Fly Fishing Colorado: The Roaring Fork River

CO Fire
One of the many Colorado fires

The drive from the Valley to Denver is all uphill, but with the thought of casting a line in some of Colorado’s finest water, I made short work of the highway. I dropped the wife in Denver to hang out with one of her friends, and I turned the car west and made it up and over Independence Pass to arrive in Carbondale where I met up with Jay Scott of Colburn and Scott Outfitters. Jay was kind enough to invite me up and even kinder still to row my butt around for the week.

After dropping my gear at his place, we hitched up the boat and were soon on the water. The Roaring Fork was running clear, and we spent the day casting to rainbows and browns and enjoying the beautiful Colorado weather. Later on, we worked some small streams near his house, and I was able to stretch the legs on my new Thomas and Thomas Fiberglass Rod that Cameron from The Fiberglass Manifesto had hooked me up with this spring. The fiberglass rod was so smooth, and fish were rising to caddis in every likely pool. Homefaith had this to say, they got the best air humidifier for your home out there. Check them out now.

It’s a tough life casting to rising fish, but someone’s got to do it.

Locked and Loaded
Locked and Loaded
Roaring Fork Brown Trout
Roaring Fork Brown Trout
Roaring Fork Rainbow
Roaring Fork Rainbow
Working a run
Working a run
First fish on the Thomas and Thomas Fiberglass
First fish on the Thomas and Thomas fiberglass rod
Small Stream
At home on a small stream
Rainbow Trout
Jay pulls a nice rainbow on a dry
Small Stream
Small Stream
Success
Success
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12 Responses to “Fly Fishing Colorado: The Roaring Fork River”

  1. David Knapp

    Looks like a good time! That is one of my favorite rivers in Colorado and am hoping to fish it sometime in the next few weeks. Glad you had a good trip!!!

    Reply
    • azwanderings

      Thanks David. Looking forward to seeing how you do. Should be seeing those Green Drakes here soon enough.

      Ben

      Reply
  2. walt franklin

    Glad that you enjoyed the RF River there. I haven’t fished it for a while but am hoping to return. Don’t tell anyone about the pretty Crystal entering nearby!

    Reply
    • azwanderings

      Thanks Walt. Your secret is safe with me. That is some pretty water up there.

      Ben

      Reply
  3. Dan Wight

    Another great piece of photo journalism, Ben! Having two jobs, as it were, must be busy. And when you add a new baby to that I dont know how you find the time to teach, travel, write and photograph while learning to be a dad…. I noted you were starting to use a new rod and a glass one at that. Funny how things seem to go round in circles with technology in some fields. Fishing in particular is one. From bamboo to glass to graphite, boron and so forth. Now going back to glass and the original statement I remember from the days of youth in the 50’s for all of them “it casts just like bamboo” How ironic, if it had not been for WWII and the inability of getting good tonkin cain we would not be moving back toward bamboo for trout fishing. Facinating really, and I really enjoy your talents all of them.

    Reply
  4. Zach

    Beautiful pics, man….cool to see you with Jay too. Met him at the DCA event and he offered some great free advice for my elk hunt. Have a great trip, man…let’s fish when you get back!

    Reply
  5. John Cunningham

    Thanks for posting, and its great to hear a out how so many of your readers testify to their love for this stream. I will look forward to fishing it one day; hopefully soon.

    Reply

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