Rmnp

[kingston]

Heading to Grand Lake for a week in mid July with the family. Would love some info on flyfishing in the Park and area. Looking for short/moderate hikes for creek/lake fishing.

Thanks

 

[mcnerney]

kingston: Welcome to the forum! for RMNP lake information, I would suggest sending a PM to member yatahey (Bob), he has done a number of hikes in the park and can point you to some good areas to visit.
A couple years ago he hiked into Arrowhead lake, but not sure if I would call that a "moderate" hike.

Larry

 

[countr21]

Sorry, but all good high lakes on the west side of the divide require long day hikes (5+ miles one way). But not to fret because there are dandy little creeks in the area. There is some scenic meadow fishing for brookies in Big Meadows on the Tonahutu Creek. The brookies here will gobble any small attractor dry fly you throw at em, namely royal wulffs and humpys. Big Meadows are easily reached from the Green Mountain trailhead. The Colorado River at the Timber Lake trailhead is a fun place to explore. I've never fished it hard and came up empty when I have stopped to wet a line, but I've seen plenty of trout in the ponds that encompass the area. I once spent an afternoon fighting the dense timber on Onahu Creek above the Onahu Creek trailhead. I caught a handful of small brookies on caddis emergers. There is also fun fishing below Monarch Lake on the connecting stream to Lake Granby south of the park.

My favorite fishing in the Park is its many exquisite high lakes. If you feel up to a ten mile day hike, Timber Lake is a gem. It's five miles one way with some decent elevation gain but the trail is in great shape and it's a gentle, steady climb. It is loaded with Colorado Cutts.

 

[kingston]

Thanks for the replies!! How about some suggestions on guide books / reading material / maps for fishing the park?

 

[vanish]

For an easy hike to a beautiful location for some brookie fishing in the park, head to east inlet.

You can hike for miles, but there are fish the whole way, and five lakes. Nothing big mind you, but a gorgeous place! The waterfall is great, too.

I'd keep this place to myself, but there's more fish here than sustainable, in my opinion.

 

[shortyb]

Looks like a nice place to hunt brookies to me vanish. I would love that little creek, untill that moose come to run me off (scared of moose).

 

[pl4a]

I would second the vote for East Inlet trail. Once you get past Adams falls (only 0.3 mi in) you can be practically by yourself. Bring bug spray b/c the mostquitos are awful past the falls. No need for waders in my experience.

The other place is Colorado River coming out of Shadow Mountain Reservoir (don't know the name of the dam). Lots of browns and rainbows in there. Waders are very helpful there.

A good book is [ame="http://www.amazon.com/Fishing-Guide-Rocky-Mountain-National/dp/0984412301/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1335820595&sr=8-2-fkmr0"]Amazon.com: A Fly Fishing Guide To Rocky Mountain National Park (9780984412303): Steven B. Schweitzer: Books@@AMEPARAM@@http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/518q7Gjd6KL.@@AMEPARAM@@518q7Gjd6KL[/ame].

-Paul

 

[countr21]

As for maps, the National Geographic Trails Illustrated topo map of RMNP is fantastic. It's map #200 in the Trails Illustrated series. It's available at Amazon or at any outdoor/fishing store around Grand Lake. The TI maps are detailed, durable, waterproof, and fairly cheap ($7-12).

REI's website has a great preview feature of the map:

Trails Illustrated Rocky Mountain National Park Trail Map at REI.com

 

[fishnskiguy]

In case it wasn't made clear, "East Inlet" is the eastern inlet to Grand Lake. Follow the road to the eastern side of the lake and there it is.

Chris