Fly Fishing Colorado Trout Fishing Guides

The best gear for your Colorado River fishing adventure...

For those of you who are new to our quiet sport, you need not have any of your own equipment. All you have to do is show up.

I will provide everything you need. If you're hell bent on getting into fly fishing and you're the kind of person who wants to have all the gear, I suggest you wait to buy anything until you've had a good introduction to the game. Then I can help you pick the right gear that's appropriate to the kind of fishing you anticipate doing and commensurate with your level of ability. I've sold all kinds of tackle to people who fish all over the world. I can definitely help you find the right gear.

If you have experience and are bringing your own gear, the tackle which is best suited to our fishing situations is as follows:

ROARING FORK

4, 5, and 6 weight rods for dry fly and nymph fishing and a 7 weight for streamer fishing. A good 5 weight will cover most applications, but keep in mind how variable those applications can be. It can be tough to cast large terrestrials and bigger dry flies with a 4 weight. Similarly, a six weight can be too much gun for casting #22 dry flies and too stiff to protect light tippets. Bring your best all around tackle, bring all of it, or let me fill in the gaps.

COLORADO RIVER

Again, 4, 5, 6, and 7 weight rods are appropriate. However a good medium to fast action 6 weight will be a better all around rod. The Colorado is bigger water with bigger wind and it most often requires heavier tackle. A 7 weight with a fast sinking tip line is best suited to the streamer fishing on both The Roaring Fork and The Colorado.

FLIES

Call me before you go to your local fly shop and buy a bunch of flies, or before you sit down at your bench and tie them. I encourage you to give your local shop the business. In fact it's critical that you do if you want your local fly shop to survive. I just don't want you to waste your time or money on flies or tackle that will have no application. By all means bring the flies you already have. They take up very little space and I'm always curious to see what other people are doing to fool fish. Let's just talk before you go and spend $500 dollars on flies
that won't work.

WHAT TO WEAR

The weather is extremely variable in the mountains and abrupt changes are not at all uncommon. What starts out as a blue bird day with sunny skies and warm or even hot temperatures can easily turn foul with wind, rain or snow depending on the month of the year.

During the summer months (June, July and August) it's best to be prepared for inclement weather with good raingear, including head gear, and extra layers.

Goretex is the garment of choice for both your wading gear and rain gear. Usually the weather during the summer months as well as September is conducive to wet wading, meaning waders are not necessary. Good sandals and shorts is what I usually wear. By sandals I don't mean flip flops. Tevas or something similar that strap to your feet are best. Many people prefer to actually wear wading boots which is fine with an extra pair of socks or two to take up exra space in the boot that would otherwise be taken up with the stocking feet of your waders.

For those of you without wading gear or rain gear, remember, you need not have any gear of your own: I will provide everything. If your skin is sensitive to the sun wear light weight clothing that will protect you yet keep you relatively cool. Polarized sunglasses and a hat with a brim (including ball caps) are crucial. For early spring and late fall we need to be prepared for colder air and water temperatures as well as snow or cold rain. Waders are a must and good fleece layers to go under everything including your upper and lower body. Fingerless gloves also come in handy. I do my best to be prepared to take care of anyone who doesn't have all these accessories, but sometimes there are holes in my inventory due to wear and tear. Usually if you can come with a bare minimum, I can take care of the rest.

THE GENERAL RULE

Bring the necessary essentials. Don't bring three changes of clothes and everything your local fly shop has sold you in the last ten years. Less truly is more where fly fishing is concerned. Let's preserve its simplicity, its intimacy and the connection it allows us with the natural order of things.