Three rivers meet near Delta, and the fishing rules change by water

Delta gets its name from where the Gunnison and Uncompahgre rivers come together, and the North Fork of the Gunnison joins the picture upstream near Hotchkiss and Paonia. For anglers, that is three rivers worth of water within easy reach.

Here is the part that trips people up: fishing rules in Colorado are not one statewide setting. They change by water, and sometimes by the segment of a single river. One stretch might be catch-and-release with flies and lures only. Another might allow bait and let you keep a few fish. Trout, bass, and other species can each have their own size and bag limits, and some seasons differ too. A rule that fits one spot can be wrong a mile downstream.

So the safe habit is to check the specific water you plan to fish, not just “the Gunnison.” The state wildlife agency publishes the current fishing rules and breaks them down by river and reach, along with where the public access points are.

Before you fish a stretch of the Gunnison, Uncompahgre, or North Fork, read the current Colorado Parks and Wildlife rules for that exact water.