Guide to Fishing & Fly Fishing in Colorado Springs - Visit Colorado Springs (2024)

FAQs

What is the best time of year to fly fish in Colorado? ›

In late June, the water levels start to drop and the high mountain lakes start to thaw out. This is the time of year when you can really do some exploring for the native cutthroat of the area. July and August is the dry fly peak of the year for fly fishing Colorado.

While you don't need a certification to become a fishing guide in Colorado, you do need an outfitters permit, which is unfortunately not that easy to get, since state and federal authorities have limited the number of permits that are granted, in order to avoid overfishing.

Fishing: The Garden of the Gods is a wonderful place for fishermen because it has a number of lakes and ponds that are stocked with fish. Bass, minnows, bluegill, and other fish can be caught. 9. Geocaching: At the Garden of the Gods, geocaching is a well-liked pastime.

A fishing license is required for anyone 16 and older who wants to fish in Colorado.

Follow the signs to the Pikes Peak Highway entry gate. The fee is $5 per person (16 years and older), children under 16 are free. A Colorado fishing license is required for those 16 and older.

Though we're known for trout fishing — particularly rainbows, browns and greenback cutthroats — there are many more finned catches splashing around in our rivers, streams and lakes. You can also expect to find walleye, perch, channel catfish, pike, kokanee salmon, sunfish, bass and a number of other species.

The states where chumming with corn is illegal include California (except for Salton Sea), Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Kentucky, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada (but not Lake Mead), North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Utah (except for Lake Powell), and Vermont.

The fine for fishing without a license in Colorado is $50. If you pay this fine, you are pleading guilty to the ticket. This can affect more than just your fishing trip: when you plead guilty to fishing without a license by paying the $50 fine, you are also accepting ten points on your license.

The bag and possession limit and minimum size for trout is 2 fish, 16 inches in length.

For those looking to get some fresh mountain air without having to travel too far, come explore the 21 miles of trails in the Garden of the Gods. Trails range from beginner to advanced in addition to being paved and dirt.

Do you have to pay to get into Garden of the Gods? ›

Is Garden of the Gods free to visit? Yes, both the Park and Visitor & Nature Center are free and open to the public.

As a general rule, you can fly fish year-round. March through October are going to be more productive with longer windows of opportunity. November through January will be limited to the warmest part of the day with less productivity.

Fly fishing for trout is typically done in the US from April 1 - September 15. Peak times for fly fishing in general, as already mentioned, are spring and summer. These seasons coincide with good weather and warm water temperatures that encourage insect hatches, which in turn feed trout.

With such reliable water, the warm days of late summer and early fall are an exciting time to fish Colorado. Wet wading and casting big hoppers are often the choice for anglers this time of year. In the spring, anglers target spawning trophy rainbows and cutthroat, with BWOs and small stoneflies.

The best time for trout fishing in Colorado, for instance, is always any time you can, but a lot of anglers enjoy the spring. With the weather heating up for the anglers, and water temperature and flows increasing for the aquatic insects, spring can be an outstanding time.