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Fly Fishing...

zeemanb

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 12, 2015
Messages
1,341
I'm guessing there are a number of fly fishermen on here that have been at it way longer than me...I'm only about a year in and haven't fished anyplace other than local lakes, rivers, and Missouri trout parks. We'll be up in Estes Park for a week in early June, so I'm planning at least one guided day on private water, and then trekking into RMNP to whatever lakes are within a few miles of walking and not still frozen. Probably by next fall I'll be looking to spend a couple of days of guided fishing someplace driveable from KC where the fish are big enough to justify my purchases that cover me for anything existing in freshwater.

I'd appreciate any input on specific guides or locations. I'm hoping to keep it within a 10 or so hour drive from KC, which will limit me to a few places in Colorado with larger trout, and Minnesota or Wisconsin for pike or smallmouth (not sure I have the patience for musky). I'm guessing the distance leaves most of Montana out of the picture. Northern Arkansas has good trophy trout fishing from what my research is showing me. I'm not in the "all-inclusive fishing resort" league....more like a Hampton Inn and a local guide for around $400 or so for a full day. Anyway, any info is greatly appreciated. And if you've done the whole helicopter air drop into the middle of nowhere New Zealand for monster trout.....I'd just like hearing about that craziness. Christmas Island stories would be seasonal too!

The fishing gear has greatly, greatly reduced my cigar spending this year, which my wife is not questioning....yet. As a newbie though, I'm finding if you stalk eBay sales and dig around for online shops blowing out discontinued rods and reels, that is the way to go. I have a great local shop I give my business as well, like with cigars there's no substitute for brick and mortar.

Speaking of great sales on discontinued stuff, I got myself a pretty nice Christmas present that covers me for just about any bass or big trout I can find....

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Not a fly fisherman, but pretty much everyone else in this state is, so if you ever make it this far I could probably get you set up.
 
Well I just found out that there are a few spots in Missouri where they started stocking musky twenty or so years ago. My grandpa always went up to the boundary waters to fish for them, but back when I was too young to join him. I just assumed you had to get close to Canada to find any of significant size. While I wouldn't want to spend the time and money it would take to potentially get skunked by "the fish of 10,000 casts" up north, I'm tempted to make the three hour drive east. The two guides I found are super reasonable, I've always been a man of extremes, so 8oz brook trout in the spring followed by 20lb musky (lord willing) in the fall....
 
Welcome to the game. It is a money tapper for sure. Let me know when you head to Colorado and I will hook you up with one of the outfitters I work with. Good luck on those Muskies. They can frustrate the best fishermen. Never caught one, but have thought about trying. That is until I realize that I have big trout 10 minutes away. I am actually heading to Estes today for work.
 
Welcome to the game. It is a money tapper for sure. Let me know when you head to Colorado and I will hook you up with one of the outfitters I work with. Good luck on those Muskies. They can frustrate the best fishermen. Never caught one, but have thought about trying. That is until I realize that I have big trout 10 minutes away. I am actually heading to Estes today for work.

Thanks! Definitely going to be in Estes June 6-13, staying right on Fall River for the bait-sized trout, lol. Zeroed in on a couple of different shops for 1 guided full day. I have so much to learn still that I'll probably plan a "real" trout trip sometime in 2021.
 
Welcome to the game. It is a money tapper for sure. Let me know when you head to Colorado and I will hook you up with one of the outfitters I work with. Good luck on those Muskies. They can frustrate the best fishermen. Never caught one, but have thought about trying. That is until I realize that I have big trout 10 minutes away. I am actually heading to Estes today for work.
My girlfriends brother is a guide in crested butte. Let me know and i can link you guys up, make sure he gets you on his favorite spots.
 
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