Summer in Colorado brings the opportunity to fly fish some of the state’s most remote waters and beautiful, high alpine locations. There are many places around the state to enjoy fishing off the beaten path.
Colorado’s Wilderness Fishing
From the Indian Peaks and James Peak Wilderness Areas here on the Front Range, all the way down to the Weminuche and the South San Juan Wilderness Areas in the southwest, this state is loaded with little blue lines and dots on the map that sustain populations of wild trout. One of our favorite things about this time of year, is the chance to explore these unpressured waters.
Don’t Limit Yourself to Designated Wilderness Areas
While the absence of motorized use makes Wilderness Areas great places to explore, there’s excellent backcountry fishing to be found along (or at least close to) many Forest Service roads. So, depending on your physical abilities or how comfortable you are navigating the backcountry, there’s a ton of beautiful alpine country to explore. Get out a map and start searching out those little blue lines.
Exploring The Flat Tops
One of our favorite places to explore is the Flat Tops. It contains one of the largest Wilderness Areas in Colorado at over 360 square miles. Even outside the Wilderness boundary, there are thousands more acres of public lands that can be accessed by a network of Forest roads.
One of the best things about the Flat Tops, is that almost any drainage you can point to on the map contains bodies of fishable water, including alpine lakes, creeks and small rivers. The amount of water that adventurous anglers can find here is one of the things that makes it special.
During the summer and early fall season, Anglers All partners with Budge’s Wilderness Lodge to explore some of these wild and remote waters. The historic lodge has served as a backcountry refuge for 96 years. And thanks to the subsequent Wilderness Act of 1964, the area looks much the way it did back then. For anglers who enjoy casting dry flies to unpressured trout – it’s certainly hard to beat.
Our Favorite Flies for the Flat Tops
On our trips to the Flat Tops this summer (or any alpine waters for that matter), here are some of our favorite flies that you can be sure to find in our fly boxes:
Dry Flies: When it comes to backcountry fishing, we’re here for the opportunity to throw dry flies. Of course, there are times when a streamer or a nymph makes great sense (we’ll get to that below). But most of the time, you’d find at least one dry fly tied on our rig.
It’s important to remember that at very high elevations, the “hatch chart” isn’t the same as it would be on mainstem rivers at lower elevations. Up here, you might see blue winged olives all summer long, in addition to other mayflies like PMDs and green drakes. There can be prolific caddis hatches and even small stoneflies like yellow sallies. The good news is that wilderness trout are relatively opportunistic. So, fly selection doesn’t have to be complicated.
We recommend a handful of dry fly patterns that can play multiple roles, and cover your bases with mayflies, caddis and stoneflies. Some of our favorites include a Parawulff, Vis-a-Dun, Parachute Adams, H&L Variant, Missing Link Caddis, Mother’s Day Caddis, Simulator and Mini Hot.
Terrestrials: The great thing about opportunistic fish, is that they’ll often be quick to eat a big meal. Hopper fishing on remote alpine lakes and streams can be a kick. In addition to hoppers, these high-altitude waters often see big summer hatches of flying ants. When these ant nests swarm – usually in August – the awkward flyers are easily blown onto the water. If you’ve never witnessed it, this might sound like a freak occurrence. But it happens more often than you might think – and the trout quickly take advantage of it!
In addition to hoppers and ants, beetles might be among the most underrated fly patterns anywhere. But especially on these wilderness waters, a beetle pattern can be deadly.
Some of our favorite terrestrial fly patterns include the Some of our favorite terrestrial fly patterns include the GLO Ant,Morrish Hopper, Thunder Thighs Hopper, Baby Boy Hopper, PMX, Hamburgler, Hippie Stomper and Deer Hair Ant.
Nymphs: Although dry fly fishing is a highlight, nymphs are essential. From deep undercut banks on meadow streams, to glassy alpine lakes, there are many opportunities to target fish under the surface – including some of the biggest fish in these waters.
A hopper-dropper or dry-dropper rig may be one of the most effective ways to fish in the backcountry. On a deep alpine lake, a couple of nymphs fished deep under a slip indicator can change a frustrating day into a successful one. And note that scuds can be a major food source on some high alpine lakes.
Like dry flies, we recommend carrying a selection of nymphs that can cover your basic trout food groups – mayflies, caddis and stoneflies. Some of our favorites in these situations are the Bearded Baetis, SPlatte Roller, Duracell, Copper John, and Guide’s Choice Hare’s Ear.
Streamers: believe it or not, even those cute little alpine streams can be great places to swing a small streamer. On the more substantial wilderness rivers and high alpine lakes, you might be surprised at how effective even a big streamer can be.
Look for opportunities to swing or dead-drift a leech pattern through a deep hole or along an undercut bank. On stillwaters, use a sinking line to get your fly down more quickly, and strip a leech or baitfish pattern across a shelf or other submerged structure.
Some of our favorite streamers for the high country include the Hell Razor Leech, Thin Mint, Slumpbuster and Squirrel Leech.
Recommended Gear For a Wilderness Adventure
Rods and Reels: When it comes to fly rods and reels, your best choice may depend on the situation. Alpine creeks and small rivers can be a ton of fun with a 2 or 3-weight rod. But you might feel woefully under-gunned with that same rod out on a windy alpine lake.
If you’re looking for one rod to rule them all, it’s hard to beat the trusty, 9-foot, 4 or 5-weight. A Helios F, paired with an Abel TR reel would be a killer combo.
If you’re able to pack more than one rod for the journey, this is ideal. Depending on the day or the situation, we’ll often carry at least two rods rigged and ready. For example, one rod might be that light-line rod for dry flies. The other would be rigged with a streamer or hopper-dropper combo.
Wading Gear: On many days in the backcountry, wet wading is the way to go. The Patagonia Forra wading boots paired with Yulex Wading Socks is a great setup. Ditching the waders and getting your feet wet saves weight on those hike-in destinations. It also feels nice on hot summer days.
That said, there are times when a lightweight set of waders may come in handy – particularly on cool, rainy days. And on trips in the Flat Tops with Budge’s Lodge, we have the benefit of going on horseback – making it an easy decision to bring the waders along.
Rain Gear: Speaking of rainy days, never leave on a high mountain adventure without a rain jacket. Even when rain isn’t in the forecast, sudden thunderstorms are always a possibility. Something like the lightweight, Patagonia Boulder Fork Rain Jacket would be a good choice.
Waterproof Backpack: Another essential for expeditions into the backcountry is a waterproof (or at least water-resistant) backpack. The Fishpond Thunderhead Backpack is a good example. When you’ll be away from your vehicle for an extended period, you’ll need a system for carrying your extra layers, lunch, camera gear and whatever else the day requires. And when the weather is unpredictable (which is always), you want to know your gear will stay dry.
Landing Net: When going remote, this can be an easy item to forget. But a net will make it much easier to land fish, keep the fish safe, and maybe even help you snap a great photo with that stunning alpine backdrop. For these types of trips, we like the Fishpond Emerger net.
Please Reach Out With Questions
Have questions or need help getting prepared for a wilderness fly fishing adventure? We are here to help! Stop by a fly shop location in Littleton or Denver. Our crew can answer questions about high country fly fishing, flies, or essential gear. We’d also love to tell you more about adventures in the Flat Tops Wilderness. If you can’t visit us in person, give us a call at 303-794-1104. And remember that we offer fast, free shipping on all orders over $10, over the phone or via the website.
