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A wade trip. We provide wade trips every day of the year if anyone is interested. The depths of winter attract only the hardiest souls, but the fishing can be fantastic. Take a look as our collection of Winter photos for a taste of the fishing opportunitities. However given that most wades are in the warmer months, we will outline aspects of a full-day outing. Generally we like to meet the client at the shop first thing in the morning to make sure that all the relevant paperwork is completed. That will include a license and relevant releases. If you have your own equipment, then you don't need much more. On the other hand, we have an extensive range of equipment depending on the weather and the fishing conditions. The guide will then take you to the spots he considers will fish best for the day. If you want to fish both the Roaring Fork and the Frying Pan on the same day, that is easy as the Pan is 14 miles to the base of the dam from Basalt. The guide will take you to places he knows anywhere along the Pan depending on the conditions. So from anywhere on the Pan below the dam is it just a matter of getting in the car and going back to Basalt and then traveling up or down river to fish the Roaring Fork. There is very good fishing on the Fork both below or above Basalt so there is not a great deal of traveling involved. On a full day wade the guide will provide lunch and refreshments. You may take your fly box along and try your patterns. Alternatively the guide will be carrying a good selection of flies which he knows are working. If you have a little difficulty getting around, let the shop know in advance so that your guide can plan in advance for easier access points to the River for you. Generally the Pan can be waded all year. However if a big water release occurs when a call is made mid-summer, the wading can be a little tricky and not something to try if you are not confident wading on a rocky bottom. Furthermore, earlier in the year coming out of winter and spring the rocks tend to get a little slippery from the build up which occurs in the slower water flow. It takes a little while for the higher flow to clean up the bottom. On a full day wade you will enjoy at least 8 hours on the water. In summer the evening fishing can be fantastic so if you want to fish a little later, you can make the relevant arrangements with your guide. We will get you back to the shop for your transportation at whatever time you nominate. If you would like to take some of our better quality rods for a road test, make the relevant inquiries when booking your trip. It is a great chance to try out some truly good equipment if you are in the market for an upgrade. Make sure you take your camera along. We will happily post digital photos on our website so you can show your buddies that you were serious about your fishing trip. A float trip. Why take a float trip? There are a number of reasons. First unless you are from an area with big rivers, you may never have had the opportunity to float. You owe it to yourself to try it! It is a great way to see the river. We have at least 60 miles of good floatable water within an hour of the shop. Wading has certain limitations during the busy time of the year. First, the public fishing pressure particularly on the Pan is going to make the fishing more technical and congested. Floating is a perfect way to get away from the crowds. In addition, at the height of the season, one can spend a lot of time driving around trying to find an untrafficked spot, whereas in the boat you can float at your leisure. There is a lot of private ownership of the Roaring Fork which limits wading access to the river. However, it is perfectly legal to float navigable water over private land provided you don't anchor. There are a number of access points to the river so a good guide will know where to get you into the water without having to wait in line to launch the boat. Discuss this with your guide at the beginning of the day so that you can get onto the water and get fishing. Finally, one of the great attractions of floating is the scenery. One gets to take a nature ride down the river far from the madding crowd. In fact if your partner is not so keen on fishing, take along a book and a camera, a sun hat and sun-block and enjoy the view. There is room in the boat for two so couples can enjoy the day even though only one likes to fish. We do not float the Frying Pan River. It is too shallow. If there was enough water released from the dam to enable one to float, it would wash out the fishing for a time. Our floats are on both the Roaring Fork and the Colorado Rivers. The obvious advantage of a float over a wade trip is that one covers a lot more water in the course of a day. You can float in either a raft or a hard boat. The raft allows for a gentler ride as it doesn’t lurch into rocks the way that the hard boat does. Furthermore, as the raft draws less water, it enables one to access water which would render the hard boat a difficult ride. We don't float hard boats for very long from Basalt because the water does not stay high enough for long enough. On the other hand, there is no point in floating at the height of the run-off. The quality of the ride would diminish the fishing experience. Floating is both for the novice and the experienced fisherman. If you have not floated before let the guide know. It is important, because in some areas, floating requires quick responsive and accurate casting. Furthermore, if you are not thoroughly proficient in handling your equipment, in faster water, you will lose time and miss good water while re-rigging or changing your fly. It might be more difficult for the guide as well if he is fully engaged in controlling the craft and you want him to re-rig your rod. In that case, a gentler water will give you the time and the guide the chance to make sure your equipment is rigged and working perfectly. Another consideration at the height of the season will be to find out how much traffic is on the river. The Roaring Fork is not a big river and therefore when boats pass, they are close to each other. You might prefer to float up higher in a raft than join a line-up at the launch. On the other hand, you might prefer to travel further down valley and get to less crowded water. The bigger fish are on the Colorado so the conditions might dictate fishing there. There are however less fish down there. It is something you should discuss with the shop and the guide to ensure that we are able to give you the best possible experience. We also suggest that if you would like to float the Roaring Fork and/or the Colorado call and talk to our shop generally and get advice on the best time of the year if your itinerary is flexible enough. When you float, you can wear waders so that you can stop and wade if the opportunity presents itself. However, particularly in summer when it gets hot, you may prefer shorts or lightweight gear with sandals or other light footwear which will facilitate wading but at the same time keep you cool. However, on hot days, it will get very warm in waders. So discuss this with your guide. Some guides happily wade in shorts where the water is not so cold. Another thing to note, when floating it is better to use a slightly heavier rod. This will increase your ability to control the fish, land it and get fishing again. If you hook a decent fish in fast water with a three weight, it will take you too long to land the fish. In addition it is also not good for the fish. On the other hand a five or six weight will give you the extra control you need. Furthermore, lower down in the bigger water you might want the bigger rod to assist in casting. At certain times the wind will come up and you won't want to be caught 8 feet short of a large rising fish. The other thing to note about floating is rod breakages. For whatever reason rods tend to get broken in a boat more than wading. A sudden lurch of the craft, overbalancing onto the rod and hey presto, you are trying to see if that lifetime guarantee is really as advertised. So maybe you would prefer to use the guides rod if this is a worry to you. Our goal is to ensure that whatever your requirements we aim to give you the best day out. You might like a lot of average sized fish, or you might prefer fewer larger fish. Ed loves to chase carp. They are a lot more difficult than trout and present a serious challenge to any fishermen. If you want to get out of your comfort zone, there is some seriously good carp fishing on the Colorado. You might just want to enjoy the beauty of a ride on the river and catch a few fish to top off the day. Bottom line. Discuss your requirements with the shop and with your guide. We would love the opportunity to exceed your expectations.
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