Eagle River Colorado Fly Fishing

Fishing in the state of Colorado is on the same par as its skiing – good. From lake and reservoirs to creeks and rivers, the abundance of fishing options in the state is unbelievable. Located just off the I-70 corridor near the town of Eagle is the famous Eagle River. The "Eagle" is a beautiful stretch of fresh water, especially in the fall when the trees leaves turn deep shades of red, orange and yellow. Many locals are proud to call this their "home water." Here, the wild rainbow, brown, brook and cutthroat trout are colorful and strong – with some reaching as big as 21 inches. For many years, the Eagle has been overshadowed by the Colorado, Roaring Fork and Frying Pan rivers. As a result, there is ample opportunity to fish a section of this great river all by your lonesome – a notion that is quite scarce today.

If there is one trout stream in Colorado that has it all it's the Eagle, and for many reasons. Much of the 70-plus mile river is open to public fishing. You can wade the Eagle during much of the prime season and it's about 50 miles across. In addition to harboring all the classic types of challenging fly fishing, the Eagle's typical runoff begins mid-May with the river becoming wadable again by mid-to-late July.

Floating the Eagle in a drift boat is quite popular after runoff when the water is clear, which is usually in early June until the river drops too low it can't be floated. The best way to experience a float down the Eagle is to hire a guide through one of the many reputable services in the area. If you plan on floating yourself, be careful as the Eagle is a rocky, technical river with a number of tight, class IV rapids during high water.