gunnison River,
COLORado
Pre Trip & Travel Planner
WELCOME
ABOARD!
Gear up for an unrivaled hospitality experience! We are here every step of the way so you feel prepared to have an epic White Water & Wild Trout Culinary Campout on the West Slope of Colorado.
Our Creel Crew is here for you!
Click below for the printable version of this planner, along with a detailed gear and packing list.
For help with gear or travel arrangements, please reach out to us!
Joshua@travelcreel.com
Samantha@travelcreel.com
planning for your
upcoming trip
Expand each section below to review
important information before your
Gunnison River, Colorado adventure!
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Book your flight to arrive in Montrose, Colorado at Montrose Regional Airport (MTJ).
Several major airlines service Montrose Regional Airport. Direct flights may be hard to come by but there are often the shortest layovers through Denver or Dallas.
Arrive between 1pm-4pm on your scheduled arrival day.
The ride to the lodge takes about 45 minutes. Your shuttle will stop on the way in so that you can purchase any alcohol you would like for your time at the lodge.
We will reach out in advance of the trip to get a list of any alcohol that you would like for your time in the canyon, as it is packed in ahead of your arrival.
We are happy to help if you need any assistance booking or choosing flights.
Check into the lodge at 3 pm.
Our lodge is located in Hotchkiss, Colorado.
If driving to the lodge, please note that appetizers will be up at the lodge around 5:30 pm, followed by dinner shortly after. Please stop en route to the lodge to purchase any alcohol you would like for your nights at the lodge.
Please plan to arrive at the lodge no later than 5 pm.
IF FLYING, MAKE SURE TO SHARE YOUR ITINERARY WITH US BY SUBMITTING THE “TRAVEL DETAILS” FORM YOU WERE SENT BY EMAIL, OR BY SENDING US YOUR FULL FLIGHT ITINERARY ONCE YOUR HAVE BOOKED YOUR FLIGHTS!
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The standard fishing program is divided into 2 beats from the Pleasure Park launch ramp “up” and “down”.
With the addition of the Canyon Program you will also be fishing the 14 mile stretch from Chukar Trail down to the end of the Black Canyon. This program gets you fishing the most water!
Everyone will enjoy 2 fishing days with one evening spent in the Canyon, with three total nights spent in the lodge, where you will fish one day “up” and one day “down” from Pleasure Park.
The Pleasure Park boat ramp is less than 10 mins from the lodge.
When fishing from Pleasure Park, you will be in hard drift boats, in the canyon you will be fishing from inflatable rafts.
We will use dry flies and streamers with floating lines.
For Streamer fishing, we may use a sink tip to reach the proper depth. It is prime hopper season!
We will be fishing with Gunnison River Expeditions.
When fishing “Up”, you will start out your day with a quick jet boat ride up river, into the Bottom end of the Black Canyon. You will then jump in a drift boat with your guide, and float for the rest of the day back to Pleasure Park.
When you are fishing “Down” you will jump into drift boats with your guide and hit the stretch from Pleasure Park down to the take-out (roughly an 8-9 mile float)
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We will shuttle everyone down to Pleasure Park.
Once there, we will load into 4x4 shuttle vehicles to drive to the Chukar Trailhead.
Once at the trailhead all of the gear will be loaded onto horses to head down the trail. Don’t worry, you will not have to carry anything!
The trail down into the canyon is hard packed, take your time and get down safely!
At the bottom your guides will have rafts ready. Load up and start your fishing for the day!
You will fish all day and float to our camp for the night, where Chef Joshua will meet you, to share your time in the canyon and prepare all of your meals.
The following morning, Chef Joshua will put up breakfast and then you will pack up and fish your way back to Pleasure Park.
Make sure to bring a camera! It’s a really serene and beautiful float through the canyon!
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Check-out time from the lodge is 11 am.
Please book your departing flight to leave from Montrose Regional Airport (MTJ) as close to 1 pm as possible.
If you need help booking your flights or choosing the best one, please reach out to Samantha@travelcreel.com
If driving yourself, please be mindful of our check-out time for the cleaning crew to come in.
On the morning of your departure, we will send out our Cashless Creel Gratuity Links, which you can use to send gratuity to your camp and lodge crew electronically, in case you are low on cash!
Everyone in the group will fish 2 days in the canyon, 1 day “UP” and 1 day “DOWN”. There are 8 guests in our group. Only 4 guests at a time will be in the Canyon. You will either start your trip by fishing in the canyon or start fishing from Pleasure Park. The groups will alternate, so everyone gets the same opportunity to hit all of the water.
Fishing
License
Visit the Colorado Parks & Wildlife website:
to purchase your fishing license online
PURCHASE YOUR LICENSE IN ADVANCE -
Licenses are NOT available at the local fly shop.
Evacuation
& Travel
Insurance
While we cannot require our anglers to purchase trip, travel or emergency medical evacuation insurance, we cannot stress the fact that it is much better to have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it.
- included -
4 days of guided fishing with Gunnison River Expeditions
5 nights of accommodations (one overnight in the Black Canyon)
All meals prepared by your TWO Private On-Site Creel Chefs
Terminal Tackle - Guides will supply flies, leader and tippet. We always suggest that you bring your own rods/reels, however if you do not have gear the guides are able to provide rods and reels (please let us know prior to the trip so we can make gear arrangements for you)
Airport/Daily Fishing Shuttles
Camping Gear*
Jetboat & Driftboat Trip up river
+ Driftboat down river
*We can provide you with a cot, sleeping bag and pad while on the campout. You are welcome to bring your own, or we can assist you with getting the proper gear sent directly to the lodge. If you choose to bring your own sleeping gear, you will need to carry it when hiking down Chukar Trail for the canyon float. If using what can be provided by our partners, it will be packed in and brought down by horse.
AIRFARE/TRAVEL EXPENSES, BOOZE, TRAVEL INSURANCE (RECOMMENDED),
COLORADO FISHING LICENSE & GRATUITY ARE NOT INCLUDED.
TYPICAL GRATUITY
Gratuity is a personal choice based on the service you receive and your overall experience. It is customary to tip your guide after each day, and the lodge staff
at the end of your stay.
RECOMMENDED AMOUNTS:
The Mesa:
$100 - $150/boat/day
($50 - $75/angler/day)Overnight Canyon Float:
$200 - $250/boat/day
($100 - $125/angler/day)Lodge Staff: $200-$250 per angler
Everyone will receive a set of links for gratuity at the end of your stay, and will have cards with QR codes on site that link to our Cashless Creel Gratuity Links page. Gratuity can also be left in cash before you depart.