Why Fall is the Best Time of Year for Fly Fishing in Colorado

Oktoberfest, Elk hunting, Football and Fly fishing! It’s Fall in Colorado and we couldn’t be happier.  The crowds of summer all but gone the water temperature are ideal for dry flies and it’s the start of Streamer season!

As long as I can remember whether living in Michigan or Colorado fall has always been a magical time of year to be outdoors.  But especially here in the big C fall is the most beautiful time of year and the best fly fishing that is if you like to catch the big’uns.  Shorter days and cooler nights mean there is no hurry to be the first on the water but it pays to be the last on the water. There are still plenty of Hoppers to keep Trout coming to the surface.  The Blue Winged Olives are hatching along with a great selection of Midges and the late season Gold Medal Pale Morning dun hatch.  But what really gets us fired up is the amazing Streamer action that comes with this time of year.  as the leaves begin to change so does the Brown trouts hormones, making the species an aggressive predator as well a a territorial menace.  In their pre spawn stages the Browns are extremely susceptible to a large #2-6 streamer being dragged in front of their faces.  I have bough out my Helios H2 Saltwater 6 wt. rod from its Summer slumber and dusted of my briefcase full of Tequeely’s, Sculpzillas, Sex Dungeon’s…The rolls of 5&6x tippets have been traded down to the 1&2x tippets. Given every opportunity between now and Christmas you will find me in the front of a boat in full chuck and duck mode.  The excitement of watching huge fish just chasing my rig is enough to send my into a full frothing screaming frenzy!  The inaudible cackles and grunts may seem crazy to anyone but a true streamer fanatic like myself and many of my guide brethren.  Some fellow anglers poo poo my total love of the streamer as some sort of non fly fishing exercise. When give the opportunity to experience a day on the water with myself or several of FFO’s finest it is amazing how quickly they change their tune.  Just as the whole European nymphing phenomenon has fishermen bewildered the same holds true about streamer fishing.  The counter intuitive not lifting the rod tip to set,but rather using strip sets as well as teaching anglers that the the pause between strips needs to be painfully long can definitely create a bit of early day frustration and anxiety. However when all is said and done it’s well worth putting in the time.  As a veteran guide of nearly 20 years it still amazes me how many fly fishers are still wary of the streamer program.  Come share my passion for the Chuck and Duck.