Best Places to Fly Fish in Estes Park, Colorado

Estes Park Fly Fishing Photographs

Big Thompson Canyon

Whether you’re a Denver/Boulder local or just visiting the area from out of town, Colorado has incredible fly fishing for everyone! Only an hour and a half from Denver International Airport, Estes Park offers world class views and countless fly fishing opportunities. The hardest part is choosing which one!

The Beauty of Big Thompson Canyon

Big Thompson Canyon is not just a pathway to Estes Park but a destination in its own right. The canyon's river winds through rugged terrain, with clear waters that are perfect for fly fishing. The natural beauty of this area provides a jaw dropping backdrop for a day of fishing, where the only sounds are the rushing waters and calls of local wildlife. At any point of any day you’re likely to catch sight of elk, deer, and other wildlife that make the Rocky Mountains their home. This location is also ideal anyone search of pristine streams and beautiful trout without having to hike into the backcountry. There are endless pull-offs on Route 34 (Big Thompson Canyon Rd) for peaceful isolation just a few minutes from your truck.

If you’re in need of a fly fishing guide for a day on the Big Thompson River, contact Front Range Anglers. They’ll take good care of you.

Photograph of a fly fisherman kneeling on ice while casting into the Big Thompson River near Estes Park, Colorado.

Estes Park Fly Fishing

Winter fly fishing near Estes Park, Colorado

Winter fly fishing - Estes Park, CO

Photograph of a fly fisherman netting a trout in Estes Park, Colorado

Winter trout fishing in Colorado

Rainbow trout caught in winter near Estes Park, CO

Rainbow Trout - Estes Park

Photograph of a fly fisherman in a snowstorm in Colorado

Fly fishing in the snow

Colorado winter fly fishing

Winter fly fishing in Colorado

Photograph of a fly fisherman crouching in the river to avoid being seen by fish

Colorado Fly Fishing

Photograph of a mallard swimming by a fly fisherman

Mallard

Photograph of a fly fsherman removing a hook from the mouth of a rainbow trout

Removing hook from Rainbow Trout

Black and white photograph of a fly fisherman in Big Thomson Canyon near Estes Park

Black and white photo of fly fishing in Estes Park

Long exposure photograph of water flowing on a river

Abstract river photograph

Fly Fishing Deckers Canyon

Fly Fishing Photography - Colorado - Deckers

There is no end to the pleasures that fly fishing can provide a person once they get past the initial suffering that comes along with the sport. That’s not to say it ever gets easy, you just learn how to screw up less. For me, one of the great pleasures is watching the way light, or the lack thereof, can transform a river. Might not look like it, but this was a cold December day on the South Platte River in Deckers Canyon. The solitude a canyon brings is great. It also brings endless shifts of light that can be equal parts beautiful, tricky, and frustrating from a photography perspective. One of my biggest difficulties with fly fishing is a positive one; deciding whether to fish or to photograph. After years of deliberation the obvious conclusion presented itself - fish when the light sucks.

Click HERE to see more of my fly fishing photography.