Fly Fishing in Colorado: A Beginner's Guide to Colorado's Best Rivers

Colorado's most famous technical tailwater. Cheesman Canyon holds big, educated trout in crystal-clear water that flows through a dramatic granite gorge below Cheesman Reservoir. The hike in — about a mile down a steep trail — filters out casual anglers and leaves the canyon to those willing to earn it.

This is sight fishing at its most demanding. You'll spot individual trout holding in the current, present tiny flies on long, fine leaders, and watch fish inspect your offering with the skepticism of a jeweler examining a suspect diamond. The trout here have seen everything. They've been caught and released hundreds of times. They know what a poorly placed fly line looks like. That's what makes them worth pursuing.

Deckers, downstream from the canyon, is more accessible with easier wading and road-side access. The fish are still technical but the water is more forgiving. If Cheesman is a graduate seminar, Deckers is the undergraduate course that still expects serious effort. Not beginner water — but incredibly rewarding for anglers with solid casting accuracy and the patience to match.

Colorado's longest Gold Medal river and, for most visiting anglers, the best place to start. Over 100 miles of fishable water stretches through the Arkansas Valley between Leadville and Canon City, with the sections around Salida and Buena Vista offering the most consistent fishing and the best combination of access and scenery.

The Arkansas is more forgiving than the South Platte. Good pocket water, productive riffles, and well-defined runs give you the kind of varied structure that rewards different techniques. The hopper-dropper rig is devastatingly effective here during summer — a big foam hopper on top acting as both a dry fly and a strike indicator, with a beadhead nymph trailing below. The trout are less educated than Cheesman fish, more willing to chase an attractor pattern, and the river has enough width to give you room for imperfect casts.

Excellent wade access through BLM and National Forest land. The scenery alone — the Collegiate Peaks rising above the valley, the cottonwood-lined banks, the wide Western sky — makes the Arkansas worth the drive even on a slow fishing day.

The Fryingpan is where Colorado grows its biggest trout. The tailwater below Ruedi Reservoir benefits from a steady supply of mysis shrimp — tiny freshwater crustaceans that wash through the dam and create a protein-rich feeding environment. The result is trout that grow to sizes you'd normally associate with stillwater fisheries. Rainbow trout over 20 inches are not uncommon, and fish over 24 inches are caught every season.

The first mile below the dam — locally known as the "Toilet Bowl" — concentrates trophy fish in technical conditions. The water is clear, the fish are large but extremely selective, and the angling pressure is heavy. It's not unusual to see a dozen anglers working the same stretch. Above the Toilet Bowl, the river opens into more classic freestone character with less pressure and more elbow room.

The Fryingpan is one of Colorado's true destination fisheries. Plan for it, study the mysis shrimp patterns before you go, and bring your finest tippet. A leader tapering to 6X or 7X is standard equipment here.

The Gunnison Gorge is a wilderness experience that happens to have extraordinary trout fishing. Access is hike-in only — steep trails drop you into a canyon with sheer walls, big water, and trout that see very few anglers. If Cheesman Canyon is Colorado's most technical fishery, the Gunnison Gorge is its most remote. The isolation is the point. You earn every fish here, and the canyon rewards the effort with solitude and size.

The upper Gunnison near Almont, where the East and Taylor rivers converge, is far more accessible. Good wade fishing, easier current, and a friendly small-town atmosphere make this section a solid alternative for anglers who want Gunnison-quality fish without the Gorge commitment. The Taylor River below Taylor Reservoir is another excellent option — a tailwater fishery with technical fishing and big fish.

Gold Medal water with strong flows and powerful fish. A 6-weight rod is not excessive here — the Gunnison's current and its trout both hit harder than most Colorado rivers. Float trips through outfitters are available for the Gorge and are worth considering for a first visit.

The Colorado River between Gore Canyon and State Bridge is the kind of water that experienced anglers keep to themselves. While the South Platte, Fryingpan, and Arkansas draw the crowds and the magazine articles, this stretch of the Colorado quietly produces excellent fishing with a fraction of the pressure.

Classic freestone character dominates — riffles, runs, pocket water, and the occasional deep pool. Good wade access exists at multiple points, and the river has enough width and structure to reward anglers who can read water and position themselves well. The rainbow and brown trout fishing is strong, and the mountain whitefish — often dismissed by purists — take dry flies eagerly and provide additional action that keeps the day interesting.

This is honest, uncomplicated Western trout fishing. The fish aren't as large or as technical as the South Platte's, but the experience — mountain scenery, moving water, less competition for holding lies — makes it one of the most enjoyable stretches of river in the state.