Blue River Fly Fishing, Colorado

Beautiful scenery, majestic mountains, crisp air and rivers full of fish. That's pretty much the fishing scene in Colorado. One of the best areas to fish in the state is in Summit County where there are a handful of quality fishing spots on numerous bodies of water. Besides the great fishing, Summit County overflows with accommodations and eateries that make the entire fishing experience in the area worthwhile. Just outside of the small mountain town of Dillon, the Blue River is one of the most scenic Gold Medal fisheries in Colorado.

The "Blue" is a medium sized river and can be fished from the Dillon Dam downstream to the Colorado River, though the section between Dillon and Green Mountain Reservoir offers the best chance for success. Much of the other water is private, so most anglers use the 10 miles of public access between the two lakes. The river flows north for 36 miles from Dillon Dam to Kremmling. On the west side of the valley, the wild and rugged peaks of the Gore Wilderness thrust abruptly skyward, while to the east the valley sweeps more gently to the Williams Fork Mountains. The river is approximately 60 feet across and wading is not difficult as long as you have good waders.

The section immediately below Dillon Dam in the town of Silverthorne is the most popular year-round tailwater in the area, especially for larger fish. Big trout live here because of the abundance of Mysis shrimp coming from the nearby reservoir. There is excellent winter midge fishing in this section too. Late March to November the entire river fishes well and look for runoff conditions downstream mid-May to mid-June. The "Blue" is home to brown, rainbow and brook trout, cutthroats and fall spawning Kokanee salmon. River access is clearly marked by Division of Wildlife signs and at parking areas.