Flight of fancy, dart throw fishing trip to... Colorado the dart says...but where??

[Mato Kuwapi]

I need get out of Dodge so to speak. I wanted to avoid the after Hex duldrums and the mosquitoes in Michigan this year. I've had a great time there this season but I'm feeling the call of the west again. Tried to get the other half to agree to Montana, and got a big fat "NO WAY". So since I'm tied to him for this run, he agreed that Colorado was more to his liking. No Grizzlies. (That should be MY line.)

Now I know we will camp at Ruedi for a few days and I'll hit the Frying Pan and Roaring Fork. My uncle lives in Woody Creek so we get together for some back country adventure as well and a few brews at the Woody Creek Tavern.

My purpose for this thread is to get some help as to where other "MUST fish before you die" places may be in Colorado. I know about the Gunnison and would love to do the Black Canyon float but I don't think I can arrange the funds. I'll be hopping around Colorado for about a month. I have to be back home by the 14th of August. I'm looking at the Front Range area for starters (before heading down towards Basalt) ..there's a lake (Joe Wright Reservoir) there that supposedly has Grayling (on my bucket list). I know nothing about it other than it's probably popular. Is it worth the stop. Camp sites? Any feed back on this would be appreciated. Any other spots around Estes Park RMNP etc I should look at?

Other suggestions around the state, Camping locations, etc. (Primitive and pretty prefered.) We'll be tenting. I don't mind short hike ins, but the altitude gets me for the first couple of weeks so SHORT is the key word until I get used to it. Going from 600 ft to 10,000 is a bit tough on the old system.

I can go just about anywhere is the state...but would rather be fishing than driving and like the mountain vistas when i can get them, since I'm a life long flat lander. So if you don't mind suggesting a must see spot or two...I'd appreciate it. You can answer via PM if you prefer. I fish stricky catch and release and use flies only and I can keep my mouth shut tighter than a ducks you know want.

Thanks... I'm leaving in a week. TOLD YOU IT WAS LAST MINUTE!!! And of course if you're looking for a fishing buddy for a day...I don't mind company. The other half doesn't fish.

[Mato Kuwapi]

Thanks herefishy. YOU NEED TO CLEAN OUT YOUR MAILBOX!!! I couldn't send my response!

[oldfrat]

Steven Schweitzer's "A Fly Fishing Guide to Rocky Mountain National Park" will be an excellent resource for you. Best darn fishing guidebook I've ever read. Tells you what waters have what trout types and has elevation charts for all trails to them. Marty Bartholomew's "Fly Fishing Guide to Colorado" is also an excellent resource and one worth your time if you plan to spend that much time in this state.

Kremmling is an interesting potential base point, with good access to a lot of good waters. The Allington Inn & suites is a fine place to stay there.

Enjoy!

[Mato Kuwapi]

Thanks! I'll look into Schweitzer's book for sure. I already have Marty Bartholomew's "Fly Fishing Guide to Colorado". I've been going through it so much that it's starting to fall appart. (I picked up before I want out there three years ago.)


I'll be tenting it. I've got a site on Chambers Lake for the first five nights. Lets me get to Joe Wright Reservoir easily. (going for Grayling, I hope....on my bucket list of fish I haven't caught yet.) There's a number of rivers and creeks in the area, too. Also not that far from RMNP. From there I'm heading to Ruedi or Woody Creek to my uncles place if the campsites are full for the weekend. Fishing the Frying Pan and Roaring Fork. From there, it's a crap shoot at the moment. May go on down towards the Gunnison (Black Canyon area) however I can't afford a float with my present travel companion (husband). DRAT! (another bucket list thing of mine) But Taylor River below the reservoir looks interesting.

Steven Schweitzer's "A Fly Fishing Guide to Rocky Mountain National Park" will be an excellent resource for you. Best darn fishing guidebook I've ever read. Tells you what waters have what trout types and has elevation charts for all trails to them. Marty Bartholomew's "Fly Fishing Guide to Colorado" is also an excellent resource and one worth your time if you plan to spend that much time in this state.

Kremmling is an interesting potential base point, with good access to a lot of good waters. The Allington Inn & suites is a fine place to stay there.

Enjoy!

[MikelC]

Thanks! I'll look into Schweitzer's book for sure. I already have Marty Bartholomew's "Fly Fishing Guide to Colorado". I've been going through it so much that it's starting to fall appart. (I picked up before I want out there three years ago.)


I'll be tenting it. I've got a site on Chambers Lake for the first five nights. Lets me get to Joe Wright Reservoir easily. (going for Grayling, I hope....on my bucket list of fish I haven't caught yet.) There's a number of rivers and creeks in the area, too. Also not that far from RMNP. From there I'm heading to Ruedi or Woody Creek to my uncles place if the campsites are full for the weekend. Fishing the Frying Pan and Roaring Fork. From there, it's a crap shoot at the moment. May go on down towards the Gunnison (Black Canyon area) however I can't afford a float with my present travel companion (husband). DRAT! (another bucket list thing of mine) But Taylor River below the reservoir looks interesting.

Hi, it's Mike!! I have been fishing Colorado for quite some time now (I used to live in Golden). If you decide a float trip on the "Gunny" is too much, try the other side of Blue Mesa Reservoir!! The Taylor, the East , and the Lake Fork of the Gunnison Rivers are all quality fishing waters, mostly pocket water fishing, but quality none-the-less. There are a number of primitive camp grounds near all of them, the Taylor has several right on the river. Here's a link to a map of the area with good descriptions: http://coloradofishing.net/wtf_gunn.htm Tight lines, Mike

[jimsnarocks]

Hi Deb. We spent a month in southwestern CO last summer. We chose the village of Pagosa Springs. I fished the San Juan in town, east of town and south of town. Echo lake was a fun place for green perch, large mouth bass and rainbow trout. The Piedra river was a lovely fishery for Colorado cutthroat, brookies and rainbows. My favorite was William's creek and William's Creek Reservoir. There are campgrounds along the creek and at the reservoir. There are brookies, cutbows, rainbows and cutthroat and even Kokonee there. The elevation is rather high but by the time you get that far south you should be acclimated. Also the fire season should be behind you now as the monsoonal flow goes through there in July and brings some nice afternoon rain showers. The Animas river in the Durango area is another fine fishery. I think wherever you go in Colorado you will have a nice time. Jim