Huge Taylor Trout

The Taylor tailwater - home to those huge Rainbows feasting on mysis shrimp. Every day of the year anglers attempt to land one of these large fish hanging out in the short section of public access below the dam.

Todd Andersen, Denver area guide and well-known angler, guides on the Blue River. When he goes flyfishing on the Taylor it's for fun. In his own words about fishing the Taylor tailwater, "That's my own big fish fix".

Taylor trout Colorado
Todd Andersen with a 15-pound, 21-inch girth Rainbow in April 2001

Fishing for these large pigs takes patience, luck, and skill. The fish prefer very small flies patterned after their diet of mysis shrimp and other tiny nymphs. If you hook into one of these trout, landing it will take awhile.

big Taylor Rainbow Colorado
Another shot of Todd with the large Rainbow

On April 24, 2000, Tom Gower landed what is a probable new record for a Colorado Rainbow. He caught this 23-pound Rainbow with a #22 hare's ear using a 5x tippet and a 6 wt. rod. This trout is 32 inches long and has a 23 inch girth. The Rainbow took the fly under the bridge.

Huge Rainbow - new record?
Tom Gower with the possible CO record Rainbow

Rules for the Taylor tailwater:

Public access is prohibited from the top of Taylor Dam to 325 yards downstream. From 325 yards downstream to the upper boundary of Cockrell private property (about 0.4 miles): fishing with artificial flies or lures only, and all fish must be returned to the water immediately.

Resources:

50 Colorado Tailwaters Buy an ebook '50 Colorado Tailwaters'- incudes the Taylor tailwater

rio grande colorado fishing map Click here to buy digital downloadable Ten Colorado Fishing Maps which includes the Gunnison River.

More pix of big Taylor trout

Info on the Taylor River and the area

All photos are copyrighted by Todd Andersen, 2000, 2001. No use or copying of the photographs without permission of Mr. Andersen