High Alpine Creekin'

As we get into the heat of summer, a lot of our fisheries start getting too warm to fish responsibly. That’s when we head up into the alpine, looking for cooler water and happy fish. These creeks can be a ton of fun — the fish are usually more than willing to eat just about anything you throw at them.

High-alpine trout spend most of the year locked under ice, so when summer finally rolls around, they’re fired up and ready to eat anything that floats by. I recently took a trip up to the South Fork of the St. Vrain with my girlfriend, with one goal in mind: catch as many fish as possible on just one fly. We had an awesome time, landing a bunch of fish on either a micro chubby or a small hopper. One big pool gave up around 20 fish in the first hour alone. It was tough to convince my girlfriend to move on, but we had pretty much caught every fish in there.

We kept hiking upstream, hitting every pool and little pocket we could find — pulling multiple fish out of each one. In about five hours, we probably landed 40+ fish. It was one of those days you just don’t forget.

Most high-country creeks fish like this — small water, aggressive fish, and a whole lot of fun. When I’m looking for new spots, I’ll hop on Google Maps or OnX and look for creeks that most people drive right past. There are hidden gems all over Colorado, and most of them hold fish. Sometimes I’ll literally throw a dart at the map and head out to whatever creek it lands on. It’s a fun way to explore new water and chase different species.

I did a lot of this back in college down in Durango, and it was hands-down one of my favorite parts of living there. I’d get out of class, drive 30 or 40 minutes toward Silverton, and fish until sunset. Some of my best memories are from wandering up little creeks by myself, catching trout and soaking it all in.

If you’re looking to get started, here are a few creeks I really like:

• Saint Louis Creek in Fraser

• Halfmoon Creek in Leadville

• South Fork of the St. Vrain in Ward

• Woods Creek in Empire

All of these fish well and hold some beautiful trout.

You’ll find Brook Trout, Cutthroat, Rainbows, and Browns in most alpine creeks. The Browns and Bows tend to hang out lower down, and the higher you go, the more likely you are to run into Brookies and Cutthroats. Brook Trout are the most aggressive of the bunch — if you find them, you’re in for a good day. They’ll eat just about anything.

One more thing: be prepared to run into some wildlife while you’re up there. Moose are common in these areas, and a lot of the time they’ve got calves with them. Keep your distance, be respectful, and be aware — they will charge if they feel threatened.

My Go-To Flies for Creek Fishing:

Dry Flies:

• Hippy Stomper (14–16)

• Micro Chubby (14–16)

• Donkey Kong Hopper (12–14)

• Fat Amy (14–16)

• Amy’s Ant (12–14)

• Parachute Adams (12–14)

• Foam Ant (12–16)
  
  

Streamers:

• Wooly Buggers (12–14)

• Rowley’s BB Micro Leech (12–16)

• Jigged Bugger (12–16)

Gear Recommendations:

For these smaller creeks, I recommend a shorter rod — something in the 7’6” to 8’6” range, either a 3wt or 4wt. If you’re into making things a little more fun and sporty, a 6’6” to 7’6” 2wt can be a blast.

Leader Setup:

Keep it simple. I usually go with a 9’ 4x for a stealthier presentation, or a standard 7.5’ 4x if you're fishing tighter spots. Hopper-dropper setups work too, but most of the time it’s not even necessary — the fish are willing to crush the dry on its own.

Hope this gives you a solid place to start if you're thinking about heading into the high country. These little creeks are a blast to explore and a great way to check a few new species off the list.