Fly Fishing Colorado. Jackson Streit

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       Fly Fishing Colorado

       A No Nonsense Guide to Top Waters

      Jackson Streit

       Fly Fishing Colorado

      A No Nonsense Guide to Top Waters

      ISBN 10 1-892469-13-8

      ISBN 13 978-1-61881-138-7 (epub)

      © 2004 No Nonsense

      Fly Fishing Guidebooks

      Published by:

      No Nonsense Fly Fishing Guidebooks

      P.O. Box 91858

      Tucson, AZ 85752-1858

      [phone]

       www.nononsenseguides.com

      Printed in China

      Editors: David Banks, Helen Condon, Howard Fisher

      Maps, Illustrations, Design & Production: Pete Chadwell, Dynamic Arts

      All Cover Photos by Jim Muth.

      Inside Photos by Jim Muth unless noted.

      No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form, or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher. You may reproduce segments of this book when using brief excerpts in critical reviews and articles, with appropriate credit.

       About the Cover

      The photos on the covers are by Jim Muth, the talented photographer, guide and all around fishing pro at the Mountain Angler fly shop in Breckenridge, Colorado. Jim travels all over the state, and other places, to fish and take pictures.

       The No Nonsense Creed

      The best way to go fly fishing is to find out a little something about the water, and then just go. Wrong turns, surprises, self-reliance and discovering something new, even in familiar waters, are what make the memories.

      The next best way is to learn enough from a local fisherman to save you from going too far wrong. You’ll still find the water yourself, and it still feels as if you were the first to discover it.

      This is the idea for our unique No Nonsense fly fishing series. Our books reveal little hush-hush information, yet they give all you need to find what will become your own secret places.

      Painstakingly pared down, our writing is elegantly simple. Each title offers a local fly fishing expert’s candid tour of favorite fly fishing waters. Nothing is oversold or out of proportion. Everything is authentic, especially the discoveries and experiences you get after using our books. In his outstanding book Jerusalem Creek, Ted Leeson echoes our idea.

       “Discovering a new trout stream is a wonderful thing, and even if its whereabouts are common knowledge, to come upon the place yourself for the first time is nonetheless true discovery.”

      No Nonsense Fly Fishing Guidebooks give you a quick, clear understanding of the essential information needed to fly fish a region’s most outstanding waters. The authors are highly experienced and qualified local fly fishers. Maps are tidy versions of the author’s sketches.

       Dedication

      This guide is dedicated to my family,

      Fiona, my loving wife, and Evan Taylor Streit, my son.

      They make this, and most endeavors, all worthwhile.

      My brother, Taylor Streit, who taught me how to fly fish. Thanks, my brother. My mother, Eleanor Streit, who brought me into this world. My father, Philip Streit, who has left this world yet continues to help me fish.

       Table of Contents

Colorado Fishing Regulations and EtiquetteCommon Colorado Game FishFlies to Use in ColoradoConditions by the MonthTop Colorado Fly Fishing WatersAnimas RiverArkansas RiverBig Thompson RiverBlue RiverCache La Poudre RiverColorado River – UpperColorado River – MiddleColorado River – LowerConejos RiverDelaney Butte LakesDolores RiverEagle RiverFryingpan RiverGrand Mesa AreaGunnison RiverHigh Alpine Lakes

North Platte RiverPiedra RiverRio GrandeRoaring Fork RiverSan Miguel RiverSouth Platte River – Cheesman CanyonSouth Platte River – Wigwam to TrumbullSouth Platte River – South Park AreaSpinney Mountain ReservoirTaylor RiverTrappers LakeYampa RiverRocky Mountain Angling ClubResourcesConservationMore No Nonsense GuidesFly Fishing KnotsHighway Network MapTop Colorado Fly Fishing Waters Map

      A freight train follows one of Colorado’s great western rivers as an angler changes flies. Photo by Jim Muth.

       Foreword

      In 1994, at the fly fishing industry’s main trade show in Denver, I was seeking someone who could put together a fly fishing guide to Colorado. My crude and unscientific market research (hunch) back then