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Fly Patterns

I like a bigger, more easily seen fly with a smaller or more realistic dry 24 inches behind. A great example is my Green Drake hatch combination of a 12 Colorado Green Drake with a 14 Gunnison River Para-emerger behind it. For the last three years it has proven to be a great tandem for my eyes and the fish alike.

During the summer, dry and dropper rigs are effective for about 80 percent of the fishing on the Gunnison. Royal Wulffs, Stimulators, and Humpies have taken fish for years and show no signs of becoming outdated. Attach the dropper nymph to the bend of the dry-fly hook with an improved clinch knot and 18 to 36 inches of monofilament. Bead-heads such as Copper Johns, Pheasant Tails, Princes, Flashback Caddis, and Bloody Mari nymphs consistently take fish.
The Gunnison River upstream of Gunnison (shown above) is bordered by private property in many areas but it can be floated in rafts in June and July.

Early and late in the season, deep nymphing rigs are the most consistent way to catch fish. Pair a small bead-head nymph such as a caddis larva or Baetis imitation with an attractor nymph such as a Prince Nymph, 20 Incher, or Glo-Bug.

I have become a fanatical streamer fisherman in recent years and the Gunnison has excellent streamer fishing. I use my Swimming Prince for small streams or as a chaser streamer for double-streamer rigs. I cast the fly across and upstream for a short dead-drift and then twitch it slowly on the retrieve as it swings across down below.

Big trout love big sculpin streamers such as Nervous Minnows, Zoo Cougars, and Conehead Woolly Sculpins on fast sinking-tip or full-sinking lines. From a boat, cast these flies against the bank and swim them along the shore. On foot, work the riffles and the tailouts of deeper pools. Try to mix your retrieves and find what works best for you on each day; as conditions change, so should your tactics.

On-Line Catalogs
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