Fly Fishing the Taylor River. Rod Cesario

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      Taylor River (Southwest Colorado)

       Location: Southwestern Colorado, a 4-hour drive from Denver; 3 hours from Colorado Springs; 3 hours from Grand Junction; 45 minutes from Gunnison County Airport.

      The Taylor River tailwater begins at its release from Taylor Reservoir and flows 25 miles to the small town of Almont, where it meets the East River to form the Gunnison River. The Taylor Reservoir, at 9,300 feet, was created by the building of the

      Taylor Dam in 1937. Water is released from the bottom of the reservoir. This release will have varying temperatures throughout the year; winter months 39 to 42 degrees. Due to this variation, the elevation and very cold winter temperatures, the tailwater will be a year-round fishery from the point of release to 5 or 6 miles downstream. Steep canyon walls shade a lot of the river during the winter months, causing snowfields and ice to completely encompass the sections further from the dam, deeming them un-fishable. Mid-March to early November will see the entire 25-mile section become very fishable and productive.

      Water releases from Taylor Reservoir fluctuate seasonally and stay consistent throughout. The snowpack runoff dictates release, with a normal year seeing flows coming up by late April to 500–800 cfs, usually stabilizing by late June between 225–375 cfs. September will see a ramping down of flows, with reductions of 50–75 cfs staggered reaching a winter flow of 79–100 cfs for the winter months.

      The 25-mile section of the tailwater parallels County Road 742 winding through varying terrain of open ranch meadows to rugged rocky canyon walls. November 2012 saw the completion of major road improvements, making road travel in the narrow canyon much easier and safer, with access to the river painless. The makeup of the tailwater consists of both public and private sections. Traveling upstream from Almont, every few miles you will see a change in status from public to private and back to public. Local maps are a good investment for the fishermen new to the Taylor, as Colorado law prohibits wading into private water.