21 Places to Go Fishing in Colorado

2. South Platte River

The South Platte River is one of Colorado’s most celebrated fly fishing destinations, driven in large part by the fame of its Dream Stream section between Spinney Mountain and Eleven Mile Reservoirs. Trophy-sized trout, epic PMD and caddis hatches, and wide-open meadow water make it a bucket-list destination for serious anglers. Cheesman Canyon and the Deckers area round out the South Platte experience with more technical canyon water and abundant public access within easy reach of the Denver metro area.

3. Gunnison River

The Gunnison River is home to some of the most dramatic scenery and most rewarding trout fishing in Colorado. The Black Canyon section is legendary among adventurous anglers: accessing it requires rappelling into the gorge, but those who make the effort find large wild trout in virtually unfished water. Beyond the canyon, the Lower Gunnison features 39 miles of Gold Medal water from Blue Mesa Reservoir to Delta, while the Upper Gunnison between Taylor Park Reservoir and Blue Mesa offers a variety of species and exceptional trophy opportunities. Nymphs, streamers, and dry flies all produce depending on the season; float fishing is popular on the more accessible lower sections.

5. Arkansas River

The Arkansas River offers a full range of Colorado angling experiences from its headwaters near Leadville all the way to the tailwater below Pueblo Reservoir. Famous sections like Browns Canyon, Bighorn Canyon, and Royal Gorge are known as much for their Class IV whitewater as their trout, but determined anglers find solid fishing throughout. Below Pueblo Reservoir, the tailwater section produces large trout on dry flies and nymphs in a more typical spring creek setting, while spin anglers working the deeper holes of the upper freestone can find exceptional fish throughout the summer months.

6. Roaring Fork River

The Roaring Fork River flows from its headwaters above Aspen to its confluence with the Colorado River in Glenwood Springs, and its Gold Medal designation covers some of the finest trout water in the state. The upper section above Basalt offers classic wade fishing in a stunning alpine valley, while the lower section below Carbondale opens up into deeper, slower runs best covered by drift boat. Brown trout are the primary target, with rainbows and brooks mixed throughout. The river’s proximity to Aspen means it sees significant pressure on summer weekends; early mornings and weekday trips offer a better experience.

8. Spinney Mountain Reservoir

Spinney Mountain Reservoir sits west of Colorado Springs at high elevation and covers approximately 2,500 surface acres, making it one of the larger stillwater trout destinations on the Front Range. Rainbow trout grow to impressive sizes here, fed by abundant chironomid populations and a healthy aquatic food chain. Northern pike are also present and provide exciting streamer fishing for those specifically targeting them. Fly anglers fish nymphs, streamers, and chironomid patterns effectively, while spin anglers do well with spoons, spinners, and crankbaits along the shoreline structure.

9. Fryingpan River

The Fryingpan River is one of Colorado’s most storied tailwaters, known particularly for the large rainbow and brown trout that hold in the Gold Medal section below Ruedi Reservoir. Mysis shrimp washed through the dam provide a rich food source that produces outsized fish relative to the river’s modest size. The tailwater fishes well year-round with nymphs, dry flies, and small streamers, while the upper freestone section above the reservoir takes on more classic mountain stream character with wild trout, vegetated banks, and productive pocket water. Spin anglers find consistent results with small spinners and spoons throughout both sections.

10. Blue River

The Blue River flows through four distinct sections, each offering a different character. Most anglers focus on the Gold Medal tailwater below Dillon Reservoir as it passes through the town of Silverthorne, where consistent cold water from the dam sustains populations of very large trout. Small midge and mayfly imitations in sizes 18 through 24 are the foundation of success here, though conditions occasionally allow for exceptional dry fly opportunities. The upper Blue near Breckenridge offers high-country creek character, while the Green Mountain Reservoir sections provide a wilder, more remote experience.

11. Rio Grande River

Originating in the San Juan Mountains of Southwest Colorado, the Rio Grande is one of the state’s largest rivers and one of its most underrated trout fisheries. The section from Box Canyon below the reservoir to Del Norte is the primary focus for anglers, where large brown trout hold in deep runs and are best accessed by float boat. A variety of techniques work depending on conditions, from small dry flies during hatch periods to nymphs and streamers for the larger resident browns. For anglers who want a legitimate shot at some of Colorado’s biggest trout in a less-pressured setting, the Rio Grande deserves serious consideration.

12. Eleven Mile Reservoir

Eleven Mile Reservoir anchors the southern end of the Dream Stream and forms the upper arm of the South Platte drainage. Boat anglers do best by trolling in the depths for Kokanee and larger trout, or targeting the shallow flats and drop-offs where trout cruise for chironomids, leeches, mayflies, and baitfish. Shore fishing is possible by covering water along the defined access areas, with cast-and-retrieve presentations or float rigs producing consistent results for rainbow and brown trout throughout the season.

