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UNCOMPAHGRE RIVER / PA-CO-CHU-PUK TAILWATERS
The Uncompahgre River is a tributary
of the Gunnison River, approximately 75 miles long. Lake Como at 12,215 feet located in the northwestern San
Juan Mountains is the headwaters of the river. It flows northwest past Ouray, Ridgway, Montrose, and Olathe and joins
the Gunnison at Confluence Park in Delta. The river forms Poughkeepsie Gulch
and the Uncompahgre Gorge. The major tributaries are all creeks draining the northwest San Juan Mountains. There are two dams on the Uncompahgre River; a small diversion dam in the Uncompahgre Gorge, and Ridgway Dam
below the town of Ridgway which forms Ridgway Reservoir. The river is used for irrigation
in the Uncompahgre Valley. The name given to the river comes from the Ute word Uncompaghre,
which loosely translates to "dirty water" or "red water spring" and is likely a reference to the many
hot springs in the vicinity of Ouray. In
addition to all the city waters, Stonefly Anglers is permitted to fish the tailwater section of the Uncompahgre River known
as, Pa-Co-Chu-Puk. This section of the river is located directly below the Ridgway Reservoir Dam and has been known
by locals as "Jurassic Park", for its large fish, which average 18"-22" in length. Paco, is a year
round fishery that provides exciting fishing during every season. An amazing backdrop of the San Juan and Cimarron Mountains,
makes this place a destination of beauty that you'll never forget! We are permitted by Colorado State Parks to guide
this section of the Uncompahgre River, which lies within Ridgway State Park. CIMARRON RIVER
  The Cimarron River is a tributary of the Gunnison River, eventually making it's way to the Gunnison River in the Curecanti National Recreation Area. This beautiful river begins high in the majestic mountains south of Cimarron, Colorado. This river is smaller in size, similar to the Uncompahgre River. Don't let the size fool you though, it holds some pretty amazing fish! Stonefly Anglers is permitted through the Curecanti National Recreation Area to fish the Cimarron River that lies within it's boundaries. The section of river we fish is technical at best, but can be VERY productive. This is not the spot for a novice fisherman, but rather the experienced. Maneuvering can be significantly difficult in this section, but the fishing is well worth the strain. This particular area of the Cimarron River is surrounded by deep canyon walls very similar to the environment found in the Black Canyon of the Gunnison. The great thing about this trip is, if the fishing is slow, the Gunnison River is only a skip and a jump away! We'll make sure you have a wonderful trip. PRIVATE WATERS - SUNSHINE SPRINGS
We currently offer guided fly fishing trips to the private angling club, Sunshine Springs. Owners David and Sheilla Torkelson say the following about their awesome little gem: "Nestled in the North Fork of the Gunnison Valley located between Hotchkiss and Paonia is Sunshine Springs where the big fish grow bigger and bigger! We are a true Rocky Mountain fisherman's paradise. Do you love fishing? Are you one who longs after and looks for those elusive high mountain trophy trout? If so you should get to know the waters of Sunshine Springs." This is world class fishing in a great family friendly environment. "Your friends and family will love Sunshine Springs! Here are world class trophy size Trout 2 to 14 pounds and bigger! Rainbows, Cutthroats and Browns have been stocked and grown to trophy size making for an unforgettable fishing experience for you, your family and friends." LET'S FACE IT, SOMETIMES YOU JUST WANT TO CATCH BIG FISH! YOU WON'T BE DISAPPOINTED WITH THIS TRIP!! PRIVATE WATERS-TAYLOR RIVER-HARMEL'S RANCH RESORT  Harmel's Ranch Resort is located in the pristine Taylor Canyon right on the banks of the Taylor
River. This is hands down one of the best cold tailwater fisheries found in Colorado! With a mile of private water
on the Taylor River and surrounding tributaries (Spring Creek and Beaver Creek), you are sure to find solitude, big fish,
lots of fish, and possibly the famous trout grand slam. Harmel's Ranch Resort trophy fishery is known as "Rainbow
Heaven". Fed by high mountain lakes, Harmel's Gold Medal Waters are found at the confluence of Spring Creek, Beaver
Creek and the famous Taylor River. Downstream, the Taylor River meets with the East River, forming the Gunnison
River. Harmel's Ranch Resort is located high in the Rocky Mountains and is surrounded by 1.7 million acres of the beautiful
Gunnison National Forest. At Harmel's we fish posted private waters on the Taylor River, Spring Creek, Beaver Creek, beaver
ponds, and a plentifully stocked pond for the beginners.
