Trout Fishing in Colorado
Elk Trout Lodge

Welcome to a world of swift running water and trout as long as your arm. Where eagles soar overhead and the snow capped peaks of the Rockies gaze over your shoulder as you cast. A world of rising trout that reward you when you're drag free, and give you another chance when you're not. Strong flowing rivers, intimate creeks and unparalleled freshwater flats provide the promise of myriad opportunities. 

Elk trout is private water carefully nurtured to provide one of the best fishing experiences in North America. Beautiful accommodations, elegant repasts, and an experienced staff complete the perfect visit.

Rivers and Creeks

Guests fish private stretches of the Colorado and Blue Rivers and Troublesome Creek. Much of this water is Gold Medal. Stonefly and caddis fly hatches start the season in mid-May, with drake and trico hatches as the season continues to October. Many days, successive hatches mean you can often fish dry flies all day long.

The Colorado River
The Colorado River is a magnificent trout fishery that truly deserves its designation as Gold Medal water. Elk trout's private water on the Colorado contains broad sweeping riffles and deep pools that harbor some of the largest fish found anywhere in the watershed. The wading is easy, with good footing. Rainbows and browns are the primary targets here, with some Colorado cutthroats as well.

Fish in the Colorado average 16-20 inches, but there are plenty of bigger fish up to eight pounds or more. Fishing season begins with caddis and stoneflies in late May. Stonefly nymphs produce very large fish at this time of year. By June, Pale Morning Dun's, Blue Wing Olives, Rusty Spinners, Green Drakes and more hatch. Multiple hatches often result in dry fly action throughout the day.

Overcast days can trigger BWO match-the-hatch fishing anytime through the season. From late June to early July adult salmon flies will emerge on the upper Colorado. By August, terrestrials make for the kind of top water action that many anglers live for. Ants, beetles and especially hoppers all find their way into the water. Tricos provide a challenge for those who like to catch big fish on tiny flies. Some years the tricos hatch right into October.

The Blue River
The Blue River is another one of Colorado's exclusive Gold Medal waters. Only 168 miles of Colorado's 9,000 miles of trout streams carry this elite designation. 2002 produced fish up to 33" from Elk trout's 3 miles of exclusive water on the Blue. Heavy rainbows, browns, cutts and cuttbows live in the long runs, pools and pocket water. Generally wide open, the Blue is very accessible and relatively easy to wade.

Because the Blue is a tail water, fishing can be very good early in the year. Stonefly nymphs produce large rainbows and browns up to 28" and more. These are big, healthy, strong river fish so be prepared for a fight! You can expect to fish 3x tippet here on nymphs, 4x and 5x when the caddis hatches get going in May and June.   

There's a good Green Drake hatch on the Blue in July, often overlapping with Red Quills, Slate-Winged Mahoganys and caddis. With this much surface action, the rainbows and browns are looking up and provide one of the best opportunities for a large river fish on dries.

Troublesome Creek
Troublesome Creek is an intimate water that may remind you of the stream you learned to fish on back home. Its smooth flowing runs and undercut banks hold rainbows, browns, cutts and the occasional brook trout. But don't be fooled by its small size. The lower meadow stretches are open forgiving water that harbor 12-20 inch fish. With much of the creek running next to pasture, terrestrial patterns with a bead head dropper are often just the ticket for non-stop action.

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