14. Animas River

Flowing from the Needle Mountains through the historic town of Durango, the Animas River delivers a true Southwest Colorado fishing experience. The section near Durango is a large river with float fishing as the primary option for covering the most productive water, with exceptional brown trout that can reach impressive sizes. Wade anglers have access to roughly 7 miles of river through town. Those seeking a more intimate experience head toward Silverton, where the upper Animas becomes a small stream with light rods, dry flies, and the kind of remote mountain scenery that is hard to find anywhere else in the state.

15. Clear Creek

Clear Creek is the most accessible mountain stream fishery for anglers based in the Denver metro area. While it does not produce the large fish found on Colorado’s famous tailwaters, it delivers classic mountain stream character: bouldery plunge pools, fast riffles, and the kind of quick escape from the city that anglers living along the Front Range need. Highway 6 through Clear Creek Canyon provides simple pull-off access along much of the canyon. Dry flies, nymphs, and small lures like Rooster Tails and Kastmasters all produce throughout the season.

16. Taylor River

The Taylor River’s 20-mile tailwater section below Taylor Park Reservoir is one of the most consistent trophy trout fisheries in Colorado, producing large rainbow and brown trout year-round thanks to cold, stable dam releases. The Taylor Dam itself, commonly called the “Hog Trough,” is justifiably popular for its concentration of large fish, but the best combination of solitude and quality fishing is typically found at the multiple access points downstream. Mysis shrimp imitations are the dominant subsurface approach below the dam, though dry fly conditions can be excellent when the right hatches occur. The river fishes in all seasons, making it a reliable destination when other waters are in runoff or difficult conditions.

17. Blue Mesa Reservoir

Blue Mesa Reservoir is Colorado’s largest body of water at approximately 9,000 surface acres, and it supports one of the state’s most diverse lake fisheries. Lake trout can reach trophy sizes here, with documented catches exceeding 50 lbs in past seasons. Kokanee salmon are a major draw in the summer and fall, with trolling as the primary technique for both species. Shore anglers have access to 96 miles of bank, making this one of the most accessible large-reservoir fisheries in the state for those without boats. Cast-and-retrieve approaches with small spoons or lures, float rigs, and bait produce consistent results from the shore throughout the season.

18. Chatfield Reservoir

Located just southwest of Denver, Chatfield Reservoir offers something relatively uncommon in Colorado: a genuinely productive warm and coldwater mixed fishery within easy reach of the metro area. Smallmouth and largemouth bass are the primary draw for spin anglers, with crankbaits, jigs, and spinners producing well around the reservoir’s structure and coves. Fly fishing is most productive for trout in the cooler months using streamers and nymphs. The reservoir’s combination of diverse species and easy access makes it a convenient option for anglers who cannot make the drive to more remote mountain destinations.

19. Vallecito Reservoir

Vallecito Reservoir in Southwest Colorado near Durango supports a genuinely diverse mix of species, making it an ideal destination for anglers who want to vary their approach throughout the day. Rainbow and brown trout are the primary coldwater targets, while smallmouth bass, walleye, and northern pike provide opportunities for anglers comfortable mixing techniques. Boat anglers do best with trolling, casting, jigging, and bait presentations depending on the target species. Kokanee salmon populations have struggled in recent years, so most anglers shift focus to the other species that remain abundant.

20. McPhee Reservoir

Colorado’s second-largest reservoir at 4,470 surface acres, McPhee sits in Mesa Verde country in the Four Corners region and delivers a mixed warm and coldwater fishery unlike anywhere else in the state. Smallmouth bass are the star attraction, with rocky shorelines and creek arms producing consistent action on a variety of lures. Healthy crappie and yellow perch populations keep panfish anglers busy, while occasional largemouth bass and walleye add to the variety. Come to McPhee with a range of lures and techniques, as the species diversity rewards anglers who adapt throughout the day.

21. Eagle River

The Eagle River flows through one of Colorado’s most scenic mountain corridors, passing near Vail and Beaver Creek before joining the Colorado River at Dotsero. Its freestone character means genuine seasonal hatches, including prolific stonefly, mayfly, and caddis activity that drive aggressive surface feeding from brown and rainbow trout throughout the warmer months. The best access is found along the I-70 corridor between Minturn and Gypsum, with the upper river above its confluence with Gore Creek offering more intimate, smaller-water fishing. The Eagle is not known for trophy-sized trout, but it delivers a rewarding, authentic Colorado stream experience close to major mountain resort communities.