Season:
The Royal Gorge Region features a year-around fly-fishing season! Known as the "Climate Capitol" of Colorado, this region features strong options on the Arkansas Tailwater and South Platte River in the months of November through February. The larger freestone rivers including the Arkansas River Freestone and Gunnison River move into Spring Primetime in March and fish very well through October. Trophy stillwater opportunities are best in the mid-April to September window. The high mountain backcountry venues offer the shortest window of productive fishing, and it is best to book those options from July through mid September.
Species:
Brown trout, rainbow trout, cutthroat trout, brook trout, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, carp, wiper, striped bass, tiger musky, pike, and lake trout.
Region/Terrain:
The Royal Gorge Region is home to some of the most scenic views and mountainscapes in all of the Western US. Canon City is located in a high arid climate with rugged freestone watersheds. The Arkansas freestone which runs right by the fly shop can be best termed as a wild gradient river with large boulders and limitless pocket water. Just a stone's throw out the back door at the South Platte River and Arkansas Tailwater, you've got calmer more meandering rivers that work their way through vast high country basins. In the backcountry, you might encounter anything from high desert type terrain to heavily wooded high country forests. An angler can be as remote as they'd like to be, with hundreds of miles of rivers and streams and countless stillwater venues to choose from, this massive landscape truly is a fly fisher's playground!
Typical Weather:
The Royal Gorge Region is the "Climate Capitol" of Colorado, so weather is relatively temperate in the immediate area. The higher elevation one travels to some backcountry venues, high mountain lakes, and the South Platte and Gunnison Rivers, the more variable weather can become. In the prime spring and fall months one can expect temperatures in the 50s through mid 60s F with potential for light rain and snow. During the summer, an angler can expect to see temperatures in the 70s and 80s with monsoon effect rain in August. In the winter months, you can expect to see the widest range of temperatures and precipitation.