What a summer it has been on the water in Colorado! We cannot believe it is already half way through August. This season has been the busiest we have seen for guided fly fishing trips. A major thank you to all of our guests who have fished with us and made the season a success so far! And an extra big thank you to our repeat guests, the best compliment you can give a fishing guide is to come back and fish with us again!
A highlight of every summer is the Green Drake Hatch at the amazing Rolling J Ranch. This year we had a lot of late snow in late May which caused everything to be pushed back slightly. The above average snowpack has also lead to some better late season flows on the property as well. Both the Arkansas River and the Lake Fork of the Arkansas fished great. They offered up a few giant trout, some of which were even landed on dry flies! This stretch will continue to fish amazing throughout the fall if you want to go chase a giant trout!
North Fork of the South Platte Fishing Report
The North Fork has had some volatile flows to start this year. With all the late snow, Denver Water did not need to supplement water to the Front Range so they did not open up Roberts Tunnel until mid July. The snowpack released much later than normal but once the natural flows started to melt, we were able to fish some of our incredible private water leases on this great river close to Denver!
We are lucky to have the most access to these private water fisheries less than an hour from Denver. Shawnee Meadows, Rawhide Ranch, and our exclusive property, Silver Tip Ranch, all have been fishing great. We are still waiting for word from Denver Water on how long they plan to keep Roberts Tunnel open, but with the warm, dry conditions in Denver, we anticipate the North Fork of the South Platte will remain open and fishing great throughout October! These are some of the most exclusive private water fly fishing properties in the state. They do still have fall openings if you want to get out and do some trout fishing, just let us know! Family fishing outings and corporate group events are perfect for these properties.
Abell River Ranch Fly Fishing
The extra snow this year has led to some amazing conditions at Abell River Ranch. This property on the South Platte River near Lake George is a dry fly fishermen’s paradise. The big flows out of 11 Mile Reservoir helped flush out a bunch of sediment on this stretch and the fish are now happy and looking up! Tricos and hoppers are the name of the game at Abell Ranch right now. Plenty of openings remain if you want to fish Abell!
South Platte Headwaters
When August comes around and the water in some fisheries starts to warm up, we love to head to the high country! The South Platte is one of the best trout streams in the country. While it gets most of its recognition from its tailwaters like Cheesman Canyon or the Dream Stream, the headwaters of this famous stretch should not be over looked! Large brown trout tend to appear this time of year and they will even take dry flies! Check out this beast caught on a guided fly fishing trip just a couple days ago!
At Colorado Trout Hunters, we take great pride in offering a range of guided fly fishing experiences. From public water to private water, let us know your fishing goals and we will customize a trip to meet them!
(303) 325-5515
