Colorado suggestions please……..

[Mike Livingstone]

The wife and I are planning a trip to Colorado the second week of August. Although I have fished out west a lot, I have never wet a line in Colorado. She will fish a little, but it’s not her first option. Not looking for extensive backcountry fishing, but some out of the way places would be nice. Looking for a good bit of wadeable water, not planning at this point to hire a guide and boat. Would like to stay near a town with decent accomodations and places to eat. At this point ,I’m thinking we are flying into Denver. I would like some ideas on what locations would be good in relation to places within a thirty minute drive to several different rivers.I thought about Estes Park, Steamboat Springs area, Dillon, Carbondale.Also, could anyone reccomend a book on Colorado fly fishing ? All info is greatly appreciated.

[anonymous]

Frying Pan.

[Rick Marcum]

Ditto on the Frying Pan in August… plus the valley has so much to offer any vacationer (and lots of tourists)

[Tim Angeli]

If you end up near Carbondale, make sure to go to the Village Smithy for breakfast.

[sal velinus]

Hi Mike — My first post as well. Just a reminder that Colorado offers terrific fishing across the state. Keep in mind that the Roaring Fork Valley is now our state’s version of Disneyland. Until the greedheads arrived in the early ’70s, the Aspen-Glenwood area was truly paradise. That’s sadly been lost and replaced with rampant commercialization, astronomical prices and hordes of tourists.

You might want to check into a “real” Colorado town, such as Meeker, on the White River. Or look into the South Platte through South Park, and a tailwater section called the Dream Stream. No better fishing anywhere.

I can also highly recommend Steamboat as a place that would interest your wife, and excite you with the fishing possibilities on the Yampa. In town, or up in the tailwater below the dam, the browns will leave your arm in a sling at day’s end. Hoppers and more hoppers.

Other suggestions would be the Gunnison area, and a little-known river down south called the Conejos. Big browns, no crowds, matchless scenery.

Flows anywhere could be abnormal this year because of snowpack that run, in some places, 600 percent of normal. Keep an eye on the flows.

[anonymous]

Sal,

I’d agree with you on Steamboat and Yampa, but respectfully disagree about the South Platte/Dream Stream.

[Jay Hake]

Carbondale area is great, but it is developed.

[Colin M.]

I’ll chip a third in for Steamboat.

[Juan Ramirez]

The S. Platte is a great place to do some fishing, but It wouldn’t be on the top of my places to go or recommend to visitors.

[Mike Livingstone]

Thanks for all the replys so far, keep ’em coming. I need to get this trip in order soon.

[Zach Matthews]

Hey guys –

Welcome everyone, but please have a look at the post pinned to the top of the board regarding our real names policy and how to change your display name.

I wish I knew more about Colorado fishing but I’ve only wet a line there a couple times, and once was in a drainage ditch… 🙂

Zach

[brian dunigan]

When I fish in Colorado, my biggest fish seem to always come from the Blue River in Silverthorne.

[Brian Moffitt]

I’ll just second fishing the Blue in Silverthorne.

[brian dunigan]

That’s exactly what I like about the Blue.

[Colin M.]

Brian, i spent alot of time fishng those waters…the biggest myth of all is the need for tippet that light… ESPECIALLY if the water is off color…work on drift and presentation and you can catch those fish on 2 x… seriously…

[Bob Riggins]

Did they ever get the northern pike out of the Yampa river.

[Brian Moffitt]

Colin and Brian,

Thanks for the suggestions on the Blue.

[Author]

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