Breckenridge

[foxfire]

Will be in Breckenridge this June for a weeding and want to get a half day trip in to experience western fly fishing. Quick internet search came up with Breckenridge Outfitters which is an Orvis "approved" outfit. Initial thoughts were the South Platte river, though Williams Fork with it's limited access seemed intriging.

Any recommendations from the forum, either outfitter or location would be appreciated. Remember I'll only be able to spare a half day so I'd like to get the most bang for the buck!! Thanks!!

 

[SBecker]

Well I guess when the state you are going to legalizes pot, you can be open about it on here.

Btw, I have no info. Surprising, right?

 

[foxfire]

LOL!!!! Sorry about that. Obviosly I ment Wedding!!!

 

[greenlander]

I'll be in the Vail/Beaver Creek area in a couple weeks and might hit up the Blue River in Silverthorne for a few hours one morning. It has been recommended. It'd probably be an 45-min to an hour's hike from Breckenridge, though, so you might find something closer.

 

[bikerfish]

it's Colorado, there are trout in every ditch! get a map, find a creek, fish, enjoy!
Breckenridge is very centrally located, and a very beautiful area, lots to see and do besides fishing also.
oh yeah, you WILL be at altitude there, read up on the precautions and how to acclimate, it can make a big difference in how much fun you will have. I had a friend that spent a very sick week there, while the rest of us had a great week skiing.

 

[joebamboo]

A few years ago, I booked a half day with Brekenridge Outfitters. We fished the South Platte. The problem I had was that the guide, once he saw that I was not a beginner, was off fishing himself. Not very professional in my opinion.

 

[tomitrout]

When I was there for a mtn bike race a few years ago there was a nice looking stream that flowed right out of town with a nice paved jogger's path following it. Not sure the name of it or if it held trouts, but it sure looked fishy and was plenty cold in the middle of July...should be easy access if you're staying in town.

 

[troutbert]

Stare at maps for several hours, and look for backcountry streams near your location. Just look for places where the road ends, and the stream extends for miles up above that last access point.

Drive to where the road ends, walk steadily for 1/2 hour at the very least, preferably more. Then string up and start fishing, and just keep fishing on up into the mountains.

You are likely to find good fishing and terrific scenery.

The Blue River is right there in Breckinridge, but who wants to fish right in town, right beside the Interstate, when you have all that backcountry awesomeness to explore.

 

[PennKev]

I don't know if a half day guided trip is worth the money anywhere. It'll go by in a blink and if you need to be somewhere at a certain time it'll be hectic. My advise would be to find someplace to fish close to where you are staying and go it alone.

Kev

 

[dryflyklesse]

Get a hold of minturn anglers, the guy Dave there ran a fly shop for the gunpowder river in md moved to Colorado and runs minturn guided.

 

[greenlander]

joebamboo wrote:
The problem I had was that the guide, once he saw that I was not a beginner, was off fishing himself. Not very professional in my opinion.

That's a far cry from simply being "not very professional". That's inexcusable and cause for a 100% refund.

 

[JasonDailey]

There is a trout stream that runs right through town and is literally a stone's throw from that Orvis shop. One of the guides/ shop sales guy was actually from the Pittsburgh area. Its a cool town but very touristy w/ the tshirt shops. If you are going to be out that way, consider checking out Rocky Mtn NP and Kirks Fly Shop in Estes Park. It was very accessible to the Big Thompson that runs right through the NP and if you only have a half day, they will put you on fish right away. Wish I could remember the guide I had but he was a fireman from Denver out of that shop.

 

[Mike]

Skip the guide and call the local regional biologist if you are going to go it alone. Tell him/her the limitations of your trip, the time factor, and what type of fishing you hope to get and, if locally available, he/she will most likely put you onto it. Don't wait until the biologist's field season to make the call. You may get a very late response.

 

[foxfire]

Thanks for advice all, I didn't want to go it alone since I dont plan on flying with my gear. The place I checked provides almost everything. I hate not using my trusted rods, etc. but I need to travel light since the fishing will be secondary to why I'm there, unfortunately.

 

[dryflyklesse]

I always carry on a fly rod with me in a hard tube, never had a problems going to Colorado or Florida, there is also a lake you might want to try called goose pasture tarn lake right off rt 9 I believe I have family that have a house on that lake and it is amazing

 

[foxfire]

Any issues/advice with packing waders, vest, etc.??

 

[tomitrout]

For just a half day, I probably wouldn't bother with a full vest. I'd pack a simple fanny pack with a flybox or two, 4 thru 7x spools of tippit, nippers, hemos, floatant, shot and indicators. Just pack it along with your boots and waders in with the rest of your clothing.

And personally, not sure how you define 'half day', but my take is that you have a morning to escape and need to be back by lunchtime/noonish? If that's the case, I'd minimize the exploration part of the outting and maximize time on the water. I'd just get some beta from the local flyshop then go hit the easy to access Blue instead of driving up into the mtns, followed by a hike in, which then requires a hike out and a drive back into town, all eating into your 'half day'. I'd rather be on the water than spending that extra time going forth and back...unless you want to do some exploring as much as get in a bit of fishing.

 

[foxfire]

Good point tomitrout regarding time management, though a mix of exploring/scenery with some fishing is probably what I'm after.

 

[Chaz]

Breckenridge is over 2 hours from the S. Platte, and I don't recommend the S. Platte anyway. You're better off staying near Breckenridge and fishing the Colorado R. or the Blue R.

 

[foxfire]

Thanks Chaz!! I assumed the S. Platte was close since it's listed on their web site....