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Estes Park Colorado Fishing #12813377 07/02/18 02:41 PM
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1WithTXFish Offline OP
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I am going to Estes Park at the end of the month and was wondering if all I should bring is my ultra light spinning combo, small daredevils and inline spinners? We are staying on the Big Thompson River but might spend some time fishing Lake Estes. Are there any fish worth catching other than trout in the area? The only trout fishing I have experienced is stocked ponds here in Ft Worth and a couple of trips bottom bouncing night-crawlers and corn along the White in Arkansas. The interwebs claim decent sized browns could be caught any special lures for them?

Thanks TFF


A five spot for a shot and a beer? And you wonder how we wound up here.
Re: Estes Park Colorado Fishing [Re: 1WithTXFish] #12813717 07/02/18 06:13 PM
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Drive up tp Wyoming for better and less crowded fishing. You can catch several species of trout within 1 hr of Laramie.
Panther martin spinners work well on trout. Size 4 & 6 are perfect for most streams and # 2 for small creeks, trout patterns are what I use, dressed and undressed hooks.
Have fun, 1-2 lb browns and rainbows are quite fun to catch.

Re: Estes Park Colorado Fishing [Re: 1WithTXFish] #12814271 07/03/18 01:47 AM
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In line spinners usually does the trick in Colorado. You can get the clear floats and tie a fly on. You just let a little water in so you can cast it. It can be a little more fun. In the little lakes you can set up like a drop shot and use night crawlers or that berkly bait that looks like playdough. But Ive never fished around Estes but a lot of other places around Colorado.


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Re: Estes Park Colorado Fishing [Re: 1WithTXFish] #12814273 07/03/18 01:48 AM
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Also you need to check regulations where ever youre at. Seems like some places are barbless hooks


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Re: Estes Park Colorado Fishing [Re: 1WithTXFish] #12814536 07/03/18 12:30 PM
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Sure is beautiful up there - especially the drive up from Loveland - drop by one of the baits shops for some local guidance. Lots of wade fishing on the climb...

Re: Estes Park Colorado Fishing [Re: 1WithTXFish] #12814936 07/03/18 05:12 PM
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Poudre river is just north of there. I use to travel to Ft. Collins and spent some time fishing it. Some stretches are very accessible from the road but if you feel like a hike there is a trail that follows it up to the headwaters. I just cross country skied in Estes, never fished there.


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Re: Estes Park Colorado Fishing [Re: wytex] #12816198 07/04/18 06:06 PM
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Also a small gold Mepps spinner. We stayed at cabins along the river below Estes Park and I caught browns, rainbows and cutthroats on wet flies.

Re: Estes Park Colorado Fishing [Re: 1WithTXFish] #12816423 07/04/18 09:27 PM
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Returned 2 weeks ago from our annual family trip to the YMCA camp/cabins in Estes Park. Check out Kirks Flyshop or Estes Anglers for local information, Kieran Oliver is a young guide that works at EA he fished the FLW collegiate bass event in texas so after discussing that he opened up about some other local spots.
I fished a few times at Mary's Lake and some streams in the rocky national forest. I used my ultra-light spinning tackle with mepps and panther martin #1 inline spinners and a small rapala jerk minnow in gold black back. Even with a swivel about 10 inches up the line from the inline spinner fishing in the stream caused a lot of line twist. I put new line on after every trip to a stream.

Caught 1 in the stream in Moraine Park and 5 total (3 short trips) in Mary's Lake all were between 8 and 11 inches.

I did not make it to Lake Estes but Kieran mentioned there are muskies in the lake mostly by the dam. He mentioned the tailrace is a good area too.

Re: Estes Park Colorado Fishing [Re: 1WithTXFish] #12816690 07/05/18 01:42 AM
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there is no need to drive anywhere to catch fish at Estes! If you need extra info there was a lady at Scotts Fly shop that gave us an amazing deal of information and helped us out so much, taught me a lot. Anyways, if you are spin fishing, yes I would recommend the inline spinners, but I was fly fishing with zebra midges I made about 6-9 inches under a small float and caught tons of browns anywhere I went. There are tons of creeks running through estes, fish them all! I walked from a few miles out of the city, all the way into and through town, and most the fish I caught was in the creeks in town! Also estes lake was good, there was a point on it i remember, a bridge crossed the water and the point was on one side, go to the tip of the point and get to it, thats where i caught most of mine, but caught bigger ones the farther I casted. Good luck hope you catch em!


just an avid outdoorsman
Re: Estes Park Colorado Fishing [Re: 1WithTXFish] #12818142 07/06/18 02:28 PM
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Thanks everyone, I think I will try to hook up with one of the local guides one day and spin fish the rest.


A five spot for a shot and a beer? And you wonder how we wound up here.
Re: Estes Park Colorado Fishing [Re: 1WithTXFish] #12819510 07/07/18 06:07 PM
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Little gold spoons are good in the Big Thompson and the lake. I had a ton of fun this time of year once by catching small grasshoppers and put them on a hook with a split shot above and drift it from the bank. I was catching trout when no one else was. Also little Kastmasters, have to be orange and silver, are deadly all over Colorado.


it's all in the wrist
Re: Estes Park Colorado Fishing [Re: 1WithTXFish] #12820026 07/08/18 03:56 AM
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We just got back from Estes Park yesterday. We fly fished the Big T in the Canyon and in Moraine Park. We caught alot of fish in both places using small streamers and small hoppers (#16) with bead head nymph dropper. Also if you can swing it you should check out the high alpine lakes in RMNP. We caught the heck out of greenback cutthroats eating small dry flies. Loch Vale, Fern, Mills Lake are all good.

Back before we started fly fishing we would catch alot of trout on spinning gear with small crappie tubes (brown and green pumpkin) with a 1/64 or 1/32 oz tube jig head.

Last edited by unclefish; 07/08/18 03:58 AM.
Re: Estes Park Colorado Fishing [Re: 1WithTXFish] #12820150 07/08/18 12:58 PM
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..... we just drove from Loveland to Estes Park yesterday ....
Lots of Fishermen on the Big Thompson just of Hwy 34
Not a fly fisherman,,, but stopped in one of the Pro shops and inquired about the fishing ...... they said it was good all up and down the river ... fly / light spinning tackle it was all good fishing .....hing you guys great success, sure looks like fun ----- next time for me

Re: Estes Park Colorado Fishing [Re: 1WithTXFish] #12820235 07/08/18 02:27 PM
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I'd reconsider. Went there a few years ago. Got a loony left wing speech from a young park Ranger about how there were no fish anymore because people had caught them all despite the fact people sell Brook trout fingerlings. Restock them is no an option apparently. She also told me " Please don't catch our fish, you'll stress them" ( I guess it would be stressful to be filleted.)

I wrote off Colorado and now go to New Mexico. Wyoming is good as well.

New Mexico is excellent Trout Fishing


Snake River in Wyoming is excellent in August as well


John 21:3 Simon Peter saith unto them, I go a fishing. They say unto him, We also go with thee.
Re: Estes Park Colorado Fishing [Re: 1WithTXFish] #12821412 07/09/18 04:30 PM
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If I was going to be in CO, and I was for the last 2 weeks, I wouldn't waste 2 seconds of time around Estes. Go over Cameron Pass and get into some real fishing. But hey, what do I know? I was only a CO resident for 52 years.


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