Fly Fishing in Colorado and trip planning?

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dixietimber

dixietimber

Member
Joined
Oct 21, 2011
Posts
10
Location
Midland, NC
My husband is a fly fisherman and he has never been west of the Mississippi!  Crazy huh?  Well I finally bought a truck to make the trip and we are planning one for June.  He said he would go if I could take him somewhere there is good fishing.  We can only take 2 weeks off right now so we are looking at Colorado.  We live in NC.  Anyone got suggestions for a destination to shoot for that would offer him a good self guided experience.  I want his first trip out west to be a memorable one!
 
Hopefully there will be a lot more responses after mine, but in the meantime, Google gold medal fishing rivers in CO.  I summer in SW CO and there are bunches of rivers that yield excellent trout while fly fishing.
 
Also any ideas on a round trip destination for interesting fishing stops along the way from Charlotte NC to Colorado?  Right now I'm looking at going through Little Rock, Arkansas and into OK, TX, NM then into southern CO, maybe coming through Kansas and straight through to home from there.  But wandering if cutting straight across through Kansas and going toward northern CO and into WY and back home through SD or Nebraska would be better.  I'm trying to think of his fishing but remember only 2 weeks, lol.  Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.  We are young RVer's and this would be our first serious trip so really getting excited!
 
Here is your basic problem. It is 1600 miles from Charlotte to Denver. Most of us don't drive much over 300 miles in a day because it can be very exhausting. That means that you will have a minimum of 10 of your 14 days driving. If you do 400 miles a day it is still 8 days of driving. If you could make it a three week trip it might be worth the effort, but ten days of driving for 4 days of vacation doesn't sound too comfortable. I wish I could come up with a better plan, but Colorado is about the closest thing to you out west. An alternative could be Michigan or Wisconsin.
 
It took me 4 days to get to CO last trip and that was stopping for the horse.  I've traveled a lot through the years with my parents, now it might be different with Marc along, lol.  And actually I had not planned on staying long in any one spot.  Traveling through you might say.  Unfortunately we still work so this is all the time we can give it.  We might not make many stops but when we do I want him to get some good fishing in.  Any ideas on fishing rivers on a through trip?
 
Agree with seilerbird on distance and time.  However, you are in a state with great fly fishing streams, as well as close to north GA and eastern Tennessee.  If you haven't camped and fished the Davidson River near Brevard and the other tributary waters of the French Broad close by, you gotta do it.  You can also hit the wild trout streams of the GSNP......... the National Park has some nice campgrounds on the various streams to include Smokemont, Elkmont and Cades Cove.  Also not to be overlooked is the Helen GA area hitting Smith Creek, the upper Hooch and the monsters of Dukes Creek.  This only a smattering of trout streams in the mountains of NC, GA and TN.  But if you do decide on that trip, don't miss the upper Rio Grande and the Red River near Taos NM.  The Cimarron River near Angel Fire at the right time of year and water flow is good as well.  If you really want one of the top trout locations in the world, go a little farther west and try the waters of the San Juan River just east of Farmington NM.  Good luck and keep us posted.
 
eeaton1 --Thanks so much for the suggestions!  Will definitely let you know what we do!  We are very familiar with the fishing here as I am from NC and practically grew up in the mountains.  I do love it here but my husband has never been out west and I want to show him that beautiful country!  My old truck can take our camper where ever we want to go just not far cause it has high mileage but I just bought a new truck and am ready to go.  I love the western US!  Thanks again.
 
dixietimber said:
Thanks sheltie!  If you summer there you must have a good suggestion for a campground... :D
Click to expand...

There are several in the Gunnsion, Grand Junction, Ouray area that would fit your needs, but driving all that way and fishing in only 14 days, whew!!!!
 
Check with Fr. Filmore Strunk, pastor of All Saints Anglican that meets at Catholic High on Pineville-Matthews. He's a great fly fisherman! He's also chaplain to that great fly-fishing-campiing store over by South Park [it's been since '99 that I was ther aend cant remember the name.]

I'd fly Southwest from Raleigh  and rent a car with the best deal you can get and go to either:
Albuquerque and drive up to the San Juan/Durango area or north of Taos in the Sangre de Christos or the Chama below El Vado
Salt Lake City and Flaming Gorge in SW Wyoming NE Utah, or
Denver and ask Filmore about CO and he'll know someone.

That alone will give you the time you need --and yes trout fishing in N Arkansas below the dams in some of the rivers is fantastic!

Filmore Strunk at the church office (704) 708-4680. Use my name and give him and his wife Sandy my love. They are great! Better yet, go Sunday and surprise him when you tell him I sent you. http://www.all-saints-anglican.org/
 
Thank you all for your replies.  I look forward to discussing these ideas with Marc and planning our trip.  We'll let you know what we decide.  Thanks again!
 
I agree with stopping in Arkansas but I would go to the Denton Ferry RV park.  It is 10 miles from Gastons and on the White River.  Unbelievable rainbow and brown trout fishing all along the river.  Mostly nymph not dry fly fishing as their is a tremendous food source on the bottom that keeps the fish looking down and not up.  There are late evening hatches that bring out the big browns though.
 
I am thinking of making a trip to Colorado in a couple of weeks. My family won't have too much time (10 days max), and we're with dog. We'll be driving. Never been to Colorado. Fly fishing isn't going to be the main goal, but I think I can squeeze in a day or two. I know some of you guys are much more familiar with CO than I am, throw a few tips my way, too.
 
We have a river next to our place and a water hook-up, no electric or sewer.
Anyone is welcome during summer months. July-Aug-Sept. We only charge 35.00 a night and you're the only one on our property. We only allow Fri and Saturday nights though. :) We are in Livermore, Colorado up Hwy 287.
 
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