Aspen Fly Fishing

On the river

Full-day float trip: $1,400 for 2. Fishing is guided in-house.

The Roaring Fork River — Gold Medal Fly Fishing Near Aspen

The Roaring Fork River flows 70 miles from its headwaters near Independence Pass through Aspen, Basalt, and Carbondale before joining the Colorado River at Glenwood Springs. Colorado Parks & Wildlife designates the Roaring Fork from Basalt to Glenwood Springs, and the Frying Pan below Ruedi Reservoir, as Gold Medal water, a status reserved for waters that consistently produce large wild trout.

Hatches of PMDs, caddis, green drakes, and Trico spinners make dry fly fishing thrilling from June through September. In the spring and fall, streamers and nymphs produce aggressive strikes from the river's biggest fish.

The Frying Pan River — Tailwater below Ruedi Reservoir

Just 15 miles from Basalt, the Frying Pan River below Ruedi Reservoir is widely considered one of the top tailwater fisheries in North America. The cold, nutrient-rich water released from the dam creates an almost year-round midge hatch and supports an extraordinary density of large wild trout.

The Frying Pan demands technical precision: long leaders, small flies, and delicate presentations. Our guides excel at teaching the nuances of tailwater nymphing and the art of fishing size-22 midge clusters to selective risers. This river rewards patience and skill — and the payoff is the fish of a lifetime.

Full-Day Float Trip

Full-day float trips cover an 8–12 mile stretch of the Roaring Fork or Colorado River. Fishing is guided in-house.

Private Ranch and Picnic — Spring Creek Ranch, Carbondale

Private ranch and picnic package at Spring Creek Ranch, Carbondale. Includes ponds, creeks and a private section of the Roaring Fork.

Gunnison River — Big Water, Trophy Trout

The Gunnison is one of North America's most renowned trophy-trout fisheries — big water, big canyon walls, and wild fish that see far less angling pressure than the Roaring Fork corridor on a busy weekend. From Aspen, expect roughly two and a half hours of driving to the float sections we run; this is a full-day commitment, and it is worth it when you want a dramatically different experience from intimate wade fishing on the Fork or Frying Pan.

Float trips are the right tool here: volume, gradient, and depth favor a drift boat and a practiced oarsman who keeps the craft quiet and aligned for long, clean presentations. Alex Macintyre is Rich Valley Adventures' boat captain for Gunnison River operations, managing logistics, safety, and boat positioning so you can focus on reading water and making the shot count. The scenery alone is unforgettable — black-rock gorges, soaring rimrock, and the sense of scale that only big Western river corridors deliver. If you have already fished the valley's wade fisheries and want a true "destination" day on the water, the Gunnison belongs on your list.

Private Water Access — Exclusive Fishing Experiences

Private water is how we deliver solitude, higher success rates for beginners and families, and access the public simply cannot replicate on its own. Options include a private pond fed by an alpine spring — ideal for kids, first-time anglers, and groups of up to twenty when you want guaranteed shots at cooperative fish without competing for elbow room along a public bank.

We also offer river access at Spring Creek Ranch, Carbondale: a rare stretch where our guests fish water that is not open to casual walk-in traffic. For guests seeking alpine stillwater, we can arrange hike-in days at high mountain lakes where cutthroats and brookies live in postcard settings far from trailhead crowds. The through-line is simple: fewer people, less noise, more time with your guide, and a day shaped around outcomes you can feel — whether that is a child's first fish on a fly rod or a quiet, uncrowded afternoon on moving water.