Fishing Pikes Peak
Fishing Pikes Peak
In June of 2012, our family decided to spend a weeks vacation in Colorado Springs CO. The plan was to head to Colorado, check in to the hotel and play it by ear. The only activity I was sure about was fishing. I was absolutely determined to find a spot where my daughter and I would have a chance to catch a few trout. The day before our outing, we stumbled upon a fly shop while visiting Old Colorado City. This would play an important role and ultimately set us up for another fishing trip we will never forget.
The Fly Shop
After spending a couple of days in the Pikes Peak region and exploring Old Colorado City, we decided to stop in at the local fly shop close to Manitou Springs, CO. As we walked in, I fully expected to be treated as "another tourist who want's to catch trout." To my surprise, the men and women at the counter were some of the friendliest people I have ever met. They showed us how to rig our lines, what flies to use and gave us some options on where to fish. We decided to try Crystal Creek Reservoir, which is approximately 6 miles up the Pikes Peak toll road. I spent thirty something on some flies, casting bobbers and a one day Colorado out of state fishing license. As I would find out the next day, that thirty something dollars was well spent.
The Next Day
I have to admit, I was a bit nervous thinking about the drive up the Pikes Peak Toll Road. As it turned out, it wasn't that bad at all.There were some gradual grades and turns, but they were really no problem. We were only going up 6 miles, which is probably the easiest the part of the drive. As we arrived at Crystal Creek Reservoir, I thought to myself, "where should we fish". Here we were at the Reservoir and I had no idea where to cast my flies. I decided to just walk the cement path down to the nearest point and let my daughter cast out. First cast of the dry fly and wham! She had a trout on. She had so many bites in the first 10-15 minutes, I couldn't even rig up my line.
Crystal Creek Reservoir on Pikes Peak
Memorable Colorado Trip
This trip was definately a memorable one as far as fishing goes. Pikes Peak has some beautiful scenery and the water up there is crystal clear, hence the name "Crystal Creek". My daughter and I caught several trout and fought several more that got off our line before we got them up to the bank. As it turned out, the guys at the fly shop were right on the money as far as location and technique goes. I later learned that this reservoir is well stocked with trout too, so that makes it all that much better. I would highly recommend this location to anyone with kids that would like to wet a line while they are on vacation in the Pikes Peak / Colorado Springs area.
Pikes Peak Fishing
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