Rocky Mtn High

[Frequent Flyer]

Friend of mine is going to Colorado in mid-September. Wants to know what flies to take. Will be visiting Rocky Mtn. Nat'l Park and Estes (?). Don't know what streams, but suspect he'll be fishing rivers and not lakes.

Ideas. I suggested QT & Renegade.

[JOHNKIES]

I always inquire locally for the best information. One source is Front Range Anglers in Boulder. Ask for Ronny Young: the phone is 303.494.1375 and their page is www.frontrangeanglers.com. In Fort Collins, check with Corey Engen at St. Peters Fly Shop. The phone is 970.498.8968 and e-mail is stpeters@flyshop.com. The Boulder folks have good information of the Park and area streams. St.Peters also knows the Park, but they have their own set of rivers, and also cover southern Wyoming. One of the fishing magazines carried them in an article on the North Platte.

But for the best Park fishing in September, go to the western slope.

John Kies, CCTU, plus CSU and CU

[Frequent Flyer]

John,

Good advice. I'll p****it along. Thanks.

[mjc]

I went to RMNP last september. I highly recommend the Estes Angler for both advice and guiding. They are located in Estes Park at the foot of the tram.

I am new to FF and they were able to provide great instruction and advice. I used one of their guides one day and learned alot. They also offered advice on other places to fish on my own.

I fished the roaring river and the big Thompson with the guide in one day. The roaring river has greenback cutthroats which are endangered and C&R only.

The last day I hiked into a lake called "the Loch". It is a beautiful mountain lake and caught 15 cutthroats on the incoming stream. Where the stream enters the lake is a large boulder which you can stand on and sight cast to trout....Great place if you don't mind a hike.

Fished with orange stimulators and a green nymph (don't remember what it was called). Go by the Estes angler and they will let you know what is working.

[KB]

I fished several portions of the Colorado River last year this same time of year, including the portion in RMNP. In the large slower sections of the river, I fished kaufman stimulators and very big stoneflies; in the canyons we had really good luck with H&L Variants with bead head prince dropped; and in the park all I needed was tan EHC's with a grey body.
I never got around to fishing Estes Park, but if I could do it all over again, I would have spent to whole trip in the park. The canyon in Hot Sulphur Springs is worth the trip.

[ih8b8]

I fish the Colorado river south of RMNP about twice a year. I did not like the water in the park because it is so small and the fish are likewise small. About half an hour to an hour downstream is some public gold medal water on highway 40 beginning just west of Granby.

2 weeks ago the browns were absolutely clobbering a #12 Royal Wulff(Wolf?) and as always, take your #18 BH Ptails.

[Frequent Flyer]

My friend asked me to thank everyone for the info. He had a great trip and stood on the rock at Lock lake and caught many cuts.

So, thanks.