Colorado mags need beta

Coming from Utardia and meeting some friends in fruita for a mtb trip first week of april. Heading that way a few days early to scope some fishing. Any good trout water near fruita/grand junction? Also interested in picking up some legal nugs, seems like carbondale is the closest (but not close) so I'm probably going to hit the roaring fork. Should I just bag on grand county altogether and spend my time on the fork? I know the colorado at fruita is warm water fishery, how does it fish between the rf confluence and grand junction? Anyhing else you can share, patterns, dirtbag campsites, access points etc. PM if you dont want to sellout your secret spot to the www. And if by chance any of you gracious co mags has some time to show me around I'd repay the favor in kine with beer food and utah pow or fishing beta.

Grassyass in advance...

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I have only fished there a couple times, but I would just stick in the Roaring Fork Valley if it were me. The Colorado, Frying Pan, and Roaring Fork are all good.

If you want something closer to Fruita and different, the lower Gunni is suppose to be pretty good. It is only 55 minutes to Delta. They even do shuttles on motorboats where they will run your raft up river and you can float back down. You are also only an hour and 20 minutes to Montrose...San Miguel, Uncompahgre and even the Dolores is an hour closer than Fraser.

PM me dates and stuff when we get closer for when you are looking to fish. I am guessing I will want to get out and float and can get you and a buddy on the raft.

Thanks for the offer Gretch! I've got some time on the sticks and would be happy to row you for trouts. Interested to fish from a raft, thinking about getting one since it is more versatile than a drift boat for a family of four. Roaring Fork Valley has so much to offer I think I'll stick with it this trip but damn the gunni through the gorge is on the bucket list it looks amazing! Dry fly heaven. You guys in Colorado got it pretty good, seems like there's a lot of options for good water. And with your relaxed laws on being an adult I can see a lot of my vacation time being spent there.

If you are doing the Roaring Fork valley I certainly would get on the Frying Pan...especially if you can do it on a week day...should be midges and Blue Wing Olives for drys....you don't have to go all the way up to the top couple of miles, though that is beautiful water....much more crowded the last decades.....just drive up to water you like that isn't parked up with other cars.....more posted water than years ago, but pretty obvious....the shops in Basalt can be a bit uppity, but ask about bugs and conditions at all of em and then wing it.....if you are a newbie the Pan can be finesse and frustrating, if you have been around the block it's great water...not huge fish in most of the river, but very healthy and still my favorite Colorado water if you can get there without the crowds...........Chet

Lived in Junction for years and now reside in the RF Valley. Hate to say it but I have traded Fat tires for a fly rod most days because of it. No trout water in that neck of the woods unless you head down to the Gunny (about an hour 15 to Pleasure Park) or up to the Mesa, but that's a no go in April. Something to keep in mind is depending on the weather, April can be runoff conditions on The Fork and The Colorado up here in the RF Valley. Good luck and hit me up closer to that time and I'll let you know what's happening up here.

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Originally Posted by mcove

Lived in Junction for years and now reside in the RF Valley. Hate to say it but I have traded Fat tires for a fly rod most days because of it. No trout water in that neck of the woods unless you head down to the Gunny (about an hour 15 to Pleasure Park) or up to the Mesa, but that's a no go in April. Something to keep in mind is depending on the weather, April can be runoff conditions on The Fork and The Colorado up here in the RF Valley. Good luck and hit me up closer to that time and I'll let you know what's happening up here.

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This is spot on in my experience. GJ is all warmwater so between the RFV and the Gunny most choose the RFV. Early April can be runoff but usually early April is still really nice on the Fork. Plus the Pan is always good. Like move said, you can always pm me to see how things are up here closer to the date.

TGR fuken rules! Thanks for the beta guys it is mucho appreciated! Gonna bring my touring gear as well so if any of you CO mags want someone slow in the skintrack to make you look fast I'm your man :wink: I will be PM'ing you a week or so out for the finer details on teh fishes. It's gonna be a 3 sport week! SOFAKING STOKED!!!!

