The Arkansas River in Colorado provides Gold Medal fly fishing for Brown and Rainbow trout. Your fly fishing trip will be unique – you’ll be floating the river by raft! You will experience some of the fