Fraser River
The Fraser River is the first main tributary of the Colorado River, approximately 40 miles long, located in north central Colorado. Many people drive through the Fraser River Valley on their way to go skiing, visit Rocky Mountain National Park, or fish the Colorado River, while passing up a great trout fishing spot in this beautiful valley. The Fraser River offers small to medium-sized stream fly fishing in a variety of settings.
The Fraser River Valley is one of those dream locations in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado where you can go skiing and flyfishing in the same day. However, the Fraser River is often overlooked, as anglers opt to fish in the bigger waters of the Colorado, thinking the bigger the water the better and bigger the fish - not necessarily. The Fraser holds some big fish, with a good population of trout including wild rainbows, browns, brooks, and the occasional cutthroats.
This tributary of the Colorado River begins on the west side of Berthoud Pass. It runs north for its first eight miles and is located in national forest land, which is publicly accessible. The Fraser River is narrow and shallow here, but offers some good trout fishing - worthy of one's time.
Continuing north, the Fraser River flows into Winter Park and into Fraser. Along this stretch you can access the river by hiking or biking the Fraser River Trail, from the Forest Service campgrounds, or from road turnouts. You can fish in the forested lands, or where the river starts into the Fraser River Valley. The Fraser River Trail is paved and well marked, opened to bikers, roller-bladders, hikers and dogs.
Some of the best fishing is in the canyon downstream from Tabernash. Many smaller streams flow into the Fraser River before it goes into the canyon below Tabernash, before joining the Colorado River at Granby. The river through the canyon is classified as Wild Trout Water.
69F