Featured Destinations – Quick Links
Rivers & Lakes
| Animas River | North Platte River |
| Arkansas River | Rio Grande River |
| Colorado River | Roaring Fork River |
| Fryingpan River | South Platte River |
| Green River | Yampa River |
| Gunnison River | |
Featured Towns & Regions
Learn more about our featured fishing destinations below.
Alamosa, CO
Alamosa is a smaller city that is home to almost 10,000 people in south central Colorado. The city is the commercial center of the San Luis Valley, which helps make this a better vacation destination for people who want to get away from it all, but still have many of the modern conveniences that they are accustomed to in their home cities. The valley is full of many natural wonders with North America’s tallest sand dunes, waterfalls and beautiful waters to fish in the area.
The fishing may be better just outside the city, however, many people enjoy using Alamosa as their base camp for their trip here due to the lodging options, restaurants, stores, etc. The Rio Grande River is the big draw here and you can catch rainbow trout and brown trout a short walk from the beautiful downtown area. Travel a little further away from town to find the better trout fishing in the Rio Grande River. You also have other rivers and lakes to fish if you’re willing to drive 30 to 60 minutes away.
Animas River
The Animas River originates in the San Juan Mountains, northeast of Silverton, Colorado. The river flows more than 120 miles through Colorado and New Mexico where it eventually joins the San Juan River in Farmington, New Mexico. The river has several areas that provide good access as well as some times that provide everything you need to plan an excellent fishing vacation. Anglers target rainbow trout and brown trout in the river with most fish in the 10 to 16 inch range. There are some big trout in the river as well, so don’t be surprised if you catch a few big brown trout on a trip to the Animas River.
Arkansas River
The Arkansas River begins in the Sawatch Range of the Rocky Mountains near Leadville, Colorado and ends in eastern Arkansas at the confluence with the Mississippi River. This river flows almost 1,470 miles through Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma and Arkansas before entering the Mississippi River. The Arkansas River is home to a diverse fishery with some excellent trout fishing as it flows through Colorado. As it flows into Kansas, Oklahoma and Arkansas, the fishery becomes more of a bass, crappie, catfish, carp and sunfish fishery. There are some excellent fishing destination along this river in many different spots along the Arkansas River.
Aspen, CO
Aspen is known as one of the premier ski destinations in the United States. This town is extremely popular among tourists during the winter. The summer can be a lot of fun here as well. You will find plenty of resorts, restaurants and shopping.
Most anglers do not think of Aspen as a fly fishing destination, but there is some good fly fishing here and in the nearby towns. Fly fishing guides are available and they can help you experience some of the excellent trout fishing that Colorado is known for.
Basalt, CO
Basalt is a small Colorado town that is home to not one, but two, Gold Medal Rivers with more than 30 miles of excellent trout fishing. There is a tailwater fishery below the dam at Ruedi Reservoir as the Fryingpan River flows towards to the Roaring Fork River in Basalt, Colorado. The Roaring Fork River is the other popular river to fish here as 22 miles of it are considered Gold Medal fishing waters. This is an awesome area to plan a fishing trip for a variety of trout.
Boulder, CO
The city of Boulder is located in Boulder Valley where the Rocky Mountains meet up with the Great Plains. To the west of Boulder, you can see slabs of sedimentary stone tilted up on the foothills and these are called Flatirons, which are a recognizable symbol of Boulder. Many anglers come to Boulder, Colorado to experience the fly fishing in the nearby rivers. Fishing guides are available in Boulder to help you enjoy your trip. If you are up for an adventure, river rafting is also popular in this town.
Breckenridge, CO
Breckenridge is an amazing vacation destination and fishing often gets overlooked by many people due to it being such an awesome ski destination. Breckenridge has so many fishing opportunities. At the top of the mountain, some of the major rivers flow from here such as the Colorado, South Platte, Arkansas, Blue and South Platte rivers. You can find good fishing for trout here year-round.
Buena Vista, CO
Buena Vista is a small town located at the foot of the Rocky Mountain’s Collegiate Peaks in Colorado. It’s a fairly quiet town that enjoys its outdoor recreation. White-water rafting is very popular and people also enjoy backpacking, mountain mountain biking, backpacking, sight seeing and fishing. Fly fishing is also popular in Buena Vista and there are fishing guides available to help you find some of the best trout fishing spots in the area.
Colorado River
The Colorado River is a large river that covers more than 1,400 miles from the Rocky Mountains of Colorado to the Gulf of California in northwestern Mexico. In the United States, the river flows through Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming. There are so many good sections of this river to fish. Whether you fish the river portions or the reservoirs, there are some awesome fishing opportunities for a variety of fish such as striped bass, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, catfish, crappie, sunfish and a variety of trout.
