Colorado High Country Essentials | FLY FISHING GEAR

Summer means different things to different anglers. For a good portion of our staff, summer is the perfect time of year to burn some boot rubber and explore fisheries at higher elevations. Whether it's fly fishing alpine lakes tucked into the tundra, or exploring meandering meadow blue lines just above the tree line - Colorado's high country has something for everyone.
That said, fly fishing remote sections of the Rocky Mountains between 9,000 and 13,000 feet can be a daunting task. At those high elevations, the conditions are brutal at times. Gnarly terrain/trails, extremes in temperature, the constant threat of precipitation, high winds, unrelenting sun exposure, hordes of bugs; the list of potential risks goes on.
While there are plenty of liabilities for which you'll need to account on a high country fly fishing trip, it could be argued that you're taking a far bigger risk every time you wade deep into your favorite river during high/fast water conditions. Rest assured, the rewards of a high country fly fishing trip FAR outweigh any potential risks. But in an environment as extreme as the Rocky Mountain alpine, it's imperative that every angler hope for the best, while preparing for the worst.
In this video, Anglers All's alpine enthusiast Larkin Wilson takes us through his gear list and considerations when planning a high elevation fly fishing trip in Colorado. The goal: provide insight into what it's like fly fishing at higher elevations to help you plan and pack for your next (or maybe first) alpine fly fishing adventure.
-------------------------------------------------------
GEAR LIST: Larkin’s High Country Fly Fishing Essentials
1. FLY FISHING GEAR
Fly Rods - R.L. Winston BIIIX Super 10 | Sage X
Fly Reels - Ross Evolution R | Lamson Guru
Fly Lines - Scientific Anglers Amplitude Infinity & MPX
Leaders - Umpqua Perform X Nylon Trout Leaders (3X - 5X)
Tippet (Dry Flies) - Umpqua Perform X Nylon Tippet (3X - 5X)
Tippet (Nymphs) - Umpqua Phantom X Fluorocarbon Tippet (4X - 6X)
Floatants - Tiemco Dry Magic | Loon Outdoors Top Ride
Fly Boxes - Tacky / Fishpond Double Haul Box & Daypack 2X
Packs - Fishpond Thunderhead Backpack & Cross Current Chest Pack
Net - Fishpond Nomad Emerger Net
2. APPAREL
Shirts - Free Fly Lightweight Hoody | Simms SolarFlex Hoody
Pants - Simms Ultralight Pants
Boots - Simms Flyweight Wading Boots
Wading Sock - Patagonia Yulex Wet Wading Socks
Undersock - Simms Guide Wet Wading Socks | Nike Mid-Calf Socks
Down Jacket - Simms ExStream Hooded Jacket
Rain Jacket - Mountain Hardwear Rain Jacket
Gloves - Simms Wool Half-Finger Gloves
3. ACCESSORIES
Sunglasses - Smith Optics Barra (Polarized Brown Lens)
Sunscreen - UPF 30-50
Bug Spray - Choose one that doesn’t stain your clothes!
Water Filtration System - MSR SweetWater Water Filter
Headlamp - Loon Outdoors Nocturnal Headlamp
Snacks - Bring more calories than you think you’ll need!
Topo Maps - Outdoor Trail Maps LLC. has great maps for Colorado
-------------------------------------------------------
Looking for more fly fishing and fly tying content? Check us out at these links:
RUclips - / anglersall
BLOG - www.anglersall...
INSTAGRAM - / anglersall
FACEBOOK - / anglersall

[@jkdurden]

I never go on a day hike or backcountry hike without enough gear to survive for 72 hours should I get injured or simply decide to spend another night or two. Be sure you communicate your plans should you deviate from the plan you left with a trusted person. I’d recommend taking more than the basic 10 essentials but that’s a decent start. This kit can weigh 10-18lbs of additional gear and will fit in the Fishpond roll top submersible backpack. You will need the following kits: appropriate clothing; shelter; fire; hydration; food; navigation; first aid; signal; tools and hygiene. I used to think the 10 essentials was good enough but it’s the baseline minimum. You, at the least, should be prepared to survive in the forecast weather for the next 72 hours and plan for it to be even a little bit worse. I’ve been snowed on and hailed on in the middle of summer. There are people who don’t make it back from simple day hikes that unexpectedly turn into overnighters. Don’t be that person!
Thanks for the fishing gear recommendations. I’ve never fished an alpine lake. I’ve hiked to several. That said, this is going to change this year. :-)

[@patches152]

i'm into the backpack & lanyard w/ a c&f chest box attached (like a golden trout lanyard for example) for backcountry.
i've also started to bring the midge tip with me into the backcountry with more traditional stillwater patterns like blobs & boobies, then i fish my regular dries, nymphs, and buggers beyond that. you can use the midge tip instead of an indicator for nymphs, fish a washing line style, and you can even count it down with weighted buggers and leeches to fish deeper. worth considering. very versatile sub-surface piece of gear there.

[@AnglersAll]

Love the setup. Those C&F chest boxes are awesome. And the midge tip recommendation is great also, especially when you're trying to cover as much water as possible. Excellent advice, thanks for commenting. And thanks for watching!

[@oldsmugglerflyfishing]

Great content with excellent advise!

[@magicworldbyjorg]

[@AnglersAll]

Much appreciated, thanks for watching!

[@magicworldbyjorg]

@@AnglersAll Thank you very mutch... have a nice day.... see you….