Tomichi Creek
Fly fishing in Colorado · Beginner · Best seasons: Summer, Fall
Target Species
Brown Trout, Rainbow Trout
About This Water
Near Gunnison with wild brown trout. Scenic meadow fishing in Gunnison Valley.
Fishing Recommendations
Tomichi Creek is one of Colorado's best-kept secrets. While most anglers flock to the nearby Gunnison or Taylor Rivers, "The Tomichi" offers a quintessential high-country meadow fishing experience. As your guide, I’m excited to break down this technical, rewarding, and stunningly beautiful fishery.
🎣 Location Overview
Tomichi Creek is a major tributary of the Gunnison River, flowing through a vast, high-altitude valley east of the town of Gunnison. It is characterized by classic meadow meandering: tight oxbow bends, deep undercut banks, and slow-moving water over a mix of silt and gravel bottoms.
What makes Tomichi special is its intimacy. It isn't a "big water" river where you'll be wading waist-deep against a heavy current. Instead, it’s a game of stealth and precision. Because the valley is wide and open, the views of the West Elk Mountains and the Sawatch Range are breathtaking, but the lack of cover means the fish can see you coming from a mile away.
🐟 Target Species & Behavior
- Brown Trout: This is a Brown Trout factory. They dominate the creek, especially in the middle and lower stretches. They are notorious for living deep underneath the grass-lined undercut banks. They are predatory and territorial.
- Rainbow Trout: Found more frequently in the faster riffles and in the lower reaches near the confluence with the Gunnison River.
- Behavior: These fish are "bank feeders." In a meadow stream, the most protection and the most food (terrestrials falling off the grass) are found right against the edge. If your fly is three feet off the bank, you’re often out of the strike zone.
📅 Best Times to Fish
Tomichi Creek is highly dependent on snowpack and irrigation cycles.
- Summer (Late June – August): This is the "Hopper Window." Once the spring runoff subsides (usually by late June), the meadow grass grows tall and fills with grasshoppers, crickets, and ants. This is the prime time for dry fly action.
- Fall (September – October): My personal favorite. The Brown Trout begin moving and become hyper-aggressive ahead of their autumn spawn. The water is low and crystal clear, and the cottonwoods turn gold.
- Best Time of Day:
- Summer: 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM (when the sun warms the grass and makes insects active).
- Fall: Late morning through the afternoon.
- Prime Conditions: A slightly breezy day is actually a benefit on the Tomichi; it knocks terrestrials into the water and creates a "chop" on the surface that hides your presence from the fish.
🪰 Recommended Flies & Techniques
Top Fly Patterns
- Terrestrials: Chernobyl Ants (size 8-12), Joe’s Hoppers (10-14), Fat Alberts (tan or pink), and Dave’s Hoppers.
- Dries: Parachute Adams (14-18) for general hatches; Elk Hair Caddis (14-16) for evening rises.
- Nymphs: Bead-head Pheasant Tails (16-18), Prince Nymphs (14-16), and San Juan Worms (especially after a rain).
- Streamers: Black or Olive Wooly Buggers, or a Gold Sparkle Minnow (size 6-10).
Effective Techniques
- The Hopper-Dropper: This is the bread and butter of Tomichi Creek. Use a buoyant foam grasshopper as your indicator and hang a small nymph (like a Pheasant Tail) 18–24 inches below it.
- The "Stealth" Approach: Do not walk right up to the bank. Stay 5-10 feet back and cast from a kneeling position if possible. If you can see the fish, they have likely already seen you.
- Pounding the Undercuts: Cast your streamer or hopper as tight to the grassy bank as possible—literally inches away. Let it drift or twitch it slightly to mimic a struggling insect.
💡 Pro Tips & Local Knowledge
- The "Wind" Factor: The Gunnison Valley is notoriously windy. Don't be afraid to upsize to a 5-weight or even a 6-weight rod to punch your flies through the afternoon gusts.
- Watch the Silt: The bottom of Tomichi is much softer than the Taylor River. Be careful when wading; it’s easy to get "mucked" in knee-deep silt in the slower bends.
- The "Sargents" Stretch: The upper reaches near the town of Sargents offer more of a small-stream feel with some public BLM access. It’s great for lighter rods and smaller fish.
- The SWA Secret: The Tomichi Creek State Wildlife Area (SWA) provides excellent public access just east of Gunnison. It’s well-managed but can get pressured on weekends—walk at least a half-mile from the parking lot to find the least-distressed fish.
⚠️ Important Information
- Access: Much of the land surrounding Tomichi Creek is private ranch land. Respect all "No Trespassing" signs. In Colorado, the landowner owns the riverbed, so you cannot drop anchor or wade on private property without permission. Stick to the designated SWA and BLM areas.
- Regulations:
- A valid Colorado Fishing License is required.
- The Tomichi Creek SWA requires a valid hunting or fishing license (or a SWA pass) to even enter the property.
- Check current CPW (Colorado Parks and Wildlife) regulations for bag limits, though Catch and Release is strongly encouraged to preserve this fragile meadow fishery.
- Cows: You will likely be sharing the meadow with cattle. They are generally harmless but can muddy up the water upstream of you. If you see a herd in the water, move upstream of them.
Guide’s Final Word: Tomichi Creek rewards the patient angler. If you slow down, stay low, and focus on your presentation, you'll find some of the most beautiful, buttery-yellow Brown Trout in the state of Colorado. Tight lines!
Bug Hatches & Matching Flies
| Hatch | Type | Peak months | Time of day | Hook sizes | Matching flies |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blue Winged Olive (BWO) Baetis spp. | mayfly | April, May, September, October | Midday | #18-22 | RS2 #20-22, Parachute Adams #18-22, Pheasant Tail #18-20 |
| Pale Morning Dun (PMD) Ephemerella dorothea | mayfly | July, August | Late morning to Afternoon | #16-18 | PMD Sparkle Dun #16-18, Split Case PMD #16-18, Trigger Finger PMD #16 |
| Grasshoppers Orthoptera | terrestrial | July, August, September | Afternoon | #8-14 | Chubby Chernobyl #8-12, Morrish Hopper #10-14, Joe's Hopper #10-12 |
| Spotted Sedge Hydropsyche spp. | caddis | July, August | Evening | #14-18 | Elk Hair Caddis #14-16, LaFontaine's Deep Sparkle Pupa #14-18, Puterbaugh Caddis #16 |
| Trico Tricorythodes spp. | mayfly | August, September | Early Morning | #20-24 | Trico Spinner #20-24, Sunken Trico Spinner #20-22 |
| Golden Stonefly Hesperoperla pacifica | stonefly | June, July | Morning/Afternoon | #8-12 | 20 Incher #8-12, Golden Rogue Foam Stone #10-12, Pat's Rubber Legs #8-12 |
| Grannom Caddis Brachycentrus occidentalis | caddis | May | Afternoon | #14-16 | Peacock Caddis #14-16, Holy Grail Caddis #14-16 |
| Midges Chironomidae | midge | March, April, September, October | All Day | #18-24 | Zebra Midge #18-22, Griffith's Gnat #20-22, Mercury Midge #20-24 |
| Black Ants Formicidae | terrestrial | July, August | All Day | #14-18 | Cinnamon or Black Foam Ant #14-18, Transparant #16 |