If you are just getting into fly fishing, it’s important to find the right spot to fish. Otherwise, you might spend more of your time getting frustrated by your lack of catching anything. There are a few tips to help you find great fly fishing near you based on where you live and what you want to catch. Plus, we have some of our top picks in Colorado.
Ask Fly Fishing Stores
There are always fly fishing stores near parks and public bodies of water. Find out from the locals where they recommend going fly fishing. The spots might vary based on whether you’re trying to hook a trout versus salmon, carp, redfish, or even striped bass. You might also want to find out if they recommend any particular flies based on what you’re going after.
Use Guide Services
Fly fishing guides know the terrain better than anyone and are likely to know great fly fishing spots near you. Various tours may be available, allowing you to go out with a professional who will show you some of the best spots. The other benefit is that you can learn some new techniques. If your casting needs some work, you can have a professional show you some of the best ways to get the lure into the water. Many people find that they need some additional guidance when getting started. From there, it takes a lifetime to master, which is half the fun.
Guides are commonly found in national parks as well as other areas. Consider the area you’re planning on visiting, and then find a guide who will take a small group out to the water.
Explore Fly Fishing Apps
There are some great apps that you can download to your smartphone to help you find fly fishing areas near you.
Rifflr: Rifflr provides you with the most up to date, accurate, and detailed fishing condition information. All reports that we track are written by fly shops or guide services who are experts on their respective waters. Just select your state and start searching and adding your favorite rivers to your dashboard.
Fishidy: This is a free app that uses GPS. There is a database of over 17,000 bodies of water. Plus, you can take photos of fish that you catch and post to show others what to expect at the location.
Isolunar: This app costs $4.99, but it is well worth the cost. It talks about the fish activity and feeding times while also telling you about the weather forecasts.
Fishbrain: This app is free and will keep you updated with lots of fishing intel, the ability to track your catches and connect with other anglers. Premium version is available.
Blue-Lining: It’s where you pull out a regular map find a creek, river or lake and give it a shot. A great way to explore new places to fish.
Review Fishing Maps
You will also want to look at some of the different fishing maps that are available for the area you’re visiting. For example, there are Colorado fishing maps that will show you the different lakes, rivers, and reservoirs as well as what kind of fish you can expect to find.
Some maps are more regularly updated than others. You will want to find out when it was last updated to ensure that you’re using relevant information.
Our Top Colorado Picks
Colorado is known for having some of the best trout streams in the United States. We absolutely love the fly-fishing opportunities that are available around the state, and we have a few rivers we’d like to recommend:
Gunnison River: Visit within the Gunnison National Park or around Cimarron, just past the Crystal Dam. You’ll find trophy browns as well as Kokanee salmon.
South Platte River: Visit the South Platte river to find brown, rainbow, and cutthroat trout and even carp and other species of fish.
Arkansas River: Visit anywhere from Leadville to above the Royal Gorge to enjoy the Gold Medal water to grab some of the trout. Midday is the best time due to the high water.
No matter what sources you use to find fly fishing near you, it’s a good idea to try out a few spots. This way, you can let your own personal experience guide you towards the best spot for you to fly fish in the future.
