I'm a 48 year old woman looking for my first fly fishing trip. I love the outdoors. I snow ski, water ski, tennis and bike. This would be the one thing I want to add to my "I enjoy" list.
I am thinking Colorado in June, rent equipment, go where someone can take me somewhere and teach me what I need to know.
I've boat fished the lakes of the Midwest and Florida oceans for years.
Thanks, Kat
Answer:
Kat,
Thanks for the question. Jackson Streit has written a great book you’ll want to pick up called "Fly Fishing Colorado." It has everything you’d ever want to know about fishing in the state, including maps, a list of guides and resources and illustrations of the top fly fishing knots.
It’s available at No Nonsense Guides, for whom I should mention I’ve written a fly fishing guide for on Central California.
I’ve fished Colorado a handful of times, mainly near the Rocky Mountains, and each trip was a blast.
The state has dozens of blue ribbon fisheries, so finding fish isn’t much of a problem, and the same insects we’re used to throughout the West usually come into play here. Just keep in mind that you’ll likely be fishing well above 5,000 feet for the most part in Colorado. So you’ll see different bugs at different elevations, and it can be rather cold up near the peaks, even in the summer.
Among the gold medal fisheries listed in Streit’s book are The Blue, Colorado, Fryingpan, Gunnison, North Platte, Rio Grande, Roaring Fork and South Platte rivers. Gore Creek, North Delaney Lake and Spinney Mountain Reservoir are also good options.
Mid to late summer is a good time to fish these lakes as the prime fishing conditions generally occur July through September.
I’d recommend contacting a local fishing guide near one of those waters to get the lowdown on how the fishing is in the summer. Local guides can set you up with everything you need, and point you in the right direction as far as the fish are concerned.
Hook up with a good guide, and you’ll have fly fishing on your "I enjoy" list in no time.
- Brian
