Where to GoBackcountry
Of all the different disciplines of fly fishing, Backcountry Angling delivers the broadest form of adventure on a budget.
Adventurers who travel the world come to Colorado to experience the wilderness and beauty we have just out our back door.
Colorado has over 6,000 miles of streams that are capable of holding trout. A vast majority of these miles are small streams. It has been suggested that the average angler will rarely walk one mile to fish. Less than 5% of anglers will hike three miles.
Looking to escape the crowds? Do the math.
Twenty years ago I climbed Mt. Quandary above Breckenridge. It was the last Fourteener that I had climbed. Sitting on top I began to make some observations after a dozen or more summits: in this harsh tundra environment there was little vegetation, few colors, rare wildlife, and lots of people on the trail.
Yet when I explore deep valleys where small streams cascade, I find abundant vegetation, immense colors, vast wildlife, and few trails and far less people. Within this canvas painted and shaped by something greater than myself or the world I understand, I pursue my adventures and virgin trout.
David Leinweber - Owner
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
In an era of catch and release becoming the dominant choice for sport-anglers, more and more fish become educated and familiar to the wading anglers. They feed in plain site and spook only if they feel threatened, and they become very selective to the food they are willing to eat. Trout found in small streams are often quite the opposite. They spook at the very hint of your presence. These trout, often natives, rarely see anglers, and six months of the year they live under a sheet of ice. Unlike fish stocked from fish hatcheries, these fish hold incredible beauty and vivid colors. They are very special and this is why I like to designate them as virgin trout.
They are innocent, naive, inexperienced and often have never been hooked by an adventurous angler.
You're not going to find trophy-sized twenty-plus-inch fish in these small wonders, but the vivid beauty they hold far exceeds an old hag that has felt countless barbs and displays multiple battle scars.
Curious?
Looking for an adventure?
Want to explore wilderness and discover hidden treasure isolated off the beaten path?
Then consider exploring the backcountry of Colorado and experience a full angling adventure.
Backcountry Gear
Engaging with the Colorado backcountry requires starting off with a certain amount of respect for the wild and the possible hazards involved. The farther you venture off the dirt road, the more prepared you need to be. Always think safety first and be prepared for whatever mother nature can and will throw at you. This requires a completely different mindset from fishing a few feet from the safety of your vehicle.
David Leinweber highlights some of the necessities for your backcountry fly fishing adventure in this video.
Backcountry Locations
Pikes Peak Region
South Central
No locations listed.
North Front Range
No locations listed.
Northwest
No locations listed.