Reeder Creek Ranch Opens To Anglers

Correspondent Stephen Carpenteri tells us there is a new opportunity for anglers to fish a private section of the Colorado River from a place called Reeder Creek Ranch near Kremmling, Colorado. He writes:

This 8,000-acre working ranch is located on the upper Colorado River between the towns of Kremmling and Parshall. The owners opened the ranch to the public just last year, offering guided fishing for trout along the two miles of private waters that run through the property. I recently fished there and was impressed with the quality of the fishing and the enthusiasm and skill of the guides.

The fishing is in classic Western runs, pools and riffles. The entire stretch of river on the Reeder Ranch is wadeable. Experienced anglers should have no problem reaching the best lies and runs from shore. I rarely had to cast more than 50 feet, and in fact my biggest trout of the trip (a 24-inch rainbow) was holding barely 10 feet away from the bank in fast water.

The river is crystal clear and cold throughout, and the trout are all fat, colorful native rainbows and browns averaging 16-inches. The rainbows appear to outweigh the browns in most cases. The seriously big fish (some nearly 30 inches in length!) only come out at night but may be taken by waiting at select pools till dark and casting to specific fish. The river is fairly free of obstacles, which means there is plenty of room to fight the bigger, stronger fish. There’s also a large pond for still-water fishing.

The guides/owners are young and excited about their operation. They offer plenty of insider details on where to fish, which flies work best and even how to mend line to get the best drift in a particular pool or run. They work hard to get their clients onto fish and have plenty of options available if the trout in one pool are slow to cooperate. During my trip to Reeder Creek, the trout were very active. I caught fish all day with no lulls or dead periods as is common on many other waters. The only empty pool I encountered stumped us until a large otter suddenly appeared on the bank and disappeared into the river.

Reeder Creek provides waders, rods, reels, flies and other tackle on request, and provides accommodations at a comfortable lodge on the ranch within walking distance of the river. Alternately, one can seek accommodations in nearby Kremmling. I stayed at a cabin in Kremmling in the shadow of the bluffs where Zane Grey got his idea for The Long Rider. Legend has it that Grey was admiring the bluffs at sunset and saw the shadow of a long rider move slowly across the face of the bluff.

If you choose to bring your own gear, standard 5- or 6-weight outfits will be enough for this trip. Call ahead to get a list of fly patterns that are working best. These trout prefer tiny flies in specific colors and patterns, so don’t expect your hometown favorites to do the trick here.

Rates this past season were $300 per day for one angler; $150 for each additional angler. That includes on-site lodging and meals. Dinners each night are generous barbeques cooked and served outside within view of the river where you can see the fish jumping and listen to calling coyotes. For more information, contact Paul Bruchez at Reeder Creek Ranch.