Colorado

Taylor River

Colorado·Western Slope·38.73° N, 106.79° W

Solunar · next 7 days

About Taylor River

The Taylor is the Gunnison basin's marquee tailwater, and it earns the reputation on the strength of a quarter-mile of water. Below Taylor Park Reservoir a bottom-release dam pumps mysis shrimp out of the deep pool behind it, and the trout that stack up in the first 0.4 miles — the catch-and-release stretch anglers call the 'Hog Trough' — grow to sizes that don't make sense for a river you can spit across. Rainbows and browns in the 8-to-15-pound class hold in plain sight in gin-clear water, sipping size-22 midges and mysis patterns while a crowd of anglers stands elbow to elbow trying to fool them. It's technical, humbling, often frustrating, and unlike anything else in Colorado.

Downstream it settles into a more normal — and more pleasant — freestone-style tailwater running roughly 20 miles through Taylor Canyon to Almont, where it meets the East River to form the Gunnison. That whole 20-mile reach from the dam to Almont was designated Gold Medal water in 2023. The canyon is pocket water and pool-and-riffle through granite, mostly waded, with wild and holdover rainbows and browns in the 8-to-17-inch range and the occasional bruiser that dropped down out of the C&R. Access is easy — Forest Service Road 742 parallels the river the whole way with campgrounds and pullouts spread evenly along it — but roughly half the lower canyon is private, so watch the signs. The wading is genuinely tricky in spots: big slick granite boulders, real foot-entrapment hazards, and current that pushes hard at summer flows. Rubber soles with studs and a wading staff aren't overkill here.

Being a tailwater, the Taylor fishes year-round and rarely blows out — the dam holds back the runoff spike that muddies the freestones each June. Summer releases typically run 200-400 CFS; the river gets pushy and hard to wade above roughly 400 CFS, though the C&R stays fishable even high. The signature hatches are the green and gray drakes in July, when even the big tailwater fish will look up, plus reliable caddis and PMDs. Above the reservoir there's a whole other, smaller river — a genuine freestone headwater full of eager brookies, cutthroat, and small browns in beaver ponds and pocket water, a good antidote to the intensity of the Hog Trough. Nearest services are at Almont and Gunnison; Crested Butte is close over the Jack's Cabin cutoff.

Species

Rainbow Trout
Primary · Year-round · 8-17"; 20"+ common in the C&R
Mysis-fed giants stack up in the Hog Trough (fish to 8-15 lb reported); wild and holdover rainbows fill the canyon and lower river.
Brown Trout
Common · Sep-Nov · 8-17"; larger in the C&R
Best on streamers during the fall pre-spawn; big browns hold in the C&R alongside the rainbows year-round.
Brook Trout
Common · Jul-Sep · 6-12"
Above the reservoir in the upper Taylor — beaver ponds and pocket water; eager on dries.
Cutthroat Trout
Limited · Jul-Sep · 8-14"
Freestone headwaters above Taylor Park Reservoir; not a target on the tailwater below the dam.
Mountain Whitefish
Limited · Year-round · 8-14"
Native to the Gunnison drainage; incidental catches through the canyon and lower river.

Species	Abundance	Best Season	Size
Rainbow Trout	Primary	Year-round	8-17"; 20"+ common in the C&R
Brown Trout	Common	Sep-Nov	8-17"; larger in the C&R
Brook Trout	Common	Jul-Sep	6-12"
Cutthroat Trout	Limited	Jul-Sep	8-14"
Mountain Whitefish	Limited	Year-round	8-14"

Sections

4 reaches

Upper Taylor (above Taylor Park Reservoir)

WadeCutthroat · Brook Trout · Brown Trout · Rainbow Trout

A small freestone headwater stream (~15 miles) high in the Elk and Sawatch country above the reservoir — pocket water, meadow runs, beaver ponds, and feeder creeks. Unlike the tailwater below, it runs off with snowmelt. Wild brook trout, cutthroat trout, and small brown trout in the 6-14 inch range come eagerly to dries and dry-droppers — a relaxed antidote to the intensity of the Hog Trough. FS Road 742 above the reservoir toward Dorchester provides dispersed camping and access.

Best for: Wild brook trout, cutthroat trout, and small brown trout on attractors, hoppers, and small mayfly and caddis patterns.

The Hog Trough (Catch-and-Release)

WadeBrown Trout · Rainbow Trout

A quarter-mile of gin-clear, cold, mysis-rich tailwater directly below the bottom-release dam. Slow-to-moderate glides and deep runs hold an outsized concentration of very large rainbow trout and brown trout — fish in the 8-to-15-pound class sit in plain sight, feeding on mysis shrimp flushed live from the reservoir. Sight-nymphing to specific, pressured fish with 6X-7X tippet and #16-24 flies. Technical, humbling, and famously crowded ('combat fishing').

Best for: Trophy rainbow trout and brown trout on mysis shrimp, midges, and RS2 emergers; occasional technical dry-fly during drake and BWO hatches.

Taylor Canyon

WadeBrown Trout · Rainbow Trout

Roughly 15 miles of pocket water, riffles, runs, and pools through a granite canyon — classic freestone-feeling tailwater and the most enjoyable, least combative water on the Taylor. Wild and holdover rainbow trout and brown trout run 8-17 inches with the occasional bruiser dropped down out of the C&R. Slick granite boulders and real foot-entrapment hazards make studded boots and a wading staff worthwhile. FS Road 742 parallels the whole reach, but about half the canyon is private — respect posted stretches.

Best for: Wild rainbow trout and brown trout on nymphs, dry-dropper rigs, and dries; strong green-drake fishing in July.

