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BRECKENRIDGE — Rivers are running high, and the fishing is, well, a little on the low side. Blowout water and strong currents are making it difficult for anglers in the High Country lately. The snowy weather doesn't help much either.
Still, that leaves most with two simple options right now: 1) head south, as in to the South Platte River, or 2) fish the banks and throw something that shines.
“In high water, I'd say fish that soft water on the side, close to the bank,” Nolan Bluntzer of Breckenridge Outfitters suggested. “With the water running like that, the fish should be pushed up against the bank.
“And when the water is a little cloudy, make sure to throw some stuff with the sparkle in it.”
On the Blue River, below the Dillon Reservoir, that advice may come in handy, as the Breck fly shop had the Blue running at nearly 800 cfs on Thursday. Streamers and other “big bugs” should work in the fast water, Bluntzer said.
The Colorado River isn't a good idea, right now, unless you're looking at whitewater rafting. Stretches of the stream are up around 5,000 cfs, and the water's blown out.
So, it may be time to do a little bit of driving and head to the South Platte.
Bluntzer said the middle fork in the Tomahawk Wildlife Area is “fishing really well.”
“You could find 20 fish, easy, if you're fishing hard,” he said.
The water is a little “stained,” but Bluntzer said to use something with a little “flash” in it, especially on overcast days. Sparkle worms, Barr's flashback emergers and even some bigger flies should do the trick.
Up in the “Dream Steam,” the stretch located between Eleven Mile and Spinney reservoirs, the Platte is still hovering around 75 cfs, as it has been for the last month or so. Bluntzer suggests some smaller stuff on that stretch — midges, PT emergers, Barr's emergers, RS2s and juju baetis.
The Arkansas River is still flowing relatively calmly, around 100 cfs near Leadville. In the Granite area, the Ark has reportedly seen some blue-winged olive hatches, as well as its customary caddis hatch for this time of season.
Reservoirs have also been fishing strong. The Sky-Hi Daily News reported some monster lake trout in both Granby and Grand Lake, some up to nearly 40-inches long.
Both Spinney and Antero reservoirs have also been fishing well the past few weeks.
Still, that leaves most with two simple options right now: 1) head south, as in to the South Platte River, or 2) fish the banks and throw something that shines.
“In high water, I'd say fish that soft water on the side, close to the bank,” Nolan Bluntzer of Breckenridge Outfitters suggested. “With the water running like that, the fish should be pushed up against the bank.
“And when the water is a little cloudy, make sure to throw some stuff with the sparkle in it.”
On the Blue River, below the Dillon Reservoir, that advice may come in handy, as the Breck fly shop had the Blue running at nearly 800 cfs on Thursday. Streamers and other “big bugs” should work in the fast water, Bluntzer said.
The Colorado River isn't a good idea, right now, unless you're looking at whitewater rafting. Stretches of the stream are up around 5,000 cfs, and the water's blown out.
So, it may be time to do a little bit of driving and head to the South Platte.
Bluntzer said the middle fork in the Tomahawk Wildlife Area is “fishing really well.”
“You could find 20 fish, easy, if you're fishing hard,” he said.
The water is a little “stained,” but Bluntzer said to use something with a little “flash” in it, especially on overcast days. Sparkle worms, Barr's flashback emergers and even some bigger flies should do the trick.
Up in the “Dream Steam,” the stretch located between Eleven Mile and Spinney reservoirs, the Platte is still hovering around 75 cfs, as it has been for the last month or so. Bluntzer suggests some smaller stuff on that stretch — midges, PT emergers, Barr's emergers, RS2s and juju baetis.
The Arkansas River is still flowing relatively calmly, around 100 cfs near Leadville. In the Granite area, the Ark has reportedly seen some blue-winged olive hatches, as well as its customary caddis hatch for this time of season.
Reservoirs have also been fishing strong. The Sky-Hi Daily News reported some monster lake trout in both Granby and Grand Lake, some up to nearly 40-inches long.
Both Spinney and Antero reservoirs have also been fishing well the past few weeks.
