Tucked away into the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, your next great fly-fishing adventure is waiting for you. Springtime in the Gunnison/Crested Butte valley offers an incredible time to fish for trout waking up from a long winter. Beat the crowds and brave the elements with us as the valley wakes up and the fish are feeding! Book a trip starting March 1st. We are offering a half-day float and walk wade on the mighty Gunnison river, as well as a half day walk wade on East river, and on the gold medal Taylor river. To book a trip, call the shop at (970)-349-1228.
What does the trip include?
· Knowledgeable and friendly guides
· Flies, Rods, Reels, and terminal tackle(leader, tippet, weight, etc.)
· Waders and Boots for the day.
· Hot cocoa, or hot coffee on the water.
· Bottled water.
· Snacks.
· A great day to get out on the water.
What to bring
· Bring layers! Spring weather can change in an instant.
· A smile because it is always a great day to be on the water!
Fishing in the west, it just doesn’t get any better, when conditions are right that is.
We that make our lives around the pursuit of trout on the fly begin our concern way back in December. We start our weekly snowpack watch in the early winter months and begin to equate what our streams might look like based on that snowpack. A big December eases our mind a little but by the time late February rolls around the predictions run rampant. Every big snow storm or every 3 week winter high pressure system can cause anxiety on what our summer flows will bring. To have that concern every winter for the past 30 can be exhausting. Too little snow and we have a great early start but mid summer heat takes a dangerous toll on the rivers and their inhabitants. Big snow and big runoff brings on a need to be patient as river flows stay high and push the start of our season back.
Although it shortens our summer season, this is the best situation for the creatures we pursue. This is where we are in the summer of 2023. We have been patient and the time is now. It seems that lately we only see 2 or 3 years like this out of every 10. Snow patches up high will hang on into September, water levels will be ideal as will water temperatures in months that we have grown to be concerned with and have commonly been asked to shut down our fishing by mid-day. This summer shouldn’t see that. Water temperatures should stay cool and lessen the concern of the so-called Dog days of August. We should get safely to our shorter days in September as fall fishing has the chance to be the highlight of the season.
As far as the fish are concerned, how nice it is to have more, cooler habitat. How nice it is to be happy most of the time and feel like eating rather than dropping down deep and sulking. It’s no surprise and it’s quite refreshing that in years like this you almost daily hear reports from almost everyone on how they can’t believe how good the fishing is. It is here and now, summer 2023.
Enjoy it as it has seemed to become something other than the norm. To top all of this off, look forward to the best September and October we have seen in a while.
We hate to see it, and we never litter intentionally (most of us, anyway). But the fact is, we have to clean up after ourselves, and after others, from time to time.
And in the Gunnison Valley, our waters are our life, figuratively and literally.
The Ramp to Ramp River Clean Up is an annual event hosted by the Gunnison River Guide Coalition. GRGC is a group of river enthusiasts and local guides founded by Patrick Duke in 2019, with a mission of advocating for the Gunnison River guide community and fishery habitat.
On Saturday, April 29, 2023, several of Dragonfly Anglers staff joined a group of eager guides and friends of the river to remove trash, debris, and pollutants from the banks of the Gunnison River from Almont to Blue Mesa Reservoir.
Most folks filled a large black trash bag with riverside goodies, and others filled several. Occasionally, we found big-ticket items (strollers, fencing, or rogue lengths of 2×4 lumber), but the bulk of our haul was pieces of micro-trash plastics and copious amounts of empty beer cans.
All in all, this group of amazing people piled trash high on a 12 x 7 raft trailer and hauled it to the dump.
The event wrapped up with food and drinks donated by the Gunnison Angling Society TU Chapter, and a raffle to raise money for future GRGC efforts. Last year’s raffle proceeds were used to print these signs, which will be posted around the Gunnison Valley to educate anglers about the importance of paying attention to water temperature and appropriate fish handling.
Educational signs on display at the post clean up raffle. Photo Credit: Patrick Duke
The importance of picking up trash cannot be overstated. Rivers are a vital source of freshwater, providing water for millions of people, supporting diverse ecosystems, and driving economic activities such as fly fishing in Crested Butte and the Gunnison area.
However, rivers are often subject to pollution from a variety of sources, and, unfortunately, littering of trash on the riverbanks happens too often.
By removing trash and debris from rivers, participants helped to improve water quality and protect the lives of trout. Additionally, picking up trash keeps our rivers beautiful and helps maintain one of Colorado’s best fly fishing destinations.
We are eager to continue the efforts to clean up our rivers and promise to go the extra mile to pick up trash whenever it is found.
Team Dragonfly pledges to live by these three principles more specific to angling:
Never litter. Even a banana peel, an apple core, or spent sunflower seed shells go into the trash, not on the ground or in the water.
When we snag in a tree or on a rock, we do everything reasonably possible to retrieve our tackle rather than breaking off and leaving it there. Pack out all spent leader and tippet material.
Most importantly, leave it better than you found it. This is the main goal of the “Ramp to Ramp”.
Patrick says GRGC’s efforts are best represented by the ‘leave it better than you found it’ principle. “I think all of us who show up can agree that little if any of garbage we pick up is our own, but taking ownership in our public lands and giving back to the places that bring us so much is our duty as guides and land users. I hope this event resets the “Leave it better than you found it” mentally at the beginning of the summer and we stay dedicated to it all season. As guides and consistent river users we have the opportunity to be stewards as well. We set an example every day on the water. Setting a good example of proper sustainable river use is vital to building a community that respects our public lands.”
To learn more about the Gunnison River Guide Coalition and to stay updated on future events, click here.
Thanks for reading, and enjoy the day.
Team Dragonfly
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Fly fishing is one of the best things to do in Crested Butte, and we are thrilled about the upcoming season. At Dragonfly Anglers, we employ only the best Colorado fly fishing guides who are devoted to taking care of their client’s needs and providing an unmatched angling experience.Click here for more fly fishing in the Gunnison Valley.Or click here for our most recent Crested Butte, Colorado Fly Fishing Report.
