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So heading to Colorado from the 8-18 in July. Staying in a place I think called buena vista and around park Estes or something like that. Not even hitting the stocked waters, wild fish only! I got wooly buggers in olive brown and black in the 10-14 size. Also may fly dry flies and may fly nymphs (and jeez those things are TINY). Didn't want to get a whole bunch of leader spools so went ahead and just got some already of the premade stuff and a couple tippet spools to replenish when needed (5x)

 

Actually pretty excited for this change of pace. Chilly weather, wild trout, 5wts, size 18 flies, and mountains. Got to love it!

 

PS, any tips are greatly appreciated!

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Visit wellerfish.me for lots of information about fly fishing colorado. Dave is a good friend and former Pennsylvanian who transplanted around 1990. Everything you need to know about stream fishing in Colorado is located on his site.

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I've only fished the park once, in August 2009. Very beautiful place.

 

The best fishing was in the Colorado river. There were brook trout almost everywhere! The majority of fish took a #14 Stimulator, as there were no hatches.

 

These are the guys to check with:

 

http://www.kirksflyshop.com/

http://estesangler.com/

http://www.scotssportinggoods.com/

 

The best advice I can give is to pause and take a look around you. It's easy to get wrapped up in fishing the river and miss out on the surrounding environment!

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Those two places are pretty far apart and the waters available cover a vast array of conditions, so it'll pay to be prepared for anything. Of course bring your buggers for when fish aren't keyed on hatching bugs, and also bring some San Juan worms for non hatch situations. Of course hatches will vary from river to river, especially when you figure in different elevations, but this time of year I'd expect midday PMD's, evening caddis, probably a few stoneflies, maybe a few drakes of some kind, and a few hoppers in some areas. Flies I'd definitely have in my box would be PMD dries in size 18, hares ear or pheasant tail nymphs in size 14 to 18, caddis dries in sizes 12 to 18, a hopper or two, a nondiscript dry like an adams in sizes 12 to 18, and a SJ worm in pink. Enjoy, Colorado is a wonderful places to chase trout.

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Yeah I got some of the caddis dries...

 

One thing about the buggers. Do I just blind cast it and strip it back or let it flow with the current or...?

 

Thanks

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Cast them and strip them back fast (real fast). If that doesn't work cast them and let them swing downstream, then start pulling them in at a steady pace then repeat. That is the way we catch a lot of fish on the Rio Grande here in Southern Colorado. Olive and Black are good colors for Woolly Buggers.

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Your trip is timed perfectly. Colorado had a pretty epic snowpack this year and the fishing is just getting really good as the rivers have finally began to come down. I'll be away from home later this summer chasing trout in RMNP as well...looking forward to it as I haven't been in Estes for several years. Until then it will be fishing throughout the Gunnison Country as usual!

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I live in buena vista,but my fishing is done primarily on the gunnison,taylor and the east river.Also the occasional trips to the frying pan and roaring fork.

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is there still a good run of kokanee salmon on the east river?

 

i fished the east river below the hatchery back in the 1980's and it was 1 fish after another

 

the taylor was fun too

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Colotyer could I expect any salmon next week in buena vista? Also, any knowledge about the fishing would be great!

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Kokanee run in late summer or fall, so you're not likely to find any on this trip. You might catch the end of the golden stonefly hatch however, in the buena vista area. I did well on the Arkansas near buena vista a few years back around July 4th when a big snowpack delayed the hatch and this year seems to be similar. Big trout crashing big dries, not much better than that.

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Sweet. I think I have dry flies, are stimulators dry flies? Got a couple of those..

 

Also, I got some 5x tippet. I have good eye sight and young, but holy crap that stuff is so skinny. I could barely it!

 

What knot should I use to attach tippet to fly, or would a regular non slip loop knot work?

 

thanks and sorry for being a trout googan haha

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I've always used an improved clinch for trout,but that's just me.

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