the traditional, smaller foam, dubbed or thread ant continues to be especially effective, even if not as versatile. Bring up the subject to serious anglers, however, and they will think of ice-out brookies or summer dry fly fishing at one of Colorado’s high country lakes. The region’s freestone streams and sagebrush lakes were a major contrast to the tailwaters I was used to fishing, so I made it my mission to learn how to fish the highly pressured Delaney Buttes lakes… Bear Creek Streamflows | ETU members had little doubt about the top two-thirds of the list. You voted on what should be the dozen flies any serious angler should have will dredge it deeper as an attractor. You can tie them in any color and size you want from a … Use these Colorado fishing tips Fly fishing on the Poudre River. Western Flies People often ask, "What flies do I need for fly fishing in Colorado?". seems to be a preference. Check out our top 3 fall flies to use in Colorado this year. The Mercury Midge has Colorado writ­ten all over it. Photo: AJ Schroetlin Worst fishing locations in Colorado. thought of it, I didn’t realize two of his own creations had been picked. Pick your color. It imitates everything and nothing. What is the Best Strike Indicator for Trout. I read a post about a new Fly Fishing company from Boulder, Colorado named Riversmith. Rubber legs add extra movement while the rabbit fur pulses even when not in motion. The 15 Best Carp Flies Flies The 15 Best … Mercury Midge. South Platte River. Even the Elk Hair Caddis, which serves as our adult Caddisfly, is being fished Few flies are as pretty with a soft cast to a rising fish. It’s not hard to catch fish in Betty Lake, which is why it’s one of Colorado’s best kept fly fishing secrets, but we put a list together of flies, sizes and colors you should bring to be safe. Frying Pan River. In this article, I’ll share the 15 best flies for trout. Sprawling south and west through Grand Mesa National Forest, the Grand Mesa Lakes are a diverse group of 300 finger lakes … Elk Hair Caddis. Newsletters | our members. Zebra Midge, sizes 18-24 “Without a doubt, one of the best flies for the winter is the zebra midge. The main thing, though, is that ETU mem­bers picked these flies because, Home | Although most trout flies transfer just fine from stream fish to lake fish, there are a few particular flies that work especially well on lakes. This post is going to deal with the 10 best flies for late fall /winter fishing on Colorado… With the seemingly endless mountains of the Rocky’s that provide waterflow to the productive waters on either side of the continental divide, the fishing … Slim, sparse damsel #10-14 nymphs in olive seem to work the best. CTU News | Parachute Adam (sizes 12-24): imitate most mayflies, and smaller sizes for midges. May and June, the two months when Colorado rivers generally run the highest, also happen to be the best time to fly fish in lakes around the state. So much for the wisdom of choosing flies for catching fish. When I asked around the Blue Quill at a fly tying session there a few weeks ago, Copper John. Flies | Volunteer | 5. mayfly nymph. more than anything else, they consistently catch fish. Based on a simple rabbit strip leech, the Meat Whistle has a few advantages. When I asked him what he Fish damsel fly nymphs deep with slow strips and twitches. In the cold tailwaters we find in many areas of Colorado, small midges are Finding the best trout flies isn’t always easy. an ear­lier stage pupa imitation and is normally fished deeper. This is a big fish fly and works great for bass and pike too. Donate | for the South Platte River and has watched it evolve into a fly used all over When the water turns cooler, the the majority of mayflies and caddisflies cease activity, which … 14 Best Places to Fly Fish in Colorado: MAPS INCLUDED. I prefer small Renegades in #18 and #20. They are super simple to tie and best of all they work. poll. Here is a list of some of our favorite fly patterns for fly fishing success in Colorado stillwaters: I probably use some variation of this pattern more than any other nymph pattern while fly fishing in Colorado lakes. The lake fishermen would have made a couple of Even if the fish are mostly feeding below surface, fly And, it’s no wonder Dorsey liked the list. It is Small sizes mimic ants and even midges while bigger versions suggest hoppers. in any stream, especially as a dropper. This spring runoff season, try some of Colorado’s great stillwater fisheries. Fish it as a dropper off your favorite big dry fly on the list if you simply can’t stand to be totally under water. that Pat Dorsey, the man known as perhaps the top guide in the state, says you Photos | We had a tie at the bottom of the list and I wasn’t about to conduct a runoff vote. Projects | This fly is a great pattern that works well for spookier fish sipping small midges. I’ve come to expect large fish in … Why wouldn’t you catch more fish on it if you’re not fishing any other fly?”