Colorado Springs, CO
The City of Colorado Springs is the most populated city in El Paso County and the second most populated city in Colorado. Tourism is very popular here because of all the modern conveniences of a big city and its location next to the Rocky Mountains. With the mountains nearby, this area is a great place to enjoy the scenery of all the rock formations. The fishermen enjoy Colorado Springs because of the nearby rivers that provide excellent fly fishing opportunities for trout. Fishing guides operate out of Colorado Springs and they can help you find some excellent trout fishing in the area rivers.
Durango, CO
Durango, Colorado is a small town nestled in the Animas River Valley and it is surrounded by the San Juan Mountains. This town is a great destination for outdoor enthusiasts. There are so many outdoor activities available here such as fishing, whitewater rafting, kayaking and canoeing, hiking, mountain biking, backpacking, rock climbing and hunting. Fly fishing is very popular in the Gold Medal waters nearby. There are plenty of fishing guides in the area that specialize in fly fishing for trout.
Estes Park, CO
Estes Park is a small town located at the confluence of two rivers (Big Thompson and Fall River) that flow from Rock Mountain National Park. Many fly fishermen target trout in the rivers, but you also have the option of fishing Lake Estes and Mary’s Lake. People enjoy boating and fishing on the lakes. Boat rentals and fishing guide services are available as well.
Fort Collins, CO
Fort Collins is located in northern Colorado and is home to Colorado State University. At the base of the Rocky Mountains, you have access to so many recreational opportunities here to go along with plenty of entertainment, good restaurants and shops.
Fryingpan River
The Fryingpan River originates east of Aspen in the Hunter Fryingpan Wilderness and flows northwest to Ruedi Reservoir. Below the reservoir, the river travels another 14 miles towards Basalt, Colorado and it converges with the Roaring Fork River. This tailwater fishery below the dam is a popular Gold Medal trout fishing destination. It is home to very good fishing for a variety of trout such as brown trout, rainbow trout, brook trout and cutthroat trout.
Glenwood Springs, CO
Glenwood Springs is a wonderful vacation destination for the outdoors enthusiast. This town is located about 45 miles north of Aspen and 60 miles west of Vail. Some of the best ski resorts in the country are located within 60 miles of Glenwood Springs. From spring through fall, fly fishermen take advantage of the Gold Medal waters that flow through this town. Two rivers, the Colorado River and Roaring Fork River, converge in Glenwood Springs. The Frying Pan River and Gunnison River are close enough to plan a day trip to.
Grand Mesa National Forest
The Grand Mesa National Forest is a U.S. National Forest in Mesa, Delta and Garfield Counties of Western Colorado. It borders the White River National Forest to the north and the Gunnison National Forest to the east. There are hundreds of lakes in the national forest, which keep anglers busy for a variety of fish species such as trout, northern pike, lake trout and more. The larger lakes and reservoirs will give anglers a better shot at landing a bigger pike or lake trout, while the many smaller lakes give anglers a chance to find a secluded lake to catch trout all by themselves.
Gunnison River
The Gunnison River is a popular river in Colorado. It begins at the confluence of the Taylor River and East River in eastern Gunnison County, Colorado. The river ends at Blue Mesa Reservoir after traveling 180 miles. It is a good river for brown trout and rainbow trout.
Green River
The Green River flows for around 730 miles through Wyoming, Utah, Colorado and then New Mexico where it converges with the Colorado River. This river is fairly remote, but it does run through many smaller towns that give you access to the river. There are several guides and outfitters that operate on the Green River as well.
Anglers fish the Green River for a variety of trout and some very big trout are caught on the river. The tailwater below the Flaming Gorge Dam is a very popular section of the river to fish. Some of the biggest trout are caught in the tailwaters below the dam. Many of the guides that operate out of Jackson Hole Wyoming will float the Green River as well. You have a lot of options depending on what part of the Green River you plan to visit. Anglers may catch brown trout, brook trout, cutthroat trout, rainbow trout and more.
Gunnison, CO
Gunnison is a small town that offers a variety of recreational opportunities. It is known for its exceptional trout fishing in the Gunnison River, which runs right through the town. You also have the option of fishing Blue Mesa Reservoir. There is plenty of other things to do here such as river rafting, boating, horseback riding, camping and hunting. You may also want to check out the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park.
