Today
59°F
Partly Sunny
ESE 5 mph · 0% precip
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Today’s verdict
Current River Conditions
As of (4 days ago)
This past week, conditions have been fair.
Fall has arrived across the Montrose area waters and the fishing is shifting into a classic late-season pattern. Cooler nights are pushing fish to feed more actively through the middle of the day, and the browns are getting aggressive ahead of the spawn — streamers are worth having on hand. Avoid wading through gravel beds, as fish are already staging.
Blue Winged Olives are the hatch to watch right now, showing up on cloudy and overcast afternoons across most stretches. Caddis are tapering off on the San Miguel as BWOs take over. Midges are also in play on technical tailwater sections like the Uncompahgre below Ridgway.
Hatches
Tactics
332 CFS is right around its typical level for October — this stretch typically runs 247–368 CFS.
Wading tends to be more manageable at typical flows, but beds shift and cold water saps strength fast — read the water, stay within your limits, and check conditions on-site. You remain responsible for your own safety.
At 46°F, the water is in the prime range for trout — cold enough to fish and to handle fish safely.
Weather
61°FClear
Wind N 0 mph
Sunrise 7:32 AM · Sunset 6:10 PM
Observed (1 hour ago)
NWS / weather.gov · fetched 15:01
Today
59°F
Partly Sunny
ESE 5 mph · 0% precip
Tonight
35°F
Mostly Cloudy then Chance Rain Showers
NE 5 to 10 mph · 54% precip
Tomorrow
53°F
Chance Rain Showers then Partly Sunny
W 0 to 5 mph · 53% precip
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Size #18-22
Size #14-18
Size #18-22
Size #14-18
Conditions are estimates from USGS data. Always assess on-site conditions and use your own judgment.
The gauge near the town of Gunnison reads the river as it runs through the upper valley — the freestone and tailwater-influenced water anglers wade and float for the river's wild brown trout. It carries both flow and water temperature, so the conditions reflect whether the river is running cold and clear enough to fish. The rugged Gunnison Gorge downcanyon is a wilder, separate float; this gauge speaks for the accessible water above it.
Location
© OpenStreetMap contributors · © Geoapify
Helpful Links
Colorado fishing resources
Other Colorado rivers with live conditions
The Gunnison offers several contrasting fisheries. The upper river near Gunnison is a high-elevation freestone with accessible runs and productive float water, while the lower river enters the remote Black Canyon and Gunnison Gorge, where Gold Medal trout water flows through steep, rugged country. Brown and rainbow trout are the main species. The upper river generally fishes best from spring through fall, while lower-elevation reaches can provide a longer season. Snowmelt affects the upper system, but regulated lower reaches can remain productive around it. Major hatches include salmonflies, golden stones, yellow sallies, caddis, green drakes, PMDs and BWOs. Nymphing and dry-dropper fishing are reliable throughout the system, with strong dry-fly opportunities during stonefly, caddis and green-drake activity. Streamers are effective in deeper runs and for larger browns. Float fishing efficiently covers the upper and lower river, but access in the Black Canyon and Gorge can require demanding hikes, specialized rafting skills or a licensed guide. Anglers should confirm road, trail and seasonal-access conditions.
332 CFS−20Flow
46°F+2°Water temp
59° / 35°WeatherSize #14-18
Size #20-22
Size #6-10
limited recent reports — best signal we have within 60 days