Located in Sortheast Pitkin County in West-Central Colorado, the Fryingpan River runs from Basalt, through the Ruedi Reservoir to its headwaters in the Sawatch Mountains. It is probably one of the world’s most famous fly fishing rivers thanks to author John Gierach, who lives in Colorado and has written numerous books on his fly fishing adventures. The Fryingpan lives up to the hype by providing excellent dry-fly fishing and large fish nourished by the river’s abundant mysis shrimp.
Located about 10 miles west of Walden (as the crow flies), the three lakes at Delaney Buttes are all excellent fishing. All of them are great fish-growing lakes, where fish get big very quickly. The north lake particularly is known as one of the best trophy lakes in Colorado.
The South Platte begins in Denver and flows out toward the northeastern part of the state. It’s probably the most famous trout stream to be located near a metropolitan area. This makes it easy for fishermen to access, a great place to spend your weekend, especially if you’re a fly fisherman.
Located is in northwestern Colorado, the Yampa River flows from Steamboat Springs to Dinosaur National Monument. It’s one of the best places to fish for rainbow trout in the state. In addition, there are many nearby ponds for fishing…and who can complain about being in Steamboat?
Located four miles west of Gunnison, Blue Mesa’s first claim to fame is that it is the largest body of water in Colorado. It is also the largest trout lake and kokanee salmon fishery in the U.S. It’s a great place to go trout fishing for the whole family, and its immense size means lots of places to explore on the side.
Stretching from Rocky Mountain National Park to Greeley, the Big Thompson River flows through Estes Park and a spectacular canyon. Amazing scenery isn’t all it offers, though. It contains five species of trout and is a great river for fishing them not only in the National Park but also all down the Big Thompson Canyon.
Near Horsetooth and actually flowing through Fort Collins, the Poudre River is one of the last undammed freestone rivers (meaning it has medium-to-fast-moving water) in the U.S. This makes it an opportunity for fly fishing especially since no vegetation obscures the bottom. A great place to catch brown trout and rainbow trout, it also offers camping in its reaches above Fort Collins and is an excellent family destination.
Located just west of Fort Collins, Horsetooth Reservoir offers 6.5 miles of water surrounded by nearly 2,000 acres of public lands. It’s an excellent small-mouth bass and trout fishery and also offers hybrid striped bass, otherwise known as wipers. A great place for camping and boating, it has many nearby trails.
Located in the San Luis Valley and running from Hinsdale County, past Alamosa, and down to the border of New Mexico, the Rio Grande is one of the most famous rivers in America (mostly for forming the border with Mexico along its southernmost reaches). Yet it has not garnered much attention for fishing, which is all to the advantage of anglers in the know. It’s isolated and doesn’t get a lot of pressure from other fishermen, but still offers good fishing. It’s a great destination in Southern Colorado and the only place where you can catch Rio Grande cutthroat trout.
Located just a few miles west of Pueblo on the Arkansas River, the Pueblo Reservoir (otherwise known as Lake Pueblo) provides more than 4,600 acres of water and 60 miles of shoreline for fishing. It is one of the best bass fisheries in the state, especially for large-mouth bass. It’s a hotspot for tournament fishing that also provides a wide variety of family activities and excellent camping in the state park that surrounds it.
