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Gunnison River Fishing Report

Updated Fri, Sep 4, 2026 from live gauge and weather data

Colorado's wild artery: Gold Medal water through the Black Canyon's shadow.

2/5
Slow. Work for them.Conditions favor short windows and patient fishing.
Flow
455 cfs
Air / High
91 / 92 F
Wind
SSW 11 mph

Sources: USGS gauge 09106485, Open-Meteo, solunar calculated for these coordinates.

Satellite view
Friday
4
September 2026

Today's Fishing Report

Generated this morning from live readings: gauge, weather model, sun and moon. A fresh report is published here every morning.

2/5Slow. Work for them.Conditions favor short windows and patient fishing.

Gunnison River is in transition: bait on the move and predators following. The river is running 455 cfs, on the rise. Today brings clear skies, wind SSW around 11 mph, rising pressure near 1006 hPa and a high of 92. Water sits around 54 F for the season (estimated). With the last quarter, the solunar majors run 5:39 AM-7:39 AM and 5:39 PM-7:39 PM: the windows to build the day around.

The plan, species by species

Rainbow troutGood

Blue-winged olives and midges on soft seams; streamers on overcast days move the better fish.

Brown troutGood

Pre-spawn aggression: this is streamer season for the fish of the year.

Tomorrow: Similar at 91 F. The solunar majors shift about 50 minutes later.Next report: Sat, Sep 5, 6:30 AMHow this report is made →

Water and weather

Live readings from COLORADO R. ABV GUNNISON R. AT GRAND JUNCTION, CO.

Flow, last 30 days

USGS gauge 09106485.

286465643455 cfs08/0508/1508/2509/04

Right now

Latest readings

Air temp91 F
High / Low92 / 61 F
WindSSW 11-17 mph
Pressure1006.3 hPa, rising
Sky / Rain0% cloud, 3%
Sunrise / Sunset06:46 / 19:40
MoonLast Quarter, 50%
Water temp (seasonal)~54 F est.

Bite planner

Hour-by-hour bite forecast for today. Tap a bar to see why.

5 AM8 AM11 AM2 PM5 PM8 PMsunrisesunset

Next 7 days

Tap a day for the detailed outlook.

Fri Sep 4 · Partly cloudy, 92/61 F, wind 12 mph, rain 3%

Fair or better. A 12 mph breeze puts a working chop on the banks it hits: fish the wind-blown side.

Species guide

The species that matter on Gunnison River: seasons, structure and how to fish each one. Today's ratings live in the report above.

Rainbow trout illustration

Rainbow trout

Best: Apr-Jun, Sep-Oct

The workhorse of western rivers: riffles, seams and dry-fly eats. Blue-winged olives and midges on soft seams; streamers on overcast days move the better fish.

Brown trout illustration

Brown trout

Best: Sep-Nov

Wary, predatory and nocturnal by preference. The big ones eat streamers. Pre-spawn aggression: this is streamer season for the fish of the year.

When to come: the Gunnison River calendar

Activity by species and month, and how the water warms through the year. Tap any cell.

Species activity by month

1 = slow, 5 = peak. Current month highlighted.

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Rainbow trout
Brown trout
SlowPeak

Water temperature through the year

Typical surface temperature for this water type; today is around 54 F (estimated, not a reading).

30405060JanMarMayJulSepNovSep, ~54 F now

Angler reports

Real reports from real anglers, reviewed before publishing. The water log below tracks each day automatically.

No angler reports yet this weekBe the first: your report helps every angler who checks Gunnison River today, and we feature the best catch of the week.

Water log, last days

Auto-logged from live data
Thu, Sep 3

3/5 Fair. Fish the windows. A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day. Rainbow trout led the card at good. High of 91 F, wind to 11 mph.

Wed, Sep 2

3/5 Fair. Fish the windows. A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day. Rainbow trout led the card at good. High of 84 F, wind to 15 mph.

Tue, Sep 1

3/5 Fair. Fish the windows. A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day. Rainbow trout led the card at good. High of 83 F, wind to 8 mph.

Where roughly, what depth, what bait. Skip anything you want to keep secret.
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Before you go

License

Colorado requires a valid fishing license for adults. Buy online from the state agency; one-day options exist for visitors.

Regulations

Gold Medal rules on designated reaches: artificials, reduced bags. Confirm with CPW.

Access

Almont to Gunnison town floats; East Portal road (seasonal); Chukar Trail for the Gorge (permit for overnight).

About this water

Colorado's second-longest river; Gold Medal water through and below the Black Canyon, Gunnison County.

Fishing Gunnison River: the full guide

The Gunnison deal

From Almont to the Black Canyon, the Gunnison stacks Gold Medal miles: kokanee runs in fall, big browns on stoneflies in June, rainbow recovery going strong. The Gorge float is the traditional; the East Portal drive-in offers canyon fishing without the rope work.

The salmonfly slot

Late May into June, the Gunnison's stonefly hatch marches upriver from the Black Canyon: fish the biggest dry you own tight to the willows. The window moves daily: our flow gauge plus local shop word tells you where the head of the hatch sits.

Gold Medal logistics

The Gunnison Gorge Wilderness section (below the Black Canyon) is the crown: rafted or hiked in via Chukar Trail, browns and rainbows measured in emotion. The upper river around Almont floats easily; East Portal's drive-in access serves canyon ambience without the mule.

The Gorge pilgrimage

The Gunnison Gorge's wilderness reach demands effort: a mile-long pack-in (horses available) drops you into gold-medal water where browns eat stoneflies against black granite walls. Multi-day float-camps through the double canyons are Colorado's premier wilderness fishing trip: salmonfly June, hopper August, streamer October. The effort tax keeps crowds thin and fish true.

Common questions

Do I need a raft for the Gunnison?

For the Gorge, effectively yes (or the Chukar hike with a guide's mules). The Almont-to-town water and East Portal fish fine on foot: pick your effort level.

How do I book the Gunnison Gorge float?

Wilderness camps run on BLM permits: guided multi-day trips handle logistics (horse pack-in, rafts, camps). DIY parties need the same permits and serious whitewater competence.

Is fishing good at Gunnison River right now?

Check the daily report at the top of this page: it is regenerated every morning from live data. Today's read: Slow. Work for them. Conditions favor short windows and patient fishing.

Nearby waters

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