OK. So you took Intro to Fly Fishing 101 and passed. Or at least you think you passed. A good sign is that the instructor did not send you to Dicks Sporting Goods and point out their great selection of Zebco spinning rods and power bait. From now on, the only thing that will make you better is to get out there and throw a few real flies at real fish. Yes, you will lose flies in the trees, tangle your fly line in bushes, and remove embedded hooks from your flesh. Ouch! Or you are already an accomplished fly angler and have recently moved to Boulder because of a job, kids, or just want to hang out near the Rocky Mountains. If you are new to fly fishing or just new to Boulder, here are a few tips for finding fishing spots in our area.
One approach is to find somebody who has fished in this area for a long time. This could be a fishing guide who knows the local streams well and who also knows what flies work and how to use them. You can also turn on your charm and make buddies out of those that know the area well. It helps if you already own a 4-wheel SUV, offer to do all the driving, buy the beer, pack lunch, pay for dinner, and promise not to tell anyone where you fished. Sometimes hiring a guide turns out to be cheaper. All guides ask for is a good tip to subsidize their own angling obsessions and maybe a 6-pack or two.
Another way is to find places on your own. There are hundreds, if not thousands of miles of fantastic fishing within 90 minutes drive of Boulder. During the summer, I run into many tourists that come here from far, far away just for the fly fishing. We live here and the fishing is great in our own backyard. When the tourists catch no fish, they have to return home with memories of the mountains and stories about the ones that got away. When we get skunked, we can just come back in a couple days and try again. We can also fish year around long after the tourists have gone home. So how do you distinguish the waters that hold fish and those that do not? Finding the great fisheries require methodical investigation, time, and using several resources that are available to anybody. Its not rocket science, although it sometimes seems like sending men to the moon is easier than catching the wily wild trout who have seen thousands of artificial flies thrown at them.
Maps show you how to get around along with the better-known fishing areas.
The first step is to buy maps of Colorado. Look inside and you will see it covered with little blue lines that meander down from the Continental Divide. They all have the potential to hold fish. I like the Gazetteer for coverage of the entire state as well as the series of maps from Sky Terrain for greater detail of the local area. Each of these maps display fish symbols on rivers and lakes to designate known fishing areas. There are also many maps that specialize on specific rivers and areas such as the Big Thompson, Arkansas, Roaring Fork, etc that are available from Fly Shops.
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Colorado Atlas & Gazetteer. Delorme, (Yarmouth, Maine) ($20).
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- Back roads, dirt roads and trails
- Elevation contours
- Remote lakes and streams
- Boat Ramps
- Public lands for recreation
- Land use / land cover – forests, wetlands, agriculture
- Trailheads
- Campgrounds
- Prime fishing spots
- Warm water and coldwater bodies and species
- Wild trout waters
- Gold Metal streams
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Sky Terrain Maps. Sky Terrain (Boulder, CO) ;
Boulder / Nederland ($12).
Rocky Mountain / Indian Peaks ($12)
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- Shading and color tints enhance elevation cues and organize this complex terrain.
- Trail rating symbols include difficult, moderate and easy allowing people to plan the difficulty of their outing.
- Printed on waterproof, tear-tough material for years of hands-on use
- Fishing areas designated on lakes and streams.
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Guide Books tell you where to go, how to get there, the fish species, and what flies to use
Guide books are authored by someone who fishes a lot and who also knows people that are willing to tell them about their favorite fishing spots. Since these areas are published and available to anyone, you should not be surprised to see the parking lots full of other anglers who also have a copy of the book in their truck. However, there are areas where you need to hike, sometimes a strenuous hike at altitude, to get to the fish. This will somewhat limit the number of other anglers that will share the water with you when you get there. Marty Bartholomew’s book is available in just about every fly fishing catalog and in most fly shops. Like any guide book, it is pretty accurate but no book can be totally up to date with the changes in hatches and fish with changing stream and climatic conditions. Todd Hosman’s books are not regularly updated, but they give many more locations close to Boulder. Todd provided very detailed directions for driving as well as hiking once you have driven to the trailhead. It also has chapters that are useful to any angler regarding casting, presentations, trout food, and presentations. Todd’s books gives you a sufficient overview of the fly fishing techniques and methods as well as extremely detailed descriptions of locations for any angler that is either new to fly fishing or new to this area
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Fly Fishing Guide to Colorado by Marty Bartholomew. Wilderness Adventures Press, Inc. (Belgrade, Montana). ($29).
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Covers all of the rivers and lakes in Colorado
- how to fish the water, the best times, a list of go-to flies, hatch charts, and the best times to fish each water
- travel information for all of the destinations, with a listing of fly shops, sporting good stores, accommodations, restaurants, campgrounds, car repair, airports and more.
- 87 detailed river and lake maps showing access, boat ramps, river miles, campsites, roads, and public lands.
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Fly Fishing Colorado’s Front Range by Todd Hosman Streamside Press (Lyons, CO) ($22)
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- Section on trout food and flies on the Front Range.
- Each destination specifies area map reference, elevation, hiking distance, hike difficulty, elevation gain, special regulations, detailed trail directions
- Regions include Fort Collins, Loveland-Longmont, Longmont-Boulder, Denver, Denver-Colorado Springs
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Fly Fishing Rocky Mountain National Park by Todd Hosman. Streamside Press (Lyons, CO) ($20).
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- Chapter on reading the water to identify fish habitat
- Each destination specifies area map reference, elevation, hiking distance, hike difficulty, elevation gain, special regulations, detailed trail directions
- East Slope Destinations
- West Slope Destinations
- Appendix A – Beginners reference: casting, presentations, knots.
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Private fishing waters have great fishing for a fee.
If you do not have a lot of time to get out several times a month, fishing on private waters gives you the best chance of good fishing with little to no running around winding mountain roads. They all maintain excellent trout habitat and ensure that the fish in their waters are healthy and bigger than fish you might catch in the wild. Many guides and fly shops provide access to the private waters or you can make your own arrangements.
Below are examples close to Boulder:
Things to check before you go.
You may have found excellent waters, either on your own or through a friend. However, before leaving the door you should check the water conditions. Fly shops provide excellent reports on both stream flow and the flies that seem to work.
If you are chasing hatchery fish, check the DOW stocking report. http://wildlife.state.co.us/Fishing/Reports/StockingReport/
Last but not least, don’t forget your rod, reel, tippet, spare leader, flies, hat, sunscreen, drinking water, and polarized sunglasses. If you are going off trail into the wilderness, also remember extra clothing for changing weather. A compass might also be helpful in case you lose your orientation or as something to play with while the Search and Rescue team is looking for you. Most of all, leave your worries at home and concentrate on enjoying the companionship of your fishing buddies, the Colorado scenery and the challenge of stalking fish.