. Other nymphs in your fly box should include Chironimids (large midges), scuds and worms. A few other dry flies to keep handy are big Damsel dries, Foam Ants, and Griffith’s Gnats. the main food source for the trout, so flies such as the Mercury Midge and Black Beauty are fished small, as in sizes 18 to 22. Do the fish care? It can even serve as that stonefly or caddis nymph, which didn’t specifically make our list. North Delaney Butte Lake. He should have loved it. Suggests one of the other guides listen­ing in on our conversation: Mini Leech… Any time I’ve seen The next fly on our list is another Dorsey creation: the Black Beauty. Animas River. The north face snowmelt from the San Juan Mountains descends into Lake … 2. When it comes to dry flies, I can say, without hesitation, that I’ve caught more Colorado mountain... 2. These streamers are hands down my favorite lake searching fly. The worm is just a worm, and it works. Contact | Top Fly Patterns for Betty Lake. It also has gone from just the basic pattern shown here to blacks and reds and other colors, but all with the silver-lined bead. The best fishing is in the upper 3-mile special-regulations area between Strontia Springs Dam and 300 yards above Marston Diversion. For more info on fly fishing Colorado lakes and choosing the best stillwater fly patterns, visit the Vail Valley Anglers fly shop in Edwards, Colorado. said he still finds that a lot of fly fishermen “just don’t consider it a fly.” Your “Must Have” Flies for Fishing Colorado Streams. could take anywhere in the West and catch fish. in his fly box if start­ing out to fish Colorado’s world-famous trout streams…. pattern to get the fly down in the water column more quickly. … 3. Hatches are strong, weed growth has begun but isn’t enough to hamper the fishing and water temperatures are ideal. Start at #16 and go up to #6. 1. Stillwater trout seem to have a penchant for red and the Copper John is solid lake pattern, especially when trout are suspended deep. Rubberleg Stimulator. They are a great start to any fly box. Membership | by Larry Kingrey down in Canon City. Design by: the first response I got from almost everyone was “an egg.” The guys also had some ideas about why one wasn’t on the list. Well, in this article, I am going to cover five of the best … For lakes try olive and white or brown and white in #2-6. The lower Colorado River flowing west from Glenwood Springs to the Town of Rifle stays ice-free during winter months, and is one of my favorite winter fly fishing destination. Your bobber is under the water. One of the lesser known fly fishing destinations in Colorado, the Uncompahgre River can be found in the Ridgway State Park about four miles outside of Ridgway, Colorado.. the black or the olive Woolly Bugger, which imi­tates either a minnow or a leech, As for an ant, currently the Amy’s Ant is hot as a multi-purpose foam ant, but Roger Bittell, a long-time guide who helped popularize the egg in Colorado, But where can you catch Kokanee Salmon in Colorado? Spring runoff has begun in the Colorado high country and anglers looking to put a bend in their rods would be wise to look towards many of the stillwater options that provide excellent fly fishing for large trout. Pat Dorsey created it Dorsey says the main thing with choosing a fly is to pick something you believe will catch fish. 2. More recently, it has been the Black Beauty. Schroeder's Parachute Hopper floats well, and still has one of the most realistic profiles of a natural hopper I've seen. pattern is definitely popular, especially in the riffles, along with a bead head For example, https://blog.vailvalleyanglers.com/best-colorado-lake-flies-for-trout pattern. Your lake streamer selection should also include small #8-12 beadhead buggers. members expressed preferences for certain variet­ies of these flies. high on most lists. ... An out … #14 and #16 are good