Quick Trip Denver - help please

[delineate]

I have a last minute business trip planned to Denver later this week. I'll be free at 3pm Friday, where the best place to quickly get in the water?

My meeting is near Littleton and I'll have a car. I am willing to go anywhere, but would like to get a couple of hours in on Friday evening.

Was thinking about heading to Blue at the outlet mall.. how long would it take me to get there?

Otherwise, I'm open to suggestions...

Thanks.

 

[mridenour]

Welcome to the forum. Good luck on your trip. Try some of the local fly shops. They'll get you started.

 

[delineate]

thanks mridenour.

I'll do that, just wanted to see if I could get some suggestions on which way to point the car.

There is so much to choose from, it's almost overwhelming (nice problem to have).

 

[mcnerney]

From Littleton, if you went south on 85 to 470 then around the west side of Denver to I-70 to Silverthorne is 81 miles to fish the Blue, so that would definitely be doable. I also looked at going north on 85 to I-25 up to Longmont and then west on 34 to Estes Park, that is 91 miles to fish the Big Thompson, so either option would offer good fishing.
Like Mike offered, check with the local fly shops to see what is working.

Larry

 

[goblueco1]

I love fishing the Blue but the Big Thompson is absolutely on fire right now. I have fished the tail water section over the last 4 weekends and have had double digit days every time I have been out. The main issue with this drive during the week is the mandatory stops due to construction, whether you come through Loveland or Longmont there are at least two and sometime three 30 minute to 1 hour stops which obviously adds a significant amount of time to the drive to and from. I would encourage you to take the Peak To Peak Highway so that you skip this mess.

Once up there, there is a section just below the go-cart track that is great and offer the ability to get into both large fish as well as a number of fish too. Concentrate on emergers in black and brown, JuJuBee (purple), JuJuBeatis (purple), Copper Johns, The One and two Bit Hookers all in size 20. Use 5X leader to 6X tippet, size 6 weight and fish 4-5' deep.

 

[delineate]

Thanks for the advice on Big Thompson.

Assuming I take the Peak to Peak Hwy, how much daylight can I expect up there if I leave Littleton at 3pm?

 

[countr21]

Time is obviously of the essence for the OP, and driving around the highways of the Front Range on Friday afternoon? Forget the Blue - could take you two or three hours to get there due to construction on the Idaho Spgs tunnels as well as just general traffic on I-70.......then it's a fight tooth-n-nail to get a casting position among all of the D-bags that flock to the outlet mall after a week's worth of workin'.

The BT is definitely out. The OP is coming from the southern metro area and traffic on I-25/Bouder Turnpike and construction on US-36 (the two ways to the BT from Denver) are two potential nightmares that could leave the OP with only an hour to fish.

US-285 to the South Platte from Littleton is doable. But again, the exodus-from-the-city-Friday traffic and a somewhat lengthy drive just gives this fly fisher potentially only a few hours to fish to extremely wary trout.

If I was the OP and knew what I know about the time constraints and the traffic, I'm definitely headed to Clear Creek. C-470 to US-6 past Golden and up the canyon will put the OP on the water in 30-35 minutes (and that's an honest time considering the traffic). Head anywhere from two to ten miles above the 93/58/6 junction, and you got pullouts galore. The fish won't break any scales, but you'll have entire sections of the river to yourself and the canyon scenery is quite dramatic (altho you'll have to listen to the traffic on US-6). You could honestly be geared up and ready to cast by 4pm. That gives you four hours of fishing (til last light).

 

[countr21]

Actually, is Waterton Canyon open yet?

 

[jloncar]

Time is obviously of the essence for the OP, and driving around the highways of the Front Range on Friday afternoon? Forget the Blue - could take you two or three hours to get there due to construction on the Idaho Spgs tunnels as well as just general traffic on I-70.......then it's a fight tooth-n-nail to get a casting position among all of the D-bags that flock to the outlet mall after a week's worth of workin'.

The BT is definitely out. The OP is coming from the southern metro area and traffic on I-25/Bouder Turnpike and construction on US-36 (the two ways to the BT from Denver) are two potential nightmares that could leave the OP with only an hour to fish.

