Guide Services

Peak Fly Fishing Outfitters (Colorado Outfitter's License #2308) is our in-house guide service. We offer the best in guided fly-fishing in the entire region. Our specialty is walk-and-wade fishing on the South Platte and Arkansas Rivers. We also offer some great guided fishing opportunities on phenomenal area stillwaters as well as some private ponds. We offer a full-service experience - providing our clients with all the gear they need, including terminal tackle, at no extra charge (no hidden fees when you book a guide trip with us!). The gear we provide is the best of any area guide service. And our professional guides are the region's best! We offer the best experience on the water, group-rate pricing, and your choice of trip lengths.

The South Platte River

The South Platte River is one of the most famed rivers in all of Colorado - and rightfully so. This tremendous fishery is comprised of several tailwater stretches, creating a diverse fishery that offers great fishing opportunities year-round. In the spring monster rainbows run up out of Elevenmile Reservoir to spawn, and trout of double-digit weight are not at all uncommon. At this time of year the blue winged olives and midges are in full swing, which keeps the action hot and heavy even when fish are not exhibiting spawning behavior. Later in the spring the caddis and stoneflies begin to hatch. As the water warms in mid- to late summer, it is not uncommon to see caddis, pale morning duns, and tricos hatching all at the same time. Of these, the trico hatch is the most spectacular. From late July to mid-September, every morning is punctuated by a blizzard-like hatch of the tiny mayflies, followed by a massive spinner-fall. Every morning we fish nothing but dries for 3-4 hours, and every fish in the river is looking up. It's highly technical dry-fly fishing, but even our rank novice clients can catch fish - and it's more fun than you could ever ask for. Later in the fall, terrestrials become more common, and hopper-dropper fishing becomes a great way to spend the afternoons. Soon the browns begin their spawning run, and massive-shouldered fish can be taken from under cut-banks and in the pockets. Fall also sees the run of the resident kokanee salmon population that lives in Elevenmile Reservoir, and these feisty brutes will put a serious bend in your rod - and a serious grin on your face! Peak Fly Fishing Outfitters practices strict catch-and-release fishing on the South Platte River, so leave the stringer at home - but bring your camera, you'll need it!

The Arkansas River

The Arkansas River flows from the West Slope of Colorado, running along Highway 50. A big, brawling Western River, the "Ark" is a very different fishery from the South Platte. Winding through red-rock bluffs and dotted with sage and cactus,the scenery is as different as the river itself. The Arkansas is home to a thriving population of native, wild brown trout, and these fish will delight you with their stubborn, 'no quit' attitudes when hooked. A small number of healthy, beautiful rainbow trout provide a delightful treat to the angler lucky enough to hook into one. The biology of the Arkansas is very different from that of the Platte, and we see lots of bigger bugs. Spring and fall hatches of blue winged olive, caddis throughout the summer, and stoneflies and terrestrials make the Arkansas a dry-fly fisherman's dream.

Chico Basin Ranch

Bass are tremendous sport on a fly-rod, and a welcome diversion for anglers who've begun to feel 'been there, done that' about fishing for trout. We are proud to offer guided fishing trips to Chico Basin Ranch, a working cattle ranch with six private bass ponds, a mere 45-minute drive from Colorado Springs. These ponds, on a working cattle ranch, offer non-stop action for bass of 15-18 inches in length, as well as giant bluegill and white crappie, from mid-June through September. From June to mid-July, the fishing is great on poppers cast to the edge of the cattails, and subsurface patterns work well throughout the lake.

Watching these fish savagely assault a deer-hair popper is a real thrill. While the ponds usually have too much weed-growth to fish for most of July, in mid- to late August the weeds begin to recede and the fishing can be excellent through the end of September. The lakes, being spring-fed, are clear and cool year-round, and perfect habitat for these hard-fighting fish. While not a place to catch trophy bass (though there are a few here and there), you will be catching fish constantly throughout your trip - and a 15" bass fights like a trout 4 times his size. This is a great trip for those on a tight schedule, those wanting a guarantee of privacy (membership to Chico Basin is very limited), or those looking for a great change of pace.

Additional Fishing Opportunities

In addition to fishing the rivers, we also offer guided trips on two area stillwaters on the South Platte river chain. Elevenmile Reservoir offers exceptional fishing for trophy northern pike. Addtionally, anglers have a shot at some enormously big carp - don't laugh, they put up an incredible fight on a fly rod and are as picky as any flats-dwelling bonefish! Spinney Mountain Reservoir offers pike - some of 35" or more - and is one of the best trophy trout fisheries in the state. Rainbows, browns, and cutthroats of 3+ pounds are routinely taken on the fly there. Fishing takes place via wading or from one-man belly-boats, depending on which is more feasible. We also have larger boats available - ask us for more details.