Colorado Fishing Reports ยท Gunnison Basin
Right below Taylor Park Dam, the Taylor River's catch-and-release water holds huge rainbows that grow fat on Mysis shrimp. It is crowded, technical and unforgettable.
Looking for the latest Taylor River (below the reservoir) river report? This page is updated by the AvidMax fly shop team with live flows, current conditions, hatches and the flies working now on the Taylor River (below the reservoir).
Current flows
Wind forecast
Taylor River (below the reservoir) fishing report
Updated November 7, 2026.
Flows are about 55 to 60 cfs in the catch-and-release section and expected to stay there all winter. Water is about 43ยฐF, and hatches are patchy midges.
Nymph with long, light leaders and a small yarn indicator: Black Beauty, Flashback Pheasant Tail and Bling Midge in sizes 18 to 24, plus Mysis patterns. Down in the canyon, a jig nymph with a midge dropper works well. Fish 11 am to 5 pm.
Browns are spawning, so stay off the redds.
Load your fly box
Before you head to Below Taylor Park Reservoir, bring: Mysis Shrimp #16-20, Black Beauty #20-24, Pheasant Tail Nymph #18-22, Bling Midge #18-22, Zebra Midge #20-24, RS2 Emerger #18-22, JuJu Baetis #18-22, Egg #14-16, Squirmy Wormie #12-14, Scud Bomb #14-16, Rainbow Warrior #16-20.
Flies working right now
The flies above that we have in stock right now.
Taylor River (below the reservoir) details
| Access | The catch-and-release section sits right below the dam off County Road 742. |
|---|---|
| Elevation | About 9,300 ft at the dam |
| Drive from AvidMax | About 166 miles, roughly 4 hours 16 minutes from our Centennial shop |
| Best season | All year |
| Fish | Trophy rainbows fed on Mysis shrimp, plus browns |
| Regulations | Catch and release, flies and lures only below the dam. Check Colorado Parks and Wildlife for the current rules. A Colorado fishing license is required. |
| Leaders and tippet | 9 to 12 ft leaders, 6X to 7X tippet |
| Camping | Many national forest campgrounds in Taylor Canyon (some close for winter) |
| Kids | Yes for watching the big fish. They are hard to catch. |
| Good to know | Crowded and very technical. Patience pays. |
Fishing by season
Winter
Cold, steady flows and midges.
Spring
BWOs.
Summer
Drakes and PMDs in the canyon.
Fall
Spawning browns.
How to get there
Take County Road 742 up Taylor Canyon from Almont to Taylor Park Dam.