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Fairplay Colorado #13992457 05/10/21 11:49 PM
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spacejunkie Offline OP
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Wife just booked 4 days there in June for us, my daughter and soon to be son-in-law. Anyone ever fished in that area that can pass on some places to try and flies to use?

Re: Fairplay Colorado [Re: spacejunkie] #13993016 05/11/21 01:04 PM
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Fished all over that area from 2009-2019. Run off may or may not be over/tailing off. You have public access to the Middle Fork of the South Platte around Badger Basin, and the Tomahawk WMR. Those fish will mainly stocked fish with a few wild browns thrown in. Think attractor patterns such as stimulators on top and princes and pts there. You can go big #12-#14. You will also be close to Spinney Mtn reservoir and the Dream Stream Section of the South Platte. I didn't spend to much time fishing the reservoir but at that time of year callibaetis nymphs and Para Adams in #12-#16 can be good. On the Dream Stream if its is not moving fast and high think small midges and PMDs will be the predominate hatch with a variety of caddis thrown in. Midge flies should be #18-#22 PMDs would be both emergers and dries #18-#20. If the river is up still Barr's Slump Busters in #8-#6 are awesome I did best with rust but also caught fish on olive. Best place to fish is below the weir at the bottom parking lot look for good bends in deeper pools with undercuts and or the top of pools with good flow coming in if you are swinging Slump Busters.

Other close by place to fish would be the WMR near Alma. That area holds gobs of wild browns and brookies as well as a few cutties (if the browns haven't pushed them out). Tarryall Reservoir is also great it is mainly a stocked lake but that last few years I fished there some of the holdovers were getting darn big with many fish in the 19-22 inch range. The trout there loved a good dry damsel pattern and there always seemed to be a plethora of large caddis coming off. I found the best fishing at the far western/shallow end of the lake and at the small stretch of river that is public below the dam. Tarryall is also where I did best on pike. I used an eight weight for them with a 15Lb steel leader. As far as flies for pike any big white streamer or rainbow trout representation works; they aren't picky,

With any of these spots and even where you are staying even if you are in cabin "Make Sure You Have Bug Spray". The skeeters are terrible at that time of year.

Re: Fairplay Colorado [Re: spacejunkie] #13993083 05/11/21 01:57 PM
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spacejunkie Offline OP
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Thanks for the reply. Lots of information that I will have to process and have to check my fly supply. If I need to replenish it is that places in town where I can get some to support the local businesses or should I stock up before I go. From what I am seeing looks like 5x Tippets is what I should stock up on also unless you have something better to suggest. Wife is not going to like the skeeter report as they tend to like her. Any problems with altitude sickness in that area?

Re: Fairplay Colorado [Re: spacejunkie] #13993346 05/11/21 04:48 PM
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Fairplay itself is at 9,900+ ft. Drink lots of water.
I would buy your flies when you get there, might be something local they really like.
I would also check on snowpack and runoff. Reservoirs should be fine but creeks and river may be high and stained.
However, Bones72 probably has better info than me.

https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/porta...waterproducts/basin/?cid=NRCSEPRD1308237

Re: Fairplay Colorado [Re: spacejunkie] #13994329 05/12/21 11:45 AM
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Like Bones and Wytex, I fished that area in days gone by, but local fly shops would be your best bet on current conditions. I understand it snowed in Denver yesterday but am unsure about the mountain snowpack on that drainage this year.
The tailwater below Antero Reservoir may be fishable at that time and there is DOW lease on the creek that feeds it (between Firplay and Trout Creek Pass on Hwy 285).
West of Fairplay, is the Arkansas River. Upstream from Buena Vista are the headwaters and a pretty fair brown trout fishery with several DOW leases along the river. The Arkansas usually has a good caddis hatch about Mothers Day (south at Salida) and a good population of golden stoneflies that are active with the runoff flows.
North of Fairplay, on Hwy 9 over Hoosier Pass is Breckenridge and the Blue River that runs from Hoosier pass to the Colorado River near Kremling. There is access to the Blue along Hwy 9, but it is usually fished pretty hard. Dillon has some large trout that stage where the Blue River flows in and the tailwater below the dam should stay clear. Both are usually fished hard.
In Fairplay, you might check along the east side of town. There used to be a small creek with multiple Beaver Dams that held a healthy population of small brook trout. This was high enough to be out of serious runoff and a fun diversion.

