Trout Fishing in Colorado

[Grouseman]

I'm going to CO this July-August and would like suggestions for Trout fishing. The wife and I really like stream or river fishing. Any ideas?

Thanks
Grouseman

[durangodds]

Where in CO are you going to be?

[Grouseman]

I'm going to take suggestions to go to the Suan Juan mountains, and probably areas in the central section (west) of Denver.

Gman

[Darren]

I don't do any fishing to speak of any more, and even then my stream fishing history is extremely limited. That being said, here is a link to our Gold Medal waters. One glaring omission is the Taylor River, which runs between Almont and Taylor Park northeast of Gunnison. I'm not sure why that isn't listed, but that usually seems to be at the top of the list. In the San Juans, the Rio Grande headwaters would be pretty cool. I think Crawler Mark did that a few years back. The Taylor and Rio would probably be my top two, and there are some great scenic roads next to each if the fishing isn't going too well.

[crawler#976]

The upper sections of the Rio Grande were great - we fished the Rio Grande Reservoir north west of Creede, and several sections of the Rio Grande near Creed and South Fork with good sucsess. We used both fly's and spinners depending on time of day and results.

Mark

[durangodds]

I'm going to take suggestions to go to the Suan Juan mountains, and probably areas in the central section (west) of Denver.

Gman

When you talk about the San Juans, there's really the north & south San Juans. I live in Durango, so I'm familiar with the south. If you want to fish high, there are all kinds of good little streams. Lime and Hermosa Creeks are good. The Piedra is a great hike in spot with solitude. The Animas in Durango can be awesome, and the San Juan just over the border in New Mexico is always good.

Some people will send you into the Upper Pine, but that's just where they send the tourists. It really isn't worth the walk.

[Grouseman]

Dur,

Thanks. The wife can't do much hiking, so were looking for streams, creeks, rivers, etc that maybe can only be accessed via 4X4. We will probably do the north and south section. We really don't know yet.

Gman

[durangodds]

Fly Fishing Southern Colorado by Knopik and Flick is a great guide for the southern San Juan mountains. It's out of print now, but I just checked Amazon and there is two copies available there. Most of the places I mentioned in my previous post are accessible by car.

[Ridgewalker]

You'll find trout in virtually every stream in the San Juans. I grew up fishing the Creede area and lived for 2 years in Lake City. I learned to flyfish for trout at age 14 (1960) on the Rio Grande. For July and August I would have nymphs (Goldribbed Hare's Ear #12-16; Pheasant Tail and beadhead version #16-18; Prince Nymph and beadhead version #10-14), grasshopper patterns (Joe's Hopper, Muddler Minnow #6-10), streamers (weighted Muddler Minnow, Black Nose Dace, Black and Olive Woolly Bugger #6-10), and of course drys (Parachute Adams #12-14, Goofus Bug or Humpy #12-16, Royal Wulff #10-14, Griffith's Gnat #18-20).
Start using a double fly rig either a large dry or grasshopper pattern with a nymph 18-24" below during morning till evening, then switch to a streamer in the late evening once the hatches stop. Then it is time for the biggest browns to come out...be ready in the bigger rivers (Rio Grande, Gunnison, Conejos ) for a good fish. The smaller streams are usually less crowded that time of year (Henson Creek, the Blue, Los Pinos, Rat Creek, small head waters of bigger rivers, tributaries of all the bigger rivers).
Your rig should be something like a #5-6 weight forward floating line and 9' rod with 9' tapered leader and 5x tippet. Anything will work but some rigs are just easier to use than others.
In the lakes I'd use a spinning rod with a fly and bubble. You might want to have a few spinners as well (yellow Mepps with red dots and hair on hook, blue and silver Kastmaster, various color spoons).
You'll have a great time in the San Juans whether you catch fish or not. Lots of big game...deer, elk, bear, bighorn, mountain goat, etc.
They are beautiful! Enjoy! I am jealous!

Ooops I forgot one of the best dry flies...Elk Hair Caddis #14.

[Grouseman]

Ridgewalker,

Man thanks for all the good info and of course your time. Yea I am getting pretty excited and it is still a while till it happens.

Grouseman