DENVER – Fly fishing is one of Colorado’s favorite pastimes and the state offers several amazing places you can cast a spinning rod near Denver.
1. Barr Lake
26.6 miles away from Denver
Fishing enthusiasts enjoy Barr Lake’s calm waters as powerboats are limited to electric trolling or gasoline motors with 10 horsepower or less.
At Barr Lake, expect to find channel catfish, small and large-mouth bass, rainbow trout, walleye, bluegill, wiper and tiger muskies.
2. Boyd Lake
53.5 miles away from Denver
The 1,700 acres of Boyd Lake allow anglers to catch smallmouth bass, walleye, white bass, catfish, trout, crappie, bluegill and perch species.
3. Clear Creek
75.5 miles away from Denver
Anglers can hope to catch brown, rainbow and brook trout. Some of Clear Creek’s alpine lakes even have populations of lake trout.
4. Horsetooth Reservoir
68.5 miles away from Denver
A lake surface totaling 900-acres, Horsetooh Reservoir is sure to provide many fun fly fishing experiences for young and the not-so-young alike.
Walleye, smallmouth bass and trout are the most common species found here. But you can also expect to find white bass, crappie, bluegill and perch fish.
While the reservoir is open to fly fishing year-round, ice fishing is not recommended due to fluctuating water levels.
5. Jackson Lake
75.5 miles away from Denver
At Jackson Lake, certain species of fish can be caught year-round, while some are only seasonal.
Anglers can catch catfish and panfish (bluegill, pumpkinseed, sunfish, crappie and yellow perch) all year long. For a full list of species that can be caught seasonally, click here.
6. Red Feather Lakes
111 miles away from Denver
Out of the 30 lakes surrounding Red Feather Lakes, only six of them have public fishing.
At Red Feather Lakes, anglers can expect to find trout (brook, brown, cut bow), native cutthroat and splake. You might also find the occasional tiger muskellunge.
7. St. Vrain Park State Park
32 miles away from Denver
St. Vrain Park is known for providing great fishing opportunities throughout their eleven fishing ponds.
Expect to find black bullhead (Coot Pond), sauger (Pelican Pond), common carp (Mallard, Sandpiper, Killdeer, Coot and Pintball Ponds), grass carp (Pelican and Bald Eagle Ponds), white sucker (Coot and Pintail Ponds), and gizzard shard (Pintail, Coot, and Bald Eagle Ponds)
Editor's note: Information for this story came from Colorado Parks and Wildlife and the Colorado Fishing Network.