Often overshadowed by the Salmon Fly and Golden Stone hatch the Green Drake hatch is one of the most notary bug hatches in the west. Many anglers refer to Green Drakes as “trout candy,” because when these bugs begin to hatch, it triggers an all-out feeding frenzy. The trout key […]
dry fly fishing
Slight surges in temperature have broken open miles of ice-covered water along the Eagle River. With the onset of Spring in the Vail Valley fly anglers have begun to crawl out of their arctic caves. Water temperatures have risen causing the first true emergence of mayflies, the Blue Wing Olive. […]
Golden Stoneflies are the most abundant larger stonefly hatch that we have here in the west. Golden’s thrive in both freestone and tailwater fisheries. While the presence of golden’s are an indicator of good river health, the bugs don’t need as pristine conditions like their distant cousins the Salmon Flies. […]
Dry fly fishing is a bit of an art, and most trout fishermen will agree that there is nothing better than watching a hungry fish break the surface to scarf down a perfectly placed dry fly. It is not always easy, but there are a few ways to get more […]
The intense hatches and predictably excellent fly fishing of July on the Roaring Fork may be months away, but for anglers in the know, if you are willing to put up with some cooler weather, early season spring float fishing on the Roaring Fork is just as good minus the […]
*Please note this product may no longer be available to purchase on our website* A review of the Sage Accel Fly Rod immediately brings up some interesting new design features and technology. Sage set out to create the Accel as a rod with lightweight feel that shines as an all-around fly […]
Clients in my boat often ask me which floatant I think works best and why and fly fishing dry fly floatant is no exception. Every guide has their own answer, but most often it is some variation on the same theme. The most common practice is to use some wet […]
Fly Fishing Small Creeks in the Vail, Colorado area is a great option since most anglers tend to focus on well-known rivers that regularly churn out large rainbows and browns during prolific hatches. Trout numbers are usually high and riffles, runs, pools and pocket water all hold fish. These streams […]
Fly fishing the life cycle of the caddis hatch begins by realizing that the most important food source in western rivers is the caddis fly. They are a year-round food source with populations higher than mayflies and stoneflies in most streams. This includes the Eagle River and Roaring Fork River, […]
At Vail Valley Anglers, we are fortunate enough to have access to several rivers which provide fairly predictable insect emergences each summer. While the timing and intensity of these hatches may vary from year to year, each one brings it own unique fly fishing challenges and rewards. Now is the […]
One of the most famed hatches in the entire world happens each year in early June just a short distance from the doors of Vail Valley Anglers on the upper Colorado River. Unfortunately with this year’s huge flows, we won’t see much action during this hatch. But this season, for […]
Reading Water, Finding Trout and Fishing Riffles There is never a sure thing when it comes to fly fishing for trout. Too many factors can negatively impact the river and the trout and make things tough on the angler. Weather changes, off color water, no hatch, angler pressure or just […]
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