Recently, I had the opportunity to fish the Yampa River in Steamboat Springs Colorado. This trip was above and beyond your ordinary fishing trip to new water. Through a little luck and some extremely kind hospitality, my buddy Walter and I were able to fish some exclusive Yampa River private water as well as some excellent public water. Walter is a full time guide in Park City, UT and one of his clients offered him the opportunity to stay at his hotel. These were not your usually “trout bum” accommodation to be sure. This was luxury living at the Christie Club. He also pulled some private water favors for Walter in exchange for a Wyoming guide trip “well done”. I was lucky enough to be invited along as Walter’s guest. Some of this property was so exclusive, like the water near Catamount Lake, you needed to be a landowner or landowner’s guest to fish it and they only let a few people on it per day. I have to say the Yampa as a whole is an unbelievable river. Even the public sections fish well, holding large fish that fight hard. The pressure was a lot less than I thought it would be. The private water was ridiculous, filthy (as my buddy Whip would say) with stout brightly colored rainbows that reminded me of steelhead. I have never cared much for easily caught fish and the Yampa did not disappoint. The fish did not always come easy and landing them was even more difficult. Many times these large rainbows came unbuttoned after bending my hook nearly straight, but I am not complaining. Most of the time we were treated to socked in sky’s with light, rising clouds clinging to the valley walls. These were the best days, when hungry rainbows ravenously gobbled up Beatis or waked after a streamer. Throughout the midday the sun would burn off some of the clouds and the fish would turn their attention to the small stuff like micro may flies and tiny midge pupa. They all worked well, as long as the hooks did not bend.I have fished many rivers in Colorado and the Yampa is one of the finest. The public water is plentiful and the private water is extraordinary. I would highly recommend hiring a guide simply to gain access to leased properties. It is well worth the money. It makes me cringe to think how many times I drove over the Yampa without giving it much of a thought. I wonder how many other rivers I bypass because of some preconceived idea about the quality of the fishing. It will be a lot fewer now!
You know your on a good trout stream when you are measuring fish in pounds instead of inches….that water is soooo fishy looking. After that video there is little doubt, it is “filthy” with them. Nice work guys. Thanks for letting me fish with you for seven minutes….Get the spey taped up…it’s almost time to bend it!
one word! NICE!!! How much did all that cost???
HI CHRIS!
JASON AND I DID NOT SPEND ANYMORE $$ THEN IT WOULD TO GO ON ANY OTHER FISHING TRIP. I WAS FOUNTNATE TO HAVE ACCESS TO SOME PRIVATE WATER. HOEVER THERE IS PLENTY OF PUBLIC WATER WERE THE FISHING IS JUST AS GOOD. THE YAMPA IS IS AN EPIC FISHERY PRIVATE OR PUBLIC. WALTER
“There are rainbows at the end of the rainbow” Nicely put. What an awesome trip those fish are just unreal. Time to quit work and move to CO.
Nice work on the video, Jason, as well as nice work on my favorite piece of trout water. Man, its only a few hour drive from your place to “the boat” I believe, and this was you first time on the Yampa? I’m glad to see it was a memorable experience. I caught my first trout on fly in the Yampa 5 years ago, and have spent a month a year out there ever since. Next year we should hook up out there, I’ll show you some spots way down river that won’t disappoint you.
sweet stuff … to bad there were the big crowds to contend with 🙂 … obviously, just kidding … what a killer experience …. sounds like you owe walter one jason … bring him steelheading in the great lakes sometime .. he’d fit right in with our crew.
That’s awesome to say the least. Sounds like and epic trip! That’s something i have always wanted to do. catch those size trout on those size flies. I’ve seen my dad do it and it definetely is a challenge i want to test my skills on!
That was awesome!! Thanks for bringing the pics and vid of those pigs into our world via the web.
I took him to the reef a few weeks before this trip. I think I still may owe him one more.
He does fit right in. He used to guide up in NY on the SR.
When we were in Co, that was one wee didn’t have time for. Great looking water!!
It’s on the list, there is so much great small stream fishing in Co. It’s really a special place
Amazing water and monster fish in beautiful country. I have to plan a fishing trip to the west…
Nice work.
COOL video guys.
It really makes me wanna take the big trip across soon..
But if you guys like pikes on fly check out our site and the video ‘Swedish Pikes’. A little more meat on them 🙂
WOW!
That right there is the kind of trip dreams are made of. Thanks for sharing guys. Makes me wish I was more into fly fishing back when I lived in Colorado. If I had only know then what you have shown me know. 🙂