I'm not an expert on much... just your average dentist. But if I can ever return the favor all you have to do is ask.

Bumping this... Coming to Boulder then Redrocks for Dead and Co then Umphrees next weekend and want to fish something on my way in from UT. Is anything near I70 fishing well? Reports I've read make it look like flows are really high. Would I be better off on the North route in and fish the Poudre or N Platte?

Tons of options around here. Couple that with gore creek and black lakes. Personally, I'd stay above Wolcott.

https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/vi...ncqAeKXz1T73lM

I would say West Glenwood has a lot of hatches going on right now, but the river is still ripping. Bring your kayak and hit the GWAVE.

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Originally Posted by MakersTeleMark

Tons of options around here. Couple that with gore creek and black lakes. Personally, I'd stay above Wolcott.

https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/vi...ncqAeKXz1T73lM

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Looks like the flows on eagle are dropping. Maybe i will hit that

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Originally Posted by TheFugitive

Bumping this... Coming to Boulder then Redrocks for Dead and Co then Umphrees next weekend and want to fish something on my way in from UT. Is anything near I70 fishing well? Reports I've read make it look like flows are really high. Would I be better off on the North route in and fish the Poudre or N Platte?

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If you are real short on fishing time and need something directly off I-70, check out a tiny little CDOT rest area in Edwards called Wilmore Lake. No one fishes there, and you won't be disappointed, unless you don't like big rainbows.

Note to self. Never fish with that guy^.

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Originally Posted by ggfski42

If you are real short on fishing time and need something directly off I-70, check out a tiny little CDOT rest area in Edwards called Wilmore Lake. No one fishes there, and you won't be disappointed, unless you don't like big rainbows.

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+1 on this. The most epic, unknown, unused rest area in the lower 48. The fishing is sick and if you play your cards right, you might just meet a lady friend....

Man if I knew about that rest stop. Fished the eagle in gypsum by the ponds pretty off color didnt do super well. Moved into town and fished a couple more spots near the "sewar plant" and it improved a bunch. Spanked a couple of nice bows on cat poo and san juans. Sorry no pics my sd card fried. Also fished above black canyon on the way to leadville and it was beautiful but smaller fish.

Your state is really fucking rad!Bought a year out of state license, will be coming next time w the raft. Probably somewhere in the southlands

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Originally Posted by TheFugitive

Your state is really fucking rad!Bought a year out of state license, will be coming next time w the raft. Probably somewhere in the southlands

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Your fishing license includes a donation to the Colorado Search and Rescue fund.
Hopefully you don't need it, but it's nice to have.

I don't mine giving my money to SAR. Shit, outta state license for CO is not much more expensive than in state in UT. Give SAR another $5 and bump the price some more....

BTW, MakersTeleMark, thank you for that link to the Google maps info! Unbelievably helpful!

Just had this conversation with a buddy and i was a bit confused...Sounds like you will not be charged regardless, but yes $0.25 of each fishing licence goes to the fund and if you get a cosar card the agency will take from a pot of money to reimburse the local crew that saved your ass. Not bad for 3 bucks. http://www.coloradosarboard.org/csrb...dFactSheet.pdf

Bump for a possible trip to the lets get high country next week. Whats fishing good right now that is wadeable?

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Originally Posted by TheFugitive

Bump for a possible trip to the lets get high country next week. Whats fishing good right now that is wadeable?

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The entire eagle and upper C.

Anything under 9K, which is a lot. There is no snow on the valley bottoms, unless you're in a canyon.

Definitely don't PM me. There's no way I will take you fishing. :yourock:

But if you need a place to store that pontoon boat I've got you covered.

Thanks for the beta! I had a moab trip planned next tues to thursday maybe friday but my buddy is flakier than a greek pastry so my backup plan will be colorado fish and ski.

Oh and I did not PM underoos to go fishing... nope...

Looks like Moab is a go. Thanks for the beta I might be hitting yall up in a couple weeks