Black Canyon Anglers: Fly Fishing and Whitewater Rafting on the Gunnison River, Colorado
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Gunnison River Gorge

The Black Canyon of the Gunnison

Black Canyon Anglers SlideshowJOSH'S FISHING REPORT
This fishing report brought to you by Jamie Weis, head guide

Black Canyon Anglers urges all anglers to practice "catch and release" principles on the Gunnison River.

Date
Week of June 1-15, 2004


Weather Forecast
Click for Montrose, Colorado Forecast

FACTOID The Gunnison River is named after John W. Gunnison who lead a USPRR surveying expedition in 1853 through parts of what today is now Kansas, Colorado, and Utah.

River Flow - Cubic Feet per Second (CFS)
USGS River Flow Data

Clarity

Gunnison Gorge 4
Lower Gunnison 8

Flies
stonefly nymphs and streamers

Strategies
Fish a bigger stonefly nymph in the deep runs and pools. Adding a smaller nymph as a second fly is very effective. Strip a bugger or streamer off the banks and cliff walls. Keep a look out for the beginning signs of the salmon fly hatch. Don't forget your hat, sunglasses, and sunscreen! Good luck.

River Map
www.co.blm.gov/ggnca/ggncamap.htm

Catch and Release your fish...
Do yourself and your fellow anglers a favor by carefully catching and releasing the fish you catch. This will help the Gunnison River remain an excellent fishery.

1. LAND THE FISH AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE
Playing a fish to exhaustion will probably kill it, no matter how long you take trying to revive it. Use a landing net whenever possible and make sure the net bag is wet and nonabrasive. Fine mesh nets work best to prevent injury to fins and gills; less expensive nets do more harm than good.

2. KEEP THE FISH IN THE WATER
Try not to remove the fish from the water. If you want to take a picture or measure it, minimize the time the fish is out of the water and don't hold the fish over rocks for hard objects, in case you drop it. Also, make sure your hands are wet before handling a fish. Otherwise, you may wipe off its protective coating. More fish die from mishandling on this river than for the skillet!

3. USE BARBLESS HOOKS
Barbless hooks are the lest detrimental to a fish, you body and your clothing. They also enable you to take a hook out of the fish's mouth more quickly. If it's impossible to get the fly out, cut your line as close to the hook as possible before releasing the fish. Chances are the fish will naturally dislodge the barbless fly.

4. RELEASE FISH IN QUIET WATER
Try to find a calm part of the river to release fish. Face the fish upstream and allow it to regain its equilibrium and to swim away on its own. Be careful when releasing fish in deep water.


Gold Medal Fishing Regulations...
(these regulations apply from the upstream Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park boundary, to the North Fork confluence.)

1. Fishing by artificial flies and lures only.
2. Return all brown trout 12-16 inches in length to the water immediately.
3. Brown trout bag and possession limit is 4 fish, 12 inches or less. OR 3 fish less than 12 inches and 1 fish 16 inches or longer.
4. All rainbow trout caught must be returned to the water immediately.

DON'T FORGET YOUR HAT, SUNGLASSES, SUNSCREEN AND FISHING LICENSE.

Good Luck & Tight Lines,

Jamie Weis

RESERVATIONS OR QUESTIONS?
Contact us at (970) 835-5050
info@blackcanyonanglers.com

Black Canyon Anglers
Box 180
2474 J-50
Austin, CO 81410

phone: (970) 835-5050
fax: (970) 835-4625
web: blackcanyonanglers.com
email: info@blackcanyonanglers.com

Colorado Outfitter License # 618
Colorado River Outfitter License # 279
Operating under BLM permits
Trout Unlimited Member