Favorite Trout Streams
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Fish Bones
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Most people that know me very well know that I love small mountain stream fishing. My favorite destination is the Durango area. There are several great small streams that include Bear Creek, Hermosa Creek, Fish Creek, Cunningham Creek and Lime Creek. These streams are loaded with trout that include bows, brooks, browns and cutts. This is also dry fly fishing at its best. Some bigger water is also available because the Animas River flows through Durango and the San Juan River in New Mexico is only a one hour drive. So you can get in some high mountain stream fishing and big river fishing from the same place.
Steve
Steve
BigCliff
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I am a fan of the small streams too, but that's not quite my favorite. I love the spots where creeks and rivers snake through meadows in high altitude valleys. My favorite example of this is the South Platte above and within the "Dream Stream" area near Spinney Reservoir and the village of Hartsel. The wind can be challenging, but I just love 'em!
For those not familiar with the "Dream Stream", its a 3.8 mile section of the South Platte in between two reservoirs. This section of river is only an hour drive west of Colorado Springs and is amazing! I would even take a pay cut to get transferred there.
Here's some info on it: http://www.coloradofishing.net/ft_dream.htm
For those not familiar with the "Dream Stream", its a 3.8 mile section of the South Platte in between two reservoirs. This section of river is only an hour drive west of Colorado Springs and is amazing! I would even take a pay cut to get transferred there.
Here's some info on it: http://www.coloradofishing.net/ft_dream.htm
Cliff Hilbert
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The White and Norfolk Rivers in Northern Arkansas.
jackhammer
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BigCliff
Do you need a guide to fish the Dream Stream? Is it pretty easy to fish? Is there public water? Looks like a great place.
Jack
Do you need a guide to fish the Dream Stream? Is it pretty easy to fish? Is there public water? Looks like a great place.
Jack
BigCliff
Well-known member
guide? no. public? all or most, plenty anyway. easy? hmm
Figuring out what fly will catch fish can be a challenge. I'd say you're safe if its size sixteen and green, beyond that is up to you.
You'll need to learn the "fishing casts" and be able to get good drifts. Those casts would be the bounce, tuck, reach, and the curves. I can throw them, but am not much on teaching them. I'll create a post in the casting section and have Doug give us a lesson.
I'd take a 9' 4 or 5 wt and expect to need 10+ foot leaders ending in 5x or 6x. Oh yeah, leave the big neon pink indicators at home. Those fish are too smart for that. A high floating dry will work much better.
Figuring out what fly will catch fish can be a challenge. I'd say you're safe if its size sixteen and green, beyond that is up to you.
You'll need to learn the "fishing casts" and be able to get good drifts. Those casts would be the bounce, tuck, reach, and the curves. I can throw them, but am not much on teaching them. I'll create a post in the casting section and have Doug give us a lesson.
I'd take a 9' 4 or 5 wt and expect to need 10+ foot leaders ending in 5x or 6x. Oh yeah, leave the big neon pink indicators at home. Those fish are too smart for that. A high floating dry will work much better.
chocolatelabs
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Creel,
Since you fish the durango area, have you fished vallecito creek or any of the small streams in the weiminuche wilderness area. I am thinking of a trip up there to fish these streams, and emerald lake.
David
Since you fish the durango area, have you fished vallecito creek or any of the small streams in the weiminuche wilderness area. I am thinking of a trip up there to fish these streams, and emerald lake.
David
Fish Bones
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David:
The only stream that I've fished in the Vallecito area is the Florida River. I've not yet fished any streams in the Weiminuche Wilderness... they're still on my short list. I mostly fish the streams in the San Juan National Forest west of that area.
I've heard that fishing is great in the wilderness area and I imagine that it’s true. I'm sure that during late summer, dry attractor flies will be in order. Royal Wullf, Stimulator, Elk Hair Caddis, Adams, etc in size 14 and 16 will be very productive. This is dry fly fishing at its best. Take a few large weighted Stonefly nymphs. You'll occasionally hit a pool that so deep the big trout will not come up for a dry. After I cast the dry a time or two, I've drug a huge nymph deep in those pools and caught some really big fish.
Now... when are you going? I got a report this morning that the snow fall is 180 to 225% of normal. This means that runoff may last into early July. So for the best dry fly fishing conditions I would try to not plan a trip before mid July of you're going this year.
I hope this helps.
Steve
The only stream that I've fished in the Vallecito area is the Florida River. I've not yet fished any streams in the Weiminuche Wilderness... they're still on my short list. I mostly fish the streams in the San Juan National Forest west of that area.
I've heard that fishing is great in the wilderness area and I imagine that it’s true. I'm sure that during late summer, dry attractor flies will be in order. Royal Wullf, Stimulator, Elk Hair Caddis, Adams, etc in size 14 and 16 will be very productive. This is dry fly fishing at its best. Take a few large weighted Stonefly nymphs. You'll occasionally hit a pool that so deep the big trout will not come up for a dry. After I cast the dry a time or two, I've drug a huge nymph deep in those pools and caught some really big fish.
Now... when are you going? I got a report this morning that the snow fall is 180 to 225% of normal. This means that runoff may last into early July. So for the best dry fly fishing conditions I would try to not plan a trip before mid July of you're going this year.
I hope this helps.
Steve
my favorite tailwater is the swift river in belchertown, MA
giant brookies(up to 4 pounds) during the hex hatch? sturbiden pond in ME
from the kayak or tube would be the Alagash in ME followed by a small section of the androscoggin also in ME.
in the west I used to fish the yampa alot but its kinda warm mid summer so the fish are a bit sluggish, I am told upstream of where I lived stayed a bit colder and there are many great small streams in the Steamboat springs area.
giant brookies(up to 4 pounds) during the hex hatch? sturbiden pond in ME
from the kayak or tube would be the Alagash in ME followed by a small section of the androscoggin also in ME.
in the west I used to fish the yampa alot but its kinda warm mid summer so the fish are a bit sluggish, I am told upstream of where I lived stayed a bit colder and there are many great small streams in the Steamboat springs area.
I love all types of moving water. Not much of a stillwater guy. I must say though that I especially love a small spring creek or meadow stream. Nothing finer, IMO, then that flash from the depths of a deep hole caused by the rise of a wild brook trout.
MAN I HATE WINTER!
MAN I HATE WINTER!
troutmagnet
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I have fished most of Central USA and Alaska. Some of my favorites are: East Fork or the Sevier River-Utah, Spearfish South Dakota, Taneycomo - Missouri, Waterloo Creek - Iowa, Cimarron River - NM, Abrams Creek - Smoky Mountains, Chattahoochee tailwater - Georgia, White River - Arkansas, South Platte ands Fall Creek - Colorado.
greenriverflyfisher
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The C section of the Green River below Flaming Gorge Dam. No better place to catch footballs on dry flies. Plus, I've only caught fish that fight this hard in Patagonia. #2 has to be the Cacique Blanco in Patagonia.
