Winter Fly-Fishing in Colorado
Winter fly-fishing may be the best-kept secret in Colorado. Hook up with a guide to learn about new fishing tricks, local streams and hatches.
Minturn Anglers
Minturn
A sparkling blanket of snow and uncrowded rivers make the perfect bait for a guided wade trip. The veteran guides of Minturn Anglers take you out in Vail Valley, where folks of all skill levels have the chance to hook a rainbow trout from slow-moving winter waters. Choose from either the Colorado or Eagle rivers.
St. Peter’s Fly Shop
Fort Collins
Practice your back casts during a part-school, part-fishing trip. On this outing with St. Peter’s Fly Shop, you’ll build your fundamental fly-fishing skills and get tips on everything from achieving an extended drag-free drift to adding 20 feet to your cast. Some guided trips are offered during the winter.
5280 Angler
Arvada
Walk and wade with this outfitter, who has an admitted love affair with Colorado’s trout and promotes best catch-and-release practices. Spend a day on the South Platte River with your new best friend/fishing buddy — one of 5280 Angler’s personable guides. Trips include all the equipment you’ll need, from boots and waders to rods, reels, flies, terminal tackle and a cooler.
Colorado Wilderness Rides and Guides
Denver, Boulder & Estes Park
Serious fishing fans can book a multi-day trip with Colorado Wilderness Rides and Guides. Custom adventures to top fly-fishing destinations are based on a client’s goals and skill level. Guided fish-and-float trips include a fly-fishing “school,” all necessary gear and access to Colorado’s remote streams. You might just luck out and catch a rare greenback cutthroat trout — the official state fish.
Tenkara in Snow-Flanked Streams
Colorado’s shimmering streams are the perfect place to try tenkara, an ancient Japanese method of fly-fishing that uses a lightweight bamboo rod, line and fly without a reel.
Frying Pan Anglers
Basalt
Frying Pan Anglers is happy to take fly-fishing novices under their fins and teach them the art of tenkara. The easy-to-learn style of fishing is great for newcomers and happens to be one of the most effective ways to snag trout. Book a guided trip and fish along the crystal-clear Gold Medal waters at the confluence of the Frying Pan and Roaring Fork rivers.
Royal Gorge Anglers
Cañon City
Build your skills with a Colorado big fish — Royal Gorge Anglers is the oldest outfitter on the Arkansas River. You’ll take a guided trip through the southern Rocky Mountain canyons and learn cutting-edge American tenkara techniques, like nymphing, plus traditional Japanese fly patterns.
RIGS Fly Shop & Guide Service
Ridgway
These guides cast a wide net as both the first tenkara fly-rod dealer and endorsed tenkara outfitter in the state. Join them for an expertly led adventure in southwestern Colorado’s scenic, high-mountain headwaters. RIGS’s guides really know their stuff, so expect to get schooled as you go.
Mountain Angler
Breckenridge
Join Summit County’s oldest fly-fishing guide service and the only one to offer area tenkara excursions. To ensure things go swimmingly, all Mountain Angler trips are private (with three people max per guide) — and you must make a reservation. Locations include the Colorado, Blue and Eagle rivers along with limited outings on private local ranches.