US-285 to the South Platte from Littleton is doable. But again, the exodus-from-the-city-Friday traffic and a somewhat lengthy drive just gives this fly fisher potentially only a few hours to fish to extremely wary trout.

If I was the OP and knew what I know about the time constraints and the traffic, I'm definitely headed to Clear Creek. C-470 to US-6 past Golden and up the canyon will put the OP on the water in 30-35 minutes (and that's an honest time considering the traffic). Head anywhere from two to ten miles above the 93/58/6 junction, and you got pullouts galore. The fish won't break any scales, but you'll have entire sections of the river to yourself and the canyon scenery is quite dramatic (altho you'll have to listen to the traffic on US-6). You could honestly be geared up and ready to cast by 4pm. That gives you four hours of fishing (til last light).

Some great points here. The traffic in the metro area is nightmarish especially on a Friday night. I think clear creek is a good bet and probably the easiest to get to.

 

[williamhj]

+1 forget the Blue, Big Thompson, etc. If you're done at 3pm and want to maximize your fishing definitely stick to the front range. My thoughts:

1. Clear Creek was mentioned, and it could be a good option. Just a bit north of where you are in Littleton and it is a beautiful canyon and fun to fish. Many pull offs along the road.

2. I haven't heard anything about Waterton Canyon this year. It is south of Denver, where the S. Platte River comes out of the mountains. If you look at a map you'll see Chatfield Reservoir south of town and west of I-25, Waterton canyon is just South of the reservoir. Call local shops to see if they know what is going on there. You can fish between the canyon and the reservoir or below the reservoir towards Denver as well. PM me if you're wanting to do this stretch.

3. Personally I'd do Bear Creek. It is close to where you are and the road probably won't be a busy as the one through Clear Creek canyon. Bear Creek runs from Evergreen up in the mountains down through Morrison before entering town. There are a number of access points along the road, the best known is probably Lair of the Bear. My guess is going to Bear Creek could maximize your fishing time before the sun sets.

 

[delineate]

Thanks to all who responded. This is very helpful.
I was worried about the traffic on Friday, so the closer the better.

Thanks again.

 

[cpowell]

c21 typed what I did not have time to.

This will be your best bet on a Friday with time constraints.

 

[romanl]

Some great points here. The traffic in the metro area is nightmarish especially on a Friday night. I think clear creek is a good bet and probably the easiest to get to.

not exactly, traffic doesn't pick up till the usual after 4 pm,
OP is done at 3 pm so he would still beat traffic.
and there's not much traffic heading up I70 (west) in the afternoons.


OP: from Littleton i would do following option:
1. closest and easiest is just going up little bit up I70, past around Idaho Springs, and fish CLEAR CREAK that runs along the freeway, but water is already starting to get dirty/run offish below Idaho Springs. and fishing is just OK, i was out the other day, not much luck. and fish is on the smaller side.
2. CHEESEMAN canyon is a fairly short drive down, might even be closer then the BLUE. at 3pm, you'll just be ahead of traffic. but CHEESEMAN will be crowded and is technical fishing, but fish are beautiful and of good size.
3. BLUE RIVER (around Silverthorne) while i don't like crowds either, and it will be crowded, unless you go further up north towards Green Mountain Reservoir.
while crowded, fish are of good size here too, and just like CHEESEMAN its technical as they get fished all the time, so they're very pressured. but it is very cool pulling in huge fish while you have ton of spectators watching you from the bridge.
4. BEAR CREEK, would be the closest option for you, but i haven't fished it this year yet, so not sure how it is. anyone?

being how you're traveling you might as well goto a location that will offer you some of the great fishing CO has, i would probably go down to CHEESEMAN, from the lower parking at Deckers, its about 15 min hike into the canyon, and while crowded you'll always find a spot, and fish there are amazing.

once again, if you really will be done and on the road by 3 PM you'll just beat 90% of all the traffic. and by the time you're done fishing, there won't be any traffic on the way back either.

good luck

 

[delineate]

Thanks.

Would Boulder Creek be an option? It seems as it is not too much past Clear Creek, and I will be spending the night there.

My top priority is time on water after 3pm. Don't mind driving "home" after dark.

 

[clibb]

If you don't mind lakes, that's another option..