Re: Fairplay Colorado [Re: spacejunkie] #13994487 05/12/21 01:55 PM
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Try "The Peak" flyshop. They have locations in Colorado Springs and Woodland Park and guide on all the South Park waters as well as the Arkansas. There are many others but the folks that run this one weren't snobbish as many of the others. There is Also Charlies' Fly Box in Arvada and the people there can answer just about any question under the sun. Both shops are online as well and usually have a report up about current conditions though they aren't great about updating once the duiding gets hot and heavy after ice-out. There have been many flyshops closer to where you are heading but they tended be here today gone tomorrow type operation with "on stream" pricing. My favorite midges for the are were simple thread midges like the zebra midge, juju midge, and KF emerger. Altitude can be a thing in that area for some folks like Wytex said plenty of water is a must and make sure to take time out to eat real meals and snack in-between.

Runoff can be a serious thing that is why I had not mentioned the Blue or the Ark. The Blue can really blow out and the Ark at that time of year has flows managed more for the rafting crowd, Runoff is a serious thing and Colorado loses several people a year due to drowning in way fast water. The waters of the South Platte in my experience were much more sedate and offered fishing even if they were up and somewhat stained. Like I mentioned Slumpbusters are awesome during runoff. Snowpack this year is way above 100 percent so runoff looks to be above average as well.

If you can get a Dolorme map it will have all kinds of water like Puzzled Oaks mentioned about the small creek and beaverdams. I love blue lining in the vast areas of National Forest the mountain west is famous for . I would have pointed you to some of that but directions would have been something along the lines of turn rights at the big rock near the small stand of quakies near Clyde and drive for while till you turn left on the two track; just a little more "good Ole boy" than most folks are used to. Many streams up high hold more brookies and little cutthroat than you can absorb in one day and are extremely voracious eaters.

Re: Fairplay Colorado [Re: spacejunkie] #13994497 05/12/21 02:01 PM
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Spinney and Antero offer great dry fly action from mid June on.. Adult damsel-callibaetis-caddis-hoppers size 10-14 casting to risers in the shallows.. Just walk the shore and stalk.

Re: Fairplay Colorado [Re: spacejunkie] #13994557 05/12/21 02:33 PM
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Nice pics flydoc !

Re: Fairplay Colorado [Re: spacejunkie] #13994648 05/12/21 03:36 PM
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You guys are awesome. I did not want to go there initially because of it's remoteness but with all you folks have passed on I now can't wait to get there. I have been busy looking at a satellite view of it and looking at places that have been mentioned here. I rearranged my little fly box and also have made a list of flies that I need to get. My son-in-law to be wants to learn about all kinds of fishing and this will be the first time I get to spend some one on one time with him. Hope it goes well since I just order him a new flyrod to give him and hopefully can get him hooked on the sport. Thanks again for all the information and keep passing it on if anything new comes to mind.

Re: Fairplay Colorado [Re: spacejunkie] #13994886 05/12/21 05:57 PM
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Originally Posted by spacejunkie
Thanks for the reply. Lots of information that I will have to process and have to check my fly supply. If I need to replenish it is that places in town where I can get some to support the local businesses or should I stock up before I go. From what I am seeing looks like 5x Tippets is what I should stock up on also unless you have something better to suggest. Wife is not going to like the skeeter report as they tend to like her. Any problems with altitude sickness in that area?


Taking Garlic tablets always helped me.

Re: Fairplay Colorado [Re: spacejunkie] #14027086 06/10/21 02:16 PM
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It's over 9,900 ft so yeah, altitude sickness could be a real issue for you. Drink lots of water and take it easy on alcohol til you see how you feel up there.

Re: Fairplay Colorado [Re: spacejunkie] #14027555 06/10/21 06:23 PM
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I'm supposed to go to Edwards Colorado in August and visit wife's friends. I see Fairplay is no to far from there. I'm hoping to get some fly time in to. Let us know how u do space junkie.

Re: Fairplay Colorado [Re: spacejunkie] #14035429 06/17/21 07:36 PM
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spacejunkie Offline OP
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Question that came to mine this morning as I start getting ready is if I need waders or not? I have some but if I don't need them it is one less thing to pack and keep up with.

Re: Fairplay Colorado [Re: spacejunkie] #14035989 06/18/21 01:06 PM
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Just how cold averse are you? If fishing in the mornings it can be on the chilly side for most native Texans; we're talking 50 ish usually. Water temps will be in the mid 50ies to low 60ies. I didn't usually wear waders around little mountain creeks or the South Platte west of the Dream Stream section. If fishing areas with beaver ponds or on the lakes I did. probably didn't really need to but they were a layer to keep the skeeters away. Colorado also had restrictions on some reservoirs that did not allow for skin contact so waders may not be a bad idea. Cannot remember if Spinney or Antero were among these water bodies (brain is addled with a touch of TBI).

Re: Fairplay Colorado [Re: spacejunkie] #14036178 06/18/21 03:03 PM
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Started gathering things up for the trip and wished I could leave today. One thing came to mind is do I need bear spray? Also has anyone ever panned for gold up there? Hate waiting.

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