Colorado ·
Gunnison River Fly Fishing Report - November 1, 2026
GUNNISON RIVER
ReportNOV 1 — 8, 2026
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Flow
345CFS
GUNNISON RIVER NEAR GUNNISON, CO.
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Water Temp
46°F
Updated 2026-10-31
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Weather
30–52°F
Cloudy then Slight Chance Rain Showers
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Clarity
Clear
Check post-storm
The Gunnison is running at 345 cfs with a gauge height of 1.22 ft and a water temperature of 46°F — flows are up from the low-water October readings, giving fish more room to spread out, but expect rising water and potential turbidity as 90% chance of storms rolls in Sunday.
What's Working — Hot Flies
Juju Baetis Tungsten #22
22
Parachute - Blue Wing Olive #22
22
Barr's Flashback Emerger - BWO #22
22
BWO WD-40 #22
22
Black Zebra Midge(TBH) #20
20
Olsen's Peacock Blowtorch Barbless #22 - 24
22
Roza's World Spain Perdigon Barbless #18 - 32
18
Egan's Thread Frenchie Jig - Olive #12
12
Tungsten Tailwater Sowbug - Rainbow #10
10
Olsen's Straggle Stone Brown Barbless #12 - 32
12
Egan's Silver Bullet - Baetis #14
14
Lil Bit Craven - Dark Olive #22
22
Hatch Chart
| Insect | Size | Activity | Prime Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blue-Winged Olive (Baetis) | 20-22 | Heavy | 11 AM - 2 PM |
| Midge | 20-24 | Heavy | 9 AM - 3 PM |
| Caddis | 18-20 | Light | 1 PM - 4 PM |
| Stonefly (Little Brown) | 12-14 | Light | 10 AM - 1 PM |
| Scud / Sowbug | 10-14 | Moderate | All Day |
Best Time Window
- 8 AM - 10 AM: Pre-hatch nymphing in the deeper runs and pocket water with tungsten sowbugs and stonefly patterns tight to the bottom.
- 10 AM - 2 PM: Prime BWO hatch window — watch tailouts for rising fish and be ready to switch to a dry or emerger; nymphs remain productive below the surface.
- 2 PM - 4 PM: Fish the last productive hours before the storm front arrives; focus on sheltered runs and deeper pools as barometric pressure drops and fish feed opportunistically.
Guide's Tip
From the benchWith water at 46°F and flows at 345 cfs, trout are metabolically slower but will still feed aggressively during the midday BWO window — concentrate your effort between 10 AM and 2 PM before the storm system arrives Sunday afternoon. Set up in the deeper runs and pools with a long leader (12–14 ft) and size 5X–6X tippet, getting your nymphs to the bottom quickly with a perdigon or tungsten sowbug as your lead fly. Watch for subtle surface sipping in the flat tailouts during the hatch — those are your biggest fish. Get off the water by early afternoon Sunday; the incoming thunderstorms and potential snow mix Sunday night could push flows up and color the river by Monday.
Main Species
Brown Trout
Rainbow Trout
Mountain Whitefish