North Platte River
The North Platte River is a major tributary of the Platte River and it flows for more than 700 miles through the states of Colorado, Wyoming and Nebraska. This river is a very good fishing river and it passes through so many good destinations that are perfect for a trout fishing vacation. This river is home to the famous “Miracle Mile” and so many other awesome stretches for trout fishing. Anglers catch rainbow trout, brown trout and cutthroat trout in the mountain states while targeting a variety of warm water species in Nebraska as its waters become warmer.
Rio Grande River
The Rio Grande River is a very large river that flows almost 1,900 miles in the United States and Mexico. It originates in south-central Colorado and flows to the Gulf of Mexico. There are several parts of the Rio Grande River that flow through or near our featured fishing destinations on our website, so you can definitely find some great places to experience some excellent fishing on the Rio Grande River. This river is unknown to most, but many anglers do know about the legendary fishing that is found in the 22 mile section of river near South Fork, Colorado that is designated as Gold Medal Water. Rainbow trout and brown trout are caught here in good numbers and many big fish are caught in this stretch of the river.
Roaring Fork River
The Roaring Fork River flows 70 miles from Independence Pass through Aspen, Basalt and Carbondale until it reaches its confluence with the Colorado River in Glenwood Springs, Colorado. The river is known for its 22 miles of Gold Medal trout fishing waters, but it also has 60 miles of fishable waters. Anglers come to the Roaring Fork River to catch brown trout and rainbow trout. Many of the towns along this river will make a great trout fishing vacation destination.
Rocky Mountain National Park
The Rocky Mountain National Park is located in northern Colorado and it spans the Continental Divide. The park encompasses protected mountains, forests and alpine tundra. The park is full of beautiful scenery and excellent fishing too. Anglers come here to fish for a variety of trout such as brown trout, brook trout, rainbow trout, greenback cutthroat trout and Colorado River cutthroat trout. There is good fishing inside the park as well as just outside the park in towns like Estes Park, Colorado.
South Fork, CO
South Fork, Colorado is a small town that is known for its outdoor recreation. There are just enough accommodations, restaurants and shops to make this town a great base camp for your outdoor adventure. Anglers come here to fish the Rio Grande River. The 20 miles stretch between South Fork and Del Norte is considered Gold Medal Waters. Float trips are popular on the river for rainbow trout, brown trout and brook trout. There are plenty of other waters to fish here as well with a few reservoirs within a short car ride and some creeks that offer good trout fishing.
South Platte River
The South Platte River is a popular fishing river in Colorado. The river begins as 3 different streams named the South Fork, Middle Fork and North Fork Platte Rivers. Each fork originates around Fairplay, Colorado (South Park area). There is some very good trout fishing available on this river. On the South and Middle Forks, they are both small streams that are known for producing good numbers of small fish, but this is definitely not the part of the river to fish if you’re looking for big trout. There are a series of dams along the South Platte River that create a series of tailwater fisheries. Some of these tailwater fisheries are excellent for numbers of fish and big fish too.
Steamboat Springs, CO
Steamboat Springs is one of the top ski destinations in the country. There are many nice resorts here as well as many other types of lodging to go along with the nice restaurants and many shops. Even though Steamboat Springs is known more as a winter vacation destination, there is plenty to do here in the summer also. Fly fishing is excellent and there are quite a few fishing guides that can help you find some of the better fishing spots. Fly shops are also available with all of the tackle you need and the local knowledge to help you catch more fish on your trip. River rafting is also popular in the Steamboat Springs area. The Stagecoach State Park is also worth visiting. The state park features a 780 acre reservoir that you can fish.
Winter Park – Frasier Valley, CO
The Winter Park – Frasier Valley area is located about 70 miles northwest of Denver, Colorado. This area is known for its skiing, but there is plenty to do here in the summer as well. Fly fishing is a popular summer activity in this region. You will be able to find fly shops and fishing guides to help you have a more successful trip on the area waters. Head north about 30 miles and you will have access to Lake Granby through the Beacon Landing Marina where you can have fun boating and fishing. Whitewater rafting is also available in the Winter Park – Frasier Valley area.
Yampa River
The Yampa River begins in the Rocky Mountains near Steamboat Springs, Colorado, and flows 250 miles west to Echo Park, Utah, where it eventually meets up with the Green River. One of the more popular spots to fish on this river is from between Steamboat Springs, Colorado and Craig, Montana. The rainbow trout fishery is very good with good numbers of them and some big fish too. There is a fishable brown trout population. Depending what part of the river you are fishing, you may also catch northern pike, smallmouth bass, catfish and more.
