by Michele Kadison

Colorado boasts some of the best fly-fishing in North America with its lakes, rivers, and streams stocked to the brim along with scenery that defies imagination.

So Just What is Fly-Fishing?
If you’ve never gone fly-fishing before don’t let the vocabulary confuse you!  It’s really just a matter of getting a fly on the line, casting, and letting the fish come straight to you.  Go get a fly-fishing package at any local sporting goods shop.  The package will include a pole, lines, a reel, and an assortment of flies.  You’ll notice that a fly rod is thinner and longer than conventional lure-fishing rods.  It’s also more flexible and comes with larger guides along the shaft.

Casting is something you can practice – without the hook, of course – in your own backyard.  A good casting movement comes from flicking the wrist and forearm from a 2 to a 10 o’clock position.  This movement “loads” the weight towards the fly, creating an extension of the arm that eventually allows the line to whip above your head in an arch.  The idea is to draw the fly to just above the surface of the water, enticing the fish to bite.  Its all in the control of the fly, making fly-fishing as much of an art form as a sport.

After practicing your cast, its time to select a fly.  Think about where you are going and what kind of insects and small creatures will be inhabiting your surroundings.  If you see a mayfly on the water, tie a fly on that looks similar.  The lure is always a reflection of what is around, and in this way you’ll get the the fish to go for something familiar.

If you want some expert instruction, there are many fishing outfitters that will be happy to provide you with lessons.  Take a float trip on a river or settle on the banks of a beautiful reservoir to master the skill that will bring you closer to catching your first trophy fish.

Below are some of the best areas for casting your rod and enjoying a day of fly-fishing, Colorado Rockies style.

Southwest Colorado
Animas River (Gold Medal Waters)
Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout
Classified as Gold Medal Water, the stretch that flows from Durango to the border of New Mexico is home to rainbow and brown trout often measuring 14 to 18 inches long.  Enjoy the many boulders, eddies, log jams, and bends that make this area so ideal for fly-fishing.  Running through Southern Ute Reservation land, you will need special permits to fish this area.
You can contact the reservation for information: 970-563-0130

Directions:  Go south on Highway 550 from Durango.

Blue Mesa Reservoir
Lake Trout, Rainbow Trout, Brook Trout, Brown Trout
When the majestic Gunnison River was dammed in 1965, the Blue Mesa Reservoir was created, much to the glee of anglers worldwide.  As Colorado’s largest body of water, the area covers more than 96 miles of shoreline, making it easy to find the perfect spot to cast your line for the ever-present brook and rainbow trout.  You can also take a boat out to get to the deep water areas where lake and brown trout are found.

Directions:  From Gunnison go west on Highway 50 for nine miles.

Grand Mesa Lakes
Rainbow Trout, Cutthroat, Brown Trout, Brook Trout
With more than 100 natural lakes and reservoirs, this alpine region is famous for its wide variety of trout.  Fish from the exquisite shorelines, or take a boat once you have read the signs that confirm that this is allowed in the area you wish to fish.  Enjoy the many streams that cut through the landscape for an afternoon of serenity as you wait for your trophy catch.

Directions:  Go north on Highway 65 from Delta.

Gunnison River (Gold Medal Waters)
Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout, Cutthroat
Feeding into the Blue Mesa Reservoir, the Gunnison River is filled with excessively large trout.  It is because of this that the river has been given Gold Medal status, so make sure you bring a large net to hold your trophy fish.  Take a hike to the stretch of water between Crystal Creek and North Fork to find the largest trout in the area, and don’t forget to keep your eyes wide open to take in all the magnificent scenery on the way.  You will be forging through the Gunnison Gorge National Conservation Area, one of the most beautiful regions in Colorado.

Directions:  Take Highway 92 east from Delta for 11 miles until you reach the river.

Taylor River and Reservoir
Lake Trout, Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout, Cutthroat
Between tracts of private land where fishing is by permission only, you will find public access to the river where most of the fishing is catch and release.  Take a boat and fish this wonderful river where caddis and mayfly flies work the best.

Directions:  Go northeast along Highway 742 from Almont.

Northwest Colorado
Frying Pan (Gold Medal Waters, Crystal, and Roaring Fork Rivers
Rainbow Trout, Whitefish
Between Basalt and Aspen you will find a four-mile area of river that is loaded with huge rainbow trout that can come in at no less than ten pounds!  Go over to the spillway side of the Reudi Reservoir Dam where large insects are forced to the bottom of the river by the force of the water.  This makes for ideal angling as the fish are so busy concentrating on their lunch that they will be happy to consume your fly or lure in the process.

Directions:  Take Highway 82 south from Glenwood Springs to any point on the river between Basalt and Aspen.

Steamboat Lake State Park (Gold Medal Waters)
Brook Trout, Brown Trout, Rainbow Trout, Cutthroat
With Hahn’s Peak setting off the sky on the northeastern shore, this 1,050 acre alpine lake provides one of the most aesthetic setting for anglers setting out to enjoy a day of trout fishing.  Take a drift boat to enjoy the deep areas in the lake or fish along the shoreline for an equally challenging and fulfilling experience.

Directions: Travel west for two miles on Highway 40 from Steamboat Springs to Country Road 129 where you will see the park entrance after driving 26 miles north.

Trappers Lake
Cutthroat
A beautiful wilderness spot with pine forests surrounding the water, you will find yourself among the largest population of cutthroat in the world.  As Colorado’s second largest natural lake, you will enjoy taking a non-motorized float for some tranquil fishing where a gnat-shaped fly will do just the trick in attracting your trophy of the day.

Directions: Go east on Highway 132 (Flat Tops Trail Scenic and Historic Byway) from Meeker for approximately 45 miles.

Wolford Mountain Reservoir
Rainbow Trout
With its serene waters, this reservoir stretches 66,000 acres to give you one of the best angling vacation experiences in Colorado.  Take a motor boat to find your mammoth rainbow trout as you bask under the perennially sunny skies.  Boat ramps make it all so easy.  Try camping in one of the 48 full-service sites located in the mountain area where electricity, fire grates, a dump station, bathrooms, picnic tables, and shelter make your outdoor experience a luxury.

Directions: Take Highway 40 north from Kremmling for six and a half miles.

Yampa River State Park
Brown Trout, Brook Trout, Cutthroat
Just upstream of the park you will find one of the busiest trout fisheries in Colorado.  From Haydon to Craig, in the eastern portion of the park, the waters are famed for their ample stock of trout.  From Craig to Maybell, at the western end of the river, you will find warm-water fish such as small mouth bass, catfish, and pike.  Make sure you bring your bottom troller for a lazy day of catfishing in this pristine spot.

Directions:  Take Highway 40 east from Craig for five miles and then turn off and go towards Elkhead Reservoir.

Editors Note:  Some of you may be wondering what exactly “Gold Metal Waters” implies.  The definition according to the Colorado Division of Wildlife is “a lake or stream that supports a trout standing stock of at least 60 pounds per acre and contains an average of at least 12 quality trout – 14 inches or longer – per acre.”  In other words, it’s where you’ll find the big fish!

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