Synopses & Reviews
From the majestic San Juan Mountains to the wide-open expanses of the San Luis Valley, few fishing areas rival the pristine beauty, diversity, and solitude of southern Colorado's rivers and trout streams. This guide thoroughly explores the region's watersheds: the Conejos, Rio Grande, San Juan, Piedra, Los Piños, Animas, and Dolores, as well as the still waters of high mountain areas. Included are detailed maps of the region and each watershed; area regulations and conservation policies; safety precautions, weather, and wildlife information; and a list of the region's important aquatic insects. For those willing to hoof it, southern Colorado's streams and rivers offer old fashioned, have-the-river-to-yourself fly fishing. But with this guide, even the roadside angler can find idyllic spots to cast a fly, making Fly Fishing Southern Colorado an essential guide for any angler interested in knowing and fishing ""the Little Switzerland of Colorado.""
Synopsis
Even the roadside angler can find idyllic spots to cast a fly. Fly Fishing Southern Colorado is an essential guide for any angler interested in fishing "the Little Switzerland of Colorado."
From the majestic San Juan Mountains to the wide-open expanses of the San Luis Valley, few fishing areas rival the pristine beauty, diversity, and solitude of southern Colorado's rivers and trout streams. This guide thoroughly explores the region's watersheds: the Conejos, Rio Grande, San Juan, Piedra, Los Pi os, Animas, and Dolores, as well as the still waters of high mountain areas.
Included are detailed maps of the region and each watershed; area regulations and conservation policies; safety precautions, weather, and wildlife information; and a list of the region's important aquatic insects. For those willing to hoof it, southern Colorado's streams and rivers offer old fashioned, have-the-river-to-yourself fly fishing.
Synopsis
Fly fishing has as much to do with ragged purple mountaintops, water cascading over rounded boulders in steep-walled canyons of pink granite, and sunlight streaming through Douglas firs as it does with fish. In pursuit of trout, anglers find themselves in some of the worlds loveliest places and perhaps, either knowingly or subconsciously, derive as much satisfaction from simply entering the trouts environment as they do from catching their quarry. Angling carries no guarantee of success, and more often than not a cast to a stream or lake results in failure. Yet anglers continue to head for the water because the places trout live are as important to them as are the speckled fish.
About the Author
Craig Martin is editor of the successful Fly Fishing in Northern New Mexico and lives just over the Colorado border in northern New Mexico. Tom Knopick and John Flick operate Duranglers Flies and Supplies tackle shop in Durango, Colorado.
Table of Contents
v Preface
1 Fly Fishing in Southern Colorado: An Introduction
17 Colorado Fishing Regulations and Personal Conservation Ethics
28 Safety and Comfort: Elevation, Weather, and Wildlife of the Southern Colorado Mountains
35 The Conejos Watershed: Conejos River
44 Elk Creek
48 Rio Chama
51 Conejos Area Lakes
54 The Upper Rio Grande Watershed: Rio Grande
66 South Fork of the Rio Grande
72 The San Juan Watershed: Upper Forks of the San Juan River
80 San Juan River Below Navajo Dam
85 Rio Blanco
91 The Piedra Watershed: Piedra River
100 Williams Creek
105 The Los Piños and Florida Watersheds: Los Piños River (The Pine)
115 Emerald Lakes and Lake Creek
120 Vallecito Creek
125 Florida River
130 The Animas and La Plata Watersheds: Animas River
139 Cascade and Lime Creeks
142 Hermosa Creek
146 Animas Watershed Lakes
149 La Plata River
152 The Dolores Watershed: Dolores River Below McPhee Reservoir
163 Upper Canyons of the Dolores River
168 Important Aquatic Insects of Southern Colorado
176 Appendix: List of Sources for Additional Information
179 Index