SILVERTHORNE, Colo. — FishingBooker.com, a website that connects anglers with fishing guides, ranked Silverthorne No. 9 in a list of the best places in the country to fly fish in the fall.
But, conditions there, and the surrounding area, keep anglers on the rivers through winter.
"It's really a matter of what level of cold you're looking to tolerate," said Ben McCormick, a fly fishing guide and owner at Cutthroat Anglers in Silverthorne.
"Colorado has more winter fly fishing than most locations. Once you start going north, it gets gnarly cold. Things freeze," he said.
McCormick guides anglers on rivers in the area, but one common spot to fish is just downstream of the Dillon Reservoir Dam. The waters here are known as tailwaters — warmer water that is released from dams and is a place that trout love to hang out.
"These tail waters, what we're on right now, you could fish every day the winter. So these bodies of water that are right below lakes have less fluctuation in water temperature," said McCormick.
As the temperature drops, so too does the number of anglers on the rivers. For those that like solitude, November is a good time to start getting out on the river.
"I like solitude and one of the beauties of winter fishing and choosing the tough weather day is no people," said McCormick.
Harlan Kimball, store manager at Cutthroat Anglers, said he tells customers not to be deterred by winter weather.
"You can fish the Blue River, here in Silverthorne, year-round. And November is kind of the time when it gets quiet. The fish are a little more happy, a little more comfortable. So typically, the fishing can get a little better," said Kimball.
"It's a great time of year to, kind of, get out and, you know, get some alone time on the river," he said.
If you take one piece of advice, Kimball has you covered.
"Don't take it too seriously. You know, it's still just fishing."
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