[gholmesjr]

Hello-

I am visiting my wife's grandma starting Friday for ten days. We are going to be out near the Gunnison/Montrose/Blue Mesa area (grandma lives in Montrose). Any recommendations of hatches going on around that time? Any suggestions on flies to use in the streams around those areas? Not looking for anyone's honey holes, but if anyone has suggestions on streams to fish I'd appreciate it.

Thanks,

J.T.

 

[Oyey]

It's gonna be tough, the rivers are full of run off right now and you may need to go with still water fishing. The Taylor tailwater may be your best bet for moving water, but at 444cfs it is a bit of a tough fish...

I would say get a belly boat and head to Blue Mesa or find the Roaring Judy fish hatchery and check the ponds... still water is your friend my friend!

 

[CF LURKER]

PM sent

 

[gholmesjr]

I'm thinking we are going to be bringing out our float tubes. I had a feeling that the run off was going to be hitting hard. We were out there two weeks ago and the rivers weren't too bad at the time. Was hoping that they would stay the way they were.

 

[CF LURKER]

where did you fish?

 

[gholmesjr]

Oh, we didn't get a chance to fish. Just look is all. We were out there to say our goodbye's to her grandfather Bill, he passed away two Sundays ago after we left.

But this trip coming up is a planned trip for a ten day visit and to help keep her grandmother company during this time.

 

[CF LURKER]

My condolences to the you and the family.

 

[btaylor]

gunnison

I was on the taylor c/r section all day this past Saturday,i really do not think it was flowing at 444cfs.

 

[dubbn]

Fish the East Portal of the Gunnison, near Montrose.. It is only flowing 500 cfs for now. Or, head towards Hotchkiss and fish Pleasure Park at the confluence of the Gunnison, and the North Fork of the Gunnison. You will have to go the back way in as the N. Fork is flowing to high to cross. Go east on H75 road near Austin, follow the signs and you will end up on the Gunnison at a parking area. Be ready for big Stone Flies, they will be hatching soon. Caddis are active now as well. Ticks are thick this year, be careful.

 

[Pilotfly]

East Portal might be a good choice. Pleasure Park is not fishable as the North Fork is high and muddy which makes Gunnison below the confluence pretty yucky - still ugly at Delta (high and muddy). PaCoChuPuk (Jurrasic Park) below the Ridgway dam might be good. Ridgway Lake near the inlet probably is an option also. Uncompahgre in town is pretty ugly right now as well. We are definitely in the run-off season right now making many of the more popular options unfishable.

 

[dubbn]

The Gunnison 300 yards above the confluence at Pleasure Park is fishable. Hence, go in the back way on H75 road. It is clear water. Was yesterday, and was a week ago. At 500 cfs the river is cross-able in many different spots. Lots of people fishing it. They dont let the river at Delta fool them in to thinking that the gorge is dirty. If the Gunnison is clear at the East Portal, it is clear at Pleasure Park. Unless the Smith Fork flash floods, which it has not.

 

[Pilotfly]

Concur that above the confluence is fishable. Just got to have a somewhat high clearance vehicle to get to the back side (across from Pleasure Park - Leroys place who by the way passed on to other fishing grounds). Anyway, didn't know what kind of vehicle the original poster was driving and didn't want him ruining his only transportation. The other spots I mentioned are doabe with any ol family truckster.

 

[CF LURKER]

Rumor has it that they (BOR) will be releasing around 8000 cfs out of the Crystal (east portal) around the 23rd of May.... ???

 

[Pilotfly]

Also rumor of work going on with the road down to East Portal. Up to four hour wait but then that could be a good thing if you are already down at the bottom. Also heard about the water release but have no confirmation on the road work or the water release so it would be good to check before venturing down - also not a bad idea to check your brakes!!

 

[CF LURKER]

Road work is true but best to call and find out what the schedule is. I have also heard that it could be up to 4hrs wait going down. But that depends on what they are doing. They have done guard rails and not sure what else they have planned. Paving????

The flows from what I was told will start around the 23rd at 8000 cfs for 10 days then drop to around 3500cfs for about ten days then back up around 6500 cfs for ten days???? time will tell

What will all that run off do to the "hatch"?

any ideas??

 

[CF LURKER]

I think if you want to avoid the construction, go in early and come out late or go in late and come out later :biggrin1:

 

[CF LURKER]

I think you call the Black Canyon Visitor Center and they can give you info on the road construction, if not they will give you the number to the guard shack and they might know what is going on. Do you know who to call PILOTFLY?

 

[gholmesjr]

Thanks everyone for your updates. We are in a low profile, fuel efficient vehicle for this trip, unfortunately. So anything other than some gravel roads are going to have to be avoided.

I've been scouring the maps and plotting out areas of interest. Hopefully we'll be able to get to all areas.

 

[Pilotfly]

I think you call the Black Canyon Visitor Center and they can give you info on the road construction, if not they will give you the number to the guard shack and they might know what is going on. Do you know who to call PILOTFLY?

Here is the website that I use to check flow's.
http://www.dwr.state.co.us/SurfaceWater/default.aspx

The telephone number for the visitor center at Black Canyon is 970-249-1914 ext 423. The Bureau of Reclamation is working on the East Portal road and there are hour closures. Work is supposed to be finished around 30 June. The Visitor Center should know what the hours are or can point you in the right direction. The entrance fee is $15.00. Even if you don't fish or don't want to wait the four hours the drive through the park is well worth the cost.