Time: 11:00AM – 3:15PM

Location: Below Taylor Reservoir

Taylor River 08/18/2026 Photo Album

Jane, Amy Jo, and I made a trip to Crested Butte. Amy Jo had never been there, so we volunteered to show her the sights. Tuesday was my fly fishing day, so I was given access to the Telluride for the day. I dropped Amy Jo and Jane off at the Lower Lower Loop Trailhead and left them dependent on the Crested Butte transportation system and their feet.

Nice Section

I arrived at my chosen pullout along the Taylor River by 10:30AM, and I immediately geared up and assembled my Sage R8 four weight. Have I mentioned that I love this rod? The Taylor was running very low with flows out of the dam at 115 CFS. From the road the river looked very challenging; however, once I arrived next to my chosen section, I realized that the river was very fishable. Of course, I chose a stretch with high gradient and a narrow riverbed, and these features created lots of deep runs and pockets. The tailwater effect was also beneficial, and although I never took the temperature, it felt quite cold. The air temperature was in the sixties, and the dashboard displayed 72 degrees, as I commenced my return drive. Several periods of overcast and near showers had me debating whether to slip on my raincoat.

More Size Here

I spent most of the day tossing a dry/dropper configuration, as the fast and deep water suggested deep nymphing. During the morning and early afternoon I drifted a tan pool toy hopper, a 20 incher, and a salvation nymph. I built the fish count to six, but the action was slow and steady.

Rock Garden

During the afternoon the hopper began to generate refusals, so I made a major change and switched to a double dry featuring a peacock hippie stomper and size 14 olive-brown deer hair caddis. The hippie stomper was largely ignored, so I replaced it with a size 14 Jake’s gulp beetle. Throughout this double dry time I managed to land three trout on the caddis, but it was very slow going.

Far Bank Slick Produced

For the last 1.5 hour I returned to the dry/dropper approach, and the three fly lineup included another tan pool toy hopper, a brown perdigon, and a supernova PMD. I landed two additional trout in my last 1.5 hour, and they grabbed the supernova. The dry/dropper was clearly the preferred fishing technique, and during my second session I experienced quite a few temporary connections.

A Rainbow Visits My Net

I was satisfied with my eleven fish day that included four trout in the thirteen to fifteen inch range, but my results could have been even more impressive. During the morning a large brown grabbed the salvation, as the nymphs began to swing in front of a large exposed rock at the tail of a pool. I fought it for five seconds, at which point my line no longer had any weight on it. The bruiser broke off all three flies at an old surgeon’s knot above the pool toy. I caught a nice view of the brown that broke off, and I estimate that it approached the magical twenty inch threshold.

Rainbow Pocket

During the early afternoon a very fine rainbow smashed the pool toy, and it likewise performed an evasive maneuver to free itself. I suspect the rainbow was in the fifteen inch range.

Release

During the later afternoon two brown trout topped the rainbow in the race for most annoying fish. Both grabbed one of the nymphs in nice riffles over moderate depth, and both turned their head and allowed the hook to spring free. In both cases the pent up energy in my rod released and catapulted the flies high above me in overhanging branches. Other than some foul language directed at the smart ass fish, all was well, as I was able to bend down the branches and unravel my line and flies.

Fish Landed: 11