Lower Taylor — Five Mile to Almont

Wade & FloatBrown Trout · Rainbow Trout

About 13 river miles of bigger, faster, boulder-strewn water with Class II+ rapids dropping to the East River confluence at Almont, where the Taylor and East join to form the Gunnison. The only real float water on the Taylor — floatable Five Mile-to-Almont when flows support it (roughly 300-400+ CFS), otherwise waded along the pockets and edges. Rainbow trout and brown trout on streamers and attractor dries.

Best for: Float fishing for rainbow trout and brown trout at higher flows; wade the pockets and edges when flows drop.

At a glance

Ideal wading flow: 180–400 cfs
Blow-out: >400 cfs
Ideal water temp: 48–62°F

Best seasons

Summer (July) for the green drakes and the best all-around fishing; fall (Sep-Oct) for BWOs and streamer-eating browns. The C&R fishes year-round — mysis and midges carry it through winter. The spring shoulder can be excellent before the crowds. Wading gets difficult much above 400 CFS in the canyon, but the C&R stays fishable even at high release; the lower Taylor floats best at roughly 300-400 CFS. Being dam-controlled, the Taylor rarely fully blows out — it steps up during reservoir releases rather than muddying.

Regulations

The 20 miles from the Taylor Park Reservoir outlet down to Almont are Gold Medal water (designated 2023) and artificial flies and lures only. The quarter-mile 'Hog Trough' directly below the dam is catch-and-release only; the rest of the Gold Medal reach carries a standard bag. Above the reservoir, standard statewide regulations apply.

Hog Trough (Taylor Park Dam downstream ~0.4 mi to the marked boundary): artificial flies and lures only, catch-and-release only — all fish returned to the water immediately
Remainder of the Gold Medal reach (C&R boundary to Almont): artificial flies and lures only; standard statewide bag limit (verify the current CPW bag/gear line for each reach)
Above Taylor Park Reservoir (upper Taylor): standard statewide regulations — verify current bag limits
Valid Colorado fishing license required (resident/nonresident; annual and 1-day options via CPW)

Gold Medal designation reflects CPW's biomass and size thresholds (>=60 lb/acre trout biomass and >=12 trout >=14" per acre). Roughly half of Taylor Canyon is private — respect posted boundaries along FS Road 742. Regulations change annually; confirm the exact bag and gear line for each reach on the current CPW brochure and the Gunnison basin / Water District 28 special-regulation listing before fishing.

Source: Colorado Parks & Wildlife — Fishing Regulations. Regulations change annually. Verify before fishing.

Getting there

Almont, CO (river junction); Gunnison, CO (full services)

~4-4.5 hr from Denver over Monarch Pass; ~30 min from Gunnison-Crested Butte Regional Airport (GUC); ~30 min from Crested Butte via the Jack's Cabin cutoff

Fly shops

Camping: Abundant USFS campgrounds along FS Road 742 up the canyon (Almont, One Mile, Rosy Lane, Lottis Creek, Lodgepole, Cold Spring, Dinner Station) plus Taylor Park Reservoir campgrounds. Resorts and ranches at Almont (Three Rivers Resort, Harmels, Wilder on the Taylor) and dispersed camping above the reservoir.

FS Road 742 parallels the river the entire length of the canyon with evenly spaced pullouts and campgrounds. About half the lower canyon is private — watch posted signs. Private ranch water (Harmels, Wilder) and guided stretches require permission or a paid arrangement. Wading is hazardous on slick granite; studded boots and a wading staff strongly recommended.

About Taylor River

Species

Rainbow Trout

Primary · Year-round · 8-17"; 20"+ common in the C&R

Mysis-fed giants stack up in the Hog Trough (fish to 8-15 lb reported); wild and holdover rainbows fill the canyon and lower river.

Brown Trout

Common · Sep-Nov · 8-17"; larger in the C&R

Best on streamers during the fall pre-spawn; big browns hold in the C&R alongside the rainbows year-round.

Brook Trout

Common · Jul-Sep · 6-12"

Above the reservoir in the upper Taylor — beaver ponds and pocket water; eager on dries.

Cutthroat Trout

Limited · Jul-Sep · 8-14"

Freestone headwaters above Taylor Park Reservoir; not a target on the tailwater below the dam.

Mountain Whitefish

Limited · Year-round · 8-14"

Native to the Gunnison drainage; incidental catches through the canyon and lower river.

Species	Abundance	Best Season	Size
Rainbow Trout	Primary	Year-round	8-17"; 20"+ common in the C&R
Brown Trout	Common	Sep-Nov	8-17"; larger in the C&R
Brook Trout	Common	Jul-Sep	6-12"
Cutthroat Trout	Limited	Jul-Sep	8-14"
Mountain Whitefish	Limited	Year-round	8-14"

At a glance

Ideal wading flow

180–400 cfs

Blow-out

>400 cfs

Ideal water temp

48–62°F

Best seasons

Regulations

Hog Trough (Taylor Park Dam downstream ~0.4 mi to the marked boundary): artificial flies and lures only, catch-and-release only — all fish returned to the water immediately
Remainder of the Gold Medal reach (C&R boundary to Almont): artificial flies and lures only; standard statewide bag limit (verify the current CPW bag/gear line for each reach)
Above Taylor Park Reservoir (upper Taylor): standard statewide regulations — verify current bag limits
Valid Colorado fishing license required (resident/nonresident; annual and 1-day options via CPW)

Source: Colorado Parks & Wildlife — Fishing Regulations. Regulations change annually. Verify before fishing.

Getting there

Almont, CO (river junction); Gunnison, CO (full services)

~4-4.5 hr from Denver over Monarch Pass; ~30 min from Gunnison-Crested Butte Regional Airport (GUC); ~30 min from Crested Butte via the Jack's Cabin cutoff

Taylor River

About Taylor River

Species