choices. Stimulator. the top. Late fall into early winter provides those who know some of the best Fly fishing of the year. On stillwaters it floats well but has a subtle profile. Best Fly Fishing Flies For Colorado in 2021 Colorado Anglers Z797 Wooden Fly Tying Standard Tool Kit, Fly Fishing Vise, Bobbin, Threader, Bodkin, Dubbing Twister, Hackle Pliers, Scissors, Whip Finisher Blue Wing Olive. There’s also a simpler, flat-foam body version popular on the Arkansas River around Salida. normally is fished just below the surface. #2 thru #6 will cover your needs. Anglers lookin… In all sizes and all colors, this fly gets the job done and has probably hooked more species of fish, in lakes, rivers and oceans than any other fly pattern. The good news is, no matter where you plan to hike, visit, or go camping in Colorado , there’s likely prime fishing … Try #2 or brown Meat Whistles in crayfish lakes or the chartreuse version in low light or murky water. because of the number of midges chosen. Combining the best attributes of the Mohair Leech with Conehead Wooly Buggers, the Bite-Me Bugger is a proven trophy trout fly. The Mercury Midge imitates a midge pupa just before emerging as an adult and The pattern shown here is a standard PT, though the flashback You can fish the RS II to simulate pretty much any emerging mayfly nymph, but mainly a Carry them in #12-18. The […], Fly Rescue 101 Poof! Baetis. Colorado is blessed with much milder weather then our nieghbors to the north to go along with the incredible diversity of fisheries. Colorado is one of the world’s most legendary fly fishing destinations, with hundreds of miles of pristine waterways, spectacular scenery, species that are native only to Colorado… Fish the copper john under an indicator in choppy water and let the wind and waves impart natural movement into your presentation. It is also a buoyant pattern that suspends nymphs well. Links, ©2000-2020 Evergreen Trout Unlimited. Landon Mayer is a Colorado trout guide, a frequent Fly Fisherman contributor, and the author of 101 Trout Tips: A Guide's Secrets, Tactics, and Techniques and many other books. It does start to … As we went through the nomination and voting process, several of our Overall, people in the know really liked the selections. The soft-hackle gives it plenty of action while the bead helps the fly sink with a jig-like movement. For instance, you have to bring your hat, sunglasses, fishing gear, fly fishing t-shirt, a pair of nylon pants, and wading boots if you go fishing during summer. And, it can be fished year round; just watch for a hatch coming off the water. The top ten flies on anyone's Colorado list should always include a hopper. He calls it your “confidence fly.” Don’t know why, but you will just catch more fish on that one fly, he says. …and what you came up with was not just a dozen, but a “baker’s dozen” flies except that he used the web of a saddle hackle feather for the wing rather than antron, In recent years, Bob Churchill’s sparkle wing RS II has become a favorite of many of South Platte Dream Stream Photo Credit David Knapp. September marks one of the most exciting times for anglers in Colorado — the Kokanee Salmon run. the West. Parachute Adams. Try the Eagle River around the town of Gypsum or try a sneak attack on the hot springs area of the Colorado River just upstream from Glenwood Springs where you’ll find warm water and the possibility of rising fish from late morning through late afternoon. The Parachute Adams is a good all-around adult mayfly It is so good, in fact, that it was the No. It is Brody Henderson, Guide and Content Writer, Fly Fishing Freestone Rivers There are different types of trout streams that fly fisherman wade and float in pursuit of trout from […], Things started on a Monday evening. Besides, who wants to go fishing without either a San Juan Worm or a Prince Nymph? RS II. Also highly regarded is an orange or yellow Stimulator to serve as a stonefly, a big caddis or even a hopper. This variation of the popular Parachute Adams works very well to imitate a number of lake hatches and is a great general searching pattern. They were size and how it is fished. After all, we limited ourselves to About | This pattern shines as a general searching pattern. The RS II pictured here is closer to the original as tied by Rim Chung, We figured people would choose a range of sizes and colors for each. 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