The official criteria for Gold Medal Waters is 12 trout per acre over 14" or 60 pounds of
trout per surface acre. Harmel's mile stretch of river far surpasses the requirements for Gold Medal Water boasting 16 times
the minimum requirements!! Much of this is due to the excellent fishery management by Harmel's, and the stellar structure
work that has been done in the river. Harmel's has an intense stocking program for their private waters, which consists
of 100 TROPHY SIZED FISH each month beginning in May and ending in August. With the environment and structure within
their river, a majority of these fish remain in their private waters.
Stonefly Anglers is offering great fishing packages at Harmel's Ranch Resort. We conduct full day trips or multi-day trips at Harmel's. Harmel's has wonderfully remodeled riverside cabins and lodges (I MEAN RIVERSIDE!) that you will surely love. If you desire less expensive, a hotel style facility is available a SHORT distance from the river. After a hard day of fishing, kick back in the pool or hot tub and talk about that fish-of-a-lifetime you just hooked. Harmel's has a restaurant, saloon, and store on sight, so once you're here there's no need to leave. They have it all! Stonefly Anglers can arrange any length of trip to meet all your needs. If you would like to mix it up with some fishing on the Taylor River, and fishing at our other offered destinations, or even just some sight seeing, we can do it. Give us a call!!
THIS IS A TRIP YOU WILL NEVER FORGET! PREPARE FOR HUGE FISH AND GREAT TIMES ON THE
TAYLOR RIVER!!
GUNNISON RIVER
The Gunnison River is a tributary of the Colorado River, approximately 180 miles long, in the U.S. state of Colorado. It is the fifth largest tributary of the Colorado River.It rises in west central Colorado, in eastern Gunnison County, formed by the confluence of the Taylor and East rivers. Just past the town of Gunnison, the river begins to swell into the expanse of Blue Mesa Reservoir, a 12 mile long reservoir formed by Blue Mesa Dam, where it receives the Lake Fork of the Gunnison. Just downstream it is dammed again to form Morrow Point Reservoir, then just downstream of that dammed for the final time to form Crystal Reservoir. The reservoirs produce hydroelectric power and supply water for the surrounding areas for both municipal and irrigation use. The reservoirs are the upper part of the Black Canyon of the Gunnison, one of the longest, narrowest, and deepest gorges in the world. Below Crystal Dam it begins to roar through massive cataracts and flows through the deepest part of the gorge. At the outlet of the canyon it receives the North Fork River, then downstream near Delta is joined by the Uncompahgre River. It then winds through desert canyonlands until it empties into the Colorado near Grand Junction, carrying almost as much water as the former. The
Gunnison River ranges in width from 100 to 1000 feet and 3 to 50 feet in depth. LAKE FORK OF THE GUNNISON RIVER (WITHIN THE CURECANTI NRA)
  The Lake Fork of the Gunnison River begins in high mountains in the western region of the U.S. state of Colorado, draining the northeastern part of the San Juan Mountains. After passing through Lake San Cristobal, one of the larger natural lakes of Colorado, it is joined at Lake City by Henson Creek, and from there flows north. About 22 miles (35km) north of Lake City, it enters the Lake Fork Canyon, and at the north end of the canyon, joins the Gunnison River just before it enters the Gunnison River canyon. For the purposes of this discussion, we will consider the lower Lake Fork Valley to be that part of the river between Lake City and the canyon. The area is not unlike many other areas in the west. Early on, it was Ute Indian land and when white men began moving into the area, using places and resources of the Utes, there were conflicts. The discovery of gold in Colorado brought numbers of prospectors into the mountains. To deal with these problems, a treaty was signed in 1868, giving much of western Colorado to the Utes. However, gold continued to attract prospectors to the area and troubles continued. To deal with it, a group of Ute leaders were taken to Washington, D.C. in 1873, and under protest, they signed the Brunot treaty which opened a large portion of the San Juan Mountains to prospectors and mining. Otto Mears, a man responsible for many of the railroads and roads in Colorado, hired Enos Hotchkiss to build a road into the Lake City area, from which it was to continue on to the west. Hotchkiss found gold near present Lake City in 1875, and the town was started. Thus began the era when minerals and mining defined much of the character of the Lake Fork area. Even at these early times, though, there were people who saw the beauty of the mountains and realized that the area had great resources for raising cattle, and so ranches, although secondary to mining, began. With more and more people in the area, there was need for mail and other services and the stagecoach became important. One of these stagecoach routes began at Sapinero, the small town at the intersection of the Lake Fork and the Gunnison Rivers. The route went up over Sapinero Mesa on the est side of the Lake Fork Canyon. A small stream called Johnson Gulch (after an early squatter who built a cabin there) runs from the east to the Lake Fork river, just above the canyon. The stage road dropped into Johnson Gulch and then down into the valley of the Lake Fork. From there it went 2 miles (3km) to the south where a stage station and large barn were built at what was later called Barnum Station. From there, it