Summer in the Mountains: 10 Fly Fishing Rivers in Colorado
Fed with from snow high atop the Continental Divide, Colorado’s rivers develop into some of the country’s best trout streams. The water flowing east, eventually to the Atlantic Ocean, crosses the more arid slopes and short grass prairies, while the water flowing west meanders through the greener terrain of the Western Slope, before it (hopefully) reaches the Pacific Ocean. Each winding path of Rocky Mountain water provides its own outstanding fly-fishing experience, so narrowing down these rivers to only ten is an impossible task. But the ten on our list are guaranteed to provide some of the best fly fishing of your life and most include Gold Medal Stream sections, as designated by the state of Colorado.
SOUTH PLATTE RIVER
One of the most popular fly fishing rivers in Colorado (for good reason) is the South Platte River. With its Gold Medal status and proximity to Denver, it’s an easy choice for locals and visitors flying into Denver. In a little more than an hour after picking up your rental car at Denver International Airport, you can be casting to rising rainbow, brown, and cutthroat trout on the North Fork of the South Platte. The 3.8 miles below Spinney Reservoir and above Elevenmile Reservoir is home to the Dream Stream section of the South Platte.
While Spinney creates an ideal tailwater fishery downstream with dependable cold water, Elevenmile allows for trout to grow to trophy size before moving upstream for their spring and fall spawning runs. Both banks of the Dream Stream section are open to the public. Combine that with its proximity to Denver and Colorado Springs, and you’ll end up having a few neighbors every time you fish this section. However it is well worth the trip, whether it’s your first time ever, or fifth time this week.
GUNNISON RIVER
The Gunnison River flows west from its tributaries along the Continental Divide, before joining the Colorado River in Grand Junction. The Gold Medal section of the Gunnison stretches between Crystal Dam, just outside of Cimarron, and the confluence of the North Fork of the Gunnison River, about 15 miles east of Delta, CO.
The Gold Medal water includes Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, full of thousand-foot walls, crags, spires, and fast-moving water — through the canyon the river makes the fifth steepest mountain descent of any river in North America. The steep walls make wading access through this section of river difficult to impossible. Combined with the fast-moving water, it’s recommended you fish the Black Canyon section with an experienced guide or outfitter. The difficult access keeps the fishing pressure down, and the pristine water produces trophy browns and ‘bows. If you’re in search of salmon, you’ll find a Kokanee salmon run in the late summer into fall in the upper Gunnison River above Blue Mesa Reservoir.
BLUE RIVER
The Blue River offers more outstanding tailwater fishing on the western side of the Divide. From Denver, head west on I-70, through the Eisenhower Tunnel and down into Silverthorne. While the Blue lost its Gold Medal designation in 2016, Colorado Parks and Wildlife redesignated the Silverthorne section of the Blue as a Gold Medal Stream for 2017. The loss of Gold Medal status put a spotlight on the management of the Blue, resulting in better strategies to help boost already impressive trout populations. Below Lake Dillon, the Blue flows north through the city of Silverthorne, providing a contrast of trophy trout fishing and tourist-packed outlet malls — a scene only possible in Colorado. Because of this section’s easy access, the trout see a lot of pressure, but you can still expect to enjoy a productive day with the potential for a 20” fish on any drift.
ANIMAS RIVER
Most anglers took note of the 2015 mining waste spill in the Animas River, north of Durango, and wondered if this Gold Medal river was lost forever. The good news is the fishing “remains strong” almost two years after the disaster, and the Lightner Creek to Rivera Crossing bridge section, immediately downstream of downtown Durango, continues to produce world-class trout fishing. A past state-record-holding 20-pound brown trout was pulled from the Animas in the 1950s and big trout continue to grow large on the plentiful invertebrates in one of the last free-flowing rivers in Colorado.
ARKANSAS RIVER
A big river calls for a big Gold Medal stream designation. The Arkansas stretches 1,469 miles from Leadville, CO to the Mississippi River, dropping more than 9,000 feet in elevation. About a third of its river miles flow through Colorado, and 102 of those miles (from Leadville to above the Royal Gorge) are designated as Gold Medal water. Through this section, the Arkansas cascades and tumbles, holding trout in deep pockets, and crystal clear runs. Because of the geography, the Arkansas is popular for whitewater rafters and kayakers, so in the high water of spring and early summer (the Arkansas trout fishery is not a tailwater), you may have to fish around the “kayak hatch” midday. High water calls for streamers and nymphs, but as the summer progresses, dry dropper combinations are incredibly productive.