Whether you are a visitor to Denver or a resident of the Mile High City, you can enjoy many world class fly fishing waters on just one tank of gas. If you are ready to meet the challenges of catching trophy fish, check in with the professional fly fishing guides at Minturn Anglers in Denver for tips on where to go on any given day.
The South Platte River
Skip the fishing in downtown Denver to explore the many trophy and Gold Medal fly fishing opportunities of the South Platte as it meanders through meadows and roars through majestic canyons:
- The Tomahawk
Actually the Middle Fork of the South Platte, the Tomahawk section is medium sized, flowing through miles of meadows before joining the South Fork and emptying into Spinney Reservoir. This summer and fall fishery boasts brown trout in the 6-12 inch range.
- Hartsel
Hartsel is just a short drive from Denver at the intersections of Highways 9 and 24, surrounded by peaceful South Park plains and views of the Pikes Peaks Ranges. The tailwaters, thermal springs and seeps of this Gold Medal Stream offer plentiful brown trout, cutthroats, brook trout and rainbow trout in all seasons.
The Dream Stream section wanders through lush meadows tucked between snow-capped mountains. Its superb trout habitat includes runs, riffles, gravel bars, undercut banks and shelves. Anglers can expect to catch 16-20 inch browns, rainbows and cutthroats here in this accessible year round fishery.
- Cheesman Canyon/Deckers
Little more than an hour from Denver, Cheesman Canyon is one of the prettiest places in the Rockies for fly fishing. Even though the scenery is worth the gas, the real attraction of this tailwater fishery is an abundance of rainbow and browns.
- Clear Creek/Deckers
The many crystal pools of Clear Creek are accessible and productive when you are overwhelmed by the urge to hunt for browns.
- Bear Creek
Bear Creek is a popular location near Metro Denver, especially for those with only a few hours to drop a line. A good choice for year round fishing, the river rarely freezes over for long periods. The most popular site is the “Lair of the Bear”, so explore a bit to find areas less populated with anglers.
- Badger Basin
The 22 mile Badger Basin section of the South Platte South Platte offers great wild brown trout action. This stream is great for walking. Expect super dry fly action here.
The Blue River
The Blue River starts on the upper reaches of Hoosier Pass, and flows north through Breckenridge and Silverthorne on its way to the Colorado River. During its journeys, the Blue fills two reservoirs and offers a variety of fishing environments.
Expect extremely productive trout fishing near Breckenridge, where you can wade the banks or fish the water itself. Trout over 24 inches are seen frequently in the Blue River below the Dillon Reservoir which holds a Gold Medal designation.
Look for browns and rainbows 20 inches and more on this 77 mile long river and some of the best walk and wade fishing in Colorado. The lower Eagle offers good public access, but is more heavily fished. The upper Eagle drops some 2,400 feet in its first 30 miles, and offers faster water pocket fishing.
The Colorado is a super river to raft, and it also offers wade access areas with success virtually assured. Try your hand in Gore Canyon, at Radium, or the Pumphouse. Two other productive wade areas on the Colorado are the bridge at Ranch Del Rio, as well as upstream from the State Bridge. These waters are relatively mild and easy to read.
Book a fly fishing excursion with Minturn Anglers in Denver to access private waters around Denver. Minturn Anglers has exclusive fishing access to ranches and fishing leases to many locations around Denver. No matter what you may be looking for, Minturn Anglers can provide you with the just right water.