continued up the Lake Fork valley to Lake City. Only small amounts of minerals were able to be taken from the Lake City area in wagons and so pressure for a railroad developed. In 1881, the Denver and Rio Grande (D&RG) built a rail line into Gunnison and then continued to the west to Sapinero. Although a branch had been planned for Lake City, the lack of money delayed it. Finally, in 1879, it was completed. This was the end of the stagecoach in this area. The rail line came up the Lake Fork Canyon and at Johnson Gulch, a water tank was built to provide water for the steam engines. This was called Madera Siding. The rail line continued to the area below Barnum Station where holding corrals were built, and this was an important loading place for cattle which were then shipped to Sapinero and from there on east across Marshall Pass. The major use of the rail line, however, was to carry increasing mineral wealth from the Lake City area. Ranchers along the valley were also dependent on the train to bring mail and needed supplies. As with so many other mining areas, the mines of Lake City began producing less and less. Finally in 1933, the rail line was making little money and was abandoned by the D&RG. The line was purchased and called the San Cristobal Railroad, and a galloping goose was built to run on the tracks and to take mail and other things to and from Lake City. The galloping goose was a combination between a car and a railway car, built on a Pierce-Arrow body. It used a gasoline engine and could be driven up the railroad tracks and carry mail and limited amounts of freight. This was never very successful, though, and the rail line was completely abandoned in 1939. By this time, there were automobile roads into the area, and mail was brought into the valley from Gunnison in this way. (From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia) The important stuff -The Lake Fork of the Gunnison River holds some HUGE fish. Trophy-sized rainbows are caught on a regular basis in the Lake Fork, especially in the lower stretches, which is loaded with long deep runs separated by faster current. Perfect breeding grounds for monster fish!! Awesome insect life, perfect water conditions containing plenty of oxygen, food, and shelter make this location one for holding many fish-of-a-lifetimes. The scenery in this deep canyon is unmatched. The beauty is something from a postcard and often times you'll find yourselves admiring the surroundings more than the squeal of your reel. Fall time is especially amazing on the Lake Fork of the Gunnison. Not only for the beauty, but also for the ridiculously LARGE brown trout that enter the canyon from Blue Mesa Reservoir for the annual spawn. With the huge feisty browns eagerly taking whatever presents, and the monster rainbows feeding on the eggs, you won't be disappointed. If you are, it will only be due to your lack of arm strength, as these river monsters will put your endurance to the test. Like the Gunnison River, you very well could get spooled in this spot. Stonefly Anglers is permitted to fish the Lake Fork of the Gunnison River that lies within the Curecanti NRA. RIGHT WHERE THE BIG ONES PLAY!! BLACK CANYON OF THE GUNNISON
Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park is a United
States National Park located in western Colorado, and managed by the National Park Service. There are two entrances to the
park; the more-developed south rim entrance is located 15 miles east of Montrose, while the north rim entrance is located
11 miles south of Crawford and is closed in the winter. The park contains 12 miles of the 48-mile long canyon of
the Gunnison River. The national park itself contains the deepest and most dramatic section of the canyon, but the canyon
continues upstream into the Curecanti National Recreation Area and downstream into the Gunnison Gorge National Conservation
Area.
 The Gunnison River drops an average of 43 feet per mile through the entire canyon, making it one of the steepest mountain descents in North America. In comparison, the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon drops an average of 7.5 feet per mile. The greatest descent of the Gunnison River occurs in the park at Chasm View dropping 240 feet per mile. The Black Canyon is so named on account of its steepness which makes it difficult for sunlight to penetrate very far down the canyon. As a result, the canyon walls are most often in shadow, causing the rocky walls to appear black. At its narrowest point the canyon is only 40 feet across at the river
Beauty like this is found in all directions of
the Black Canyon of the Gunnison where we fish! You might find yourself taking more photos than casting
the rod. If you’re a fly fisherman, this is one place you’ll never want to miss in your lifetime.
Rainbow and Brown Trout from 16 to 22 inches in length are plentiful in this area. Be prepared for
fish five pounds and larger, as these are very common here. If you’ve ever dreamed of a fly fishing
heaven, this my friends, is the spot. Miles and miles of deep dark canyon walls with deep runs, shallow
runs, slow runs, and fast runs. You name it, this place has it. Bugs, bugs, and more
bugs, are here, and the fish typically feed very aggressively throughout the year. This trip is one you
won’t want to miss out on. Not enough time in the day exists to fish and explore all the water we
have access to in the Black Canyon.
LIVE YOUR DREAM! FLY FISH COLORADO!! Stonefly Anglers is permitted by the National Park Service to fish the Black Canyon of the Gunnison that lies within the Curecanti National Recreation Area |
