Some of Our Favorite Fishing Spots in the Yampa Valley
Yampa River – Tailwater below Stagecoach Reservoir: The tail water below Stagecoach Reservoir is host to some of the best catch and release fly fishing in Colorado. It’s quite popular and often crowded. If there is a place to share space and demonstrate courtesy to others, this is it! Fishing here can be tricky but rewarding. The local fly shops in town can provide valuable information on fly selection and technique. There is limited parking and the State Park rangers will ticket vehicles parked on the road if the parking area is full. Be sure to have a Colorado State Parks pass on your vehicle. If you don’t have a season pass, a day pass can be purchased at the parking lot.
Please stay on the designated foot paths when walking down to the river and try to pay attention to the bank when entering the river along this stretch. In the spring, the DOW will be fencing off sections of the river to protect the rainbow spawning reds. Pay attention to those closures as they are a valuable asset to the long term health of this fantastic fishery!
Yampa River – Sarvis Creek State Wildlife Area: About a 15 to 20 minute drive south of Steamboat Springs is the Sarvis Creek State Wildlife Area. On the way, you’ll pas a beautiful stretch of public water right along side the dirt road just south of Pleasant Valley. If someone is with you who does not have a fishing license, make sure to stop by the Division of Wildlife office on the way out of town to purchase a Habitat Stamp which is required by the state when using a State Wildlife Area. Club president Michael Turner took niece and nephew Emma and Spencer Schnell from Ohio here for their first fly fishing experience! I know Spencer is hooked, he’s coming back to visit for a ween in July and can’t wait to fly fish again!
Yampa River – Town Section: The Yampa River through downtown Steamboat Springs is one of the best “unkept” secrets in the west! There are approximately 4 miles of public, catch and release water with very respectable numbers of catchable fish including rainbow, brown, cutthroat, brook and the occasional pike. Ski in the morning and fish in the afternoon (or as some of us who ski almost every day do, take the whole day off and go fishing)! Your best bet, as a visitor, is to stop by one of the fly shops in town for some advice on exactly where to fish and fly selection for the day. These people know the river and are great about sharing that knowledge and of course, selling you a few of the hot flies of the day! And if you haven’t purchased your license, they will be happy to sell you one. The river is also popular with kayakers and floaters, so we ask that everyone be respectful to those enjoying the river in different ways.
The Yampa River west of Steamboat Springs provides ample drift boat opportunities. The fly shops in town can arrange a day float trip with a knowledgeable guide.
Blue Lines and Dots: Sometimes the road less traveled leads you to different and interesting places. It can also take you to some great fishing spots. Finding these out of the way places usually requires a bit of mapwork and legwork, but the results can be rewarding. Here are a few places to start:
Mad Creek – A short drive north of town on the the way to Steamboat Lake is Mad Creek. A pleasant 30 to 40 minute hike will bring you to a long meadow with fun bookie fishing. A great way to get away from the crowds of town.
Gilpin Lake – A great place to take a day hike and fish for fat Brookies! Gilpin Lake is about a 45 minute drive and a 2 to 2 1/2 hour hike from Steamboat Springs. Take the scenic hike, bring your lunch, water and fly rod to fish for hungry brookies cruising the shoreline.