO dry flies and streamers.  Another question I get a lot is if we are in the boat all day.  The answer to the question is no, you and your guide are out of the boat plenty.  Every guide has their spots they like to fish some are better fished from the bank and others are best fished from the boat.  Water flows play into this as well.   Here are a few quotes from clients this past year.

“Just back home from a great float trip on the Gunnison River with my friends at RIGS Fly Shop. Tim, Matt, and Kelly bust their butts to put you into fish, keep you safe, and feed you well! It was definitely a bucket list experience. I will be back! RIGS is the best!”~ Barry Willett
“Great 3 days with my boys, Thanks for all the hard work to make it happen.”~Mark Miller

Look us up on Trip Advisor and find out what people have been saying about us. RIGS Fly Shop is currently booking Three Day Float Fishing Trips through the Gunnison Gorge for the 2013 season.  They do fill up fast!  If you have any questions give us a call at (970)626-4460.   You can also go to fishrigs.com for more info. and available dates.  RIGS also offers one day Drift Boat and Walk Wade trips on the Gunnison River year-round.

Tight Lines ~ Matt McCannel Head Guide

October with the Blue Winged Olive’s on the Gunnison River is a special time of year.

The mornings are cool and so is the water temperature.  As the water cools into the upper 40’s the Blue Winged Olive nymphs start getting active.  On those cloudy cool days, the bugs will start to emerge around 10 o’clock.  Nymphing with beatis nymphs like the JuJu Beatis, WD-40, Mighty Mite, and the RS2 will produce fish from sunrise until you start seeing the first adult on the water.  Once you start seeing adults tie on a BWO dry fly then 18″ to 24″ behind adding an RS-2 as an emerger.  You can fish these two fly the rest of the hatch.  On those perfect cloudy days, you will be watching hundreds of fish rising.  It is an unbelievable sight to see.

Check out RIGS fishing report on our web site.  This is the time to get down there or hire a RIGS guide on a walk wade trip on the Gunnison River and see why October fishing is so much fun. ~ Matt McCannel