Gunnison River Fishing Report, Week of October 8, 2026

This is a dated weekly report built only from official gages and Colorado Parks and Wildlife notices, checked the evening of Oct. 8, 2026. It is not a bite report. We have no verified catch information for this water this week, so we do not guess at one. Re-check the linked sources the morning you go.

Gunnison River near Grand Junction, week of October 8

The lower Gunnison dropped every day this week and slipped under 1,000 cfs on Oct. 8. Upstream, the Black Canyon reach below the tunnel did not move.

Conditions

• Flow: USGS 09152500, Gunnison River near Grand Junction, read 986 cfs at 8:30 p.m. MDT on Oct. 8. Daily averages fell from about 1,345 cfs on Oct. 1 to about 970 cfs on Oct. 8.
• Water temp: 18.1 C (65 F) at 8:30 p.m. On Oct. 8 it ranged from 16.3 to 18.7 C (61 to 66 F).
• Below the tunnel: USGS 09128000, Gunnison River below the Gunnison Tunnel, held between 207 and 213 cfs all week and read 209 cfs at 8:45 p.m. That is the Black Canyon reach, not the valley.
• Closures: CPW lifted its two upstream voluntary afternoon closures on Sept. 30 (CPW Sept. 30 release). The Gunnison is not on the CPW closures list (linked from the CPW fishing page) as of Oct. 8.
• Stocking: Not on the CPW trout stocking report as of the Oct. 2 update.
• Ice: No CPW ice notice. Open water.

Reading the numbers

Under 1,000 cfs the valley reach is easier to read than last week, with more soft water on the inside bends. Evening water is still mid 60s F; CPW asks anglers to go elsewhere when water hits 70 F. Mornings are the cooler window. We have no catch reports this week.

Access

Private land lines this river. Fish posted public banks and parks only. The Gunnison Gorge and Black Canyon are separate, remote trips; the valley gage says nothing about them, so check the land manager before you go upriver.

Safety

Heavy water is still heavy at 986 cfs. Stay on the edges and skip the crossings. Wear a life jacket on any boat, kayak or paddleboard, tell someone your plan and return time, and Clean, Drain, Dry between waters (how to clean your gear). See Colorado Safety Essentials and our cold-water shoulder-season checklist.

Regs

Read CPW rules and regulations, the CPW fishing hub and Colorado fishing eRegulations for the exact water before you keep a fish. We do not print bag or size limits. Our Colorado fishing laws page explains where to look.

Plan it

Last report: Gunnison, week of Sept. 28. Background: Gunnison River prep and Gunnison brown-trout gear and safety. Build the day in the Trip Builder. VCO merch is made to order and ships from Grand Junction (VCO merch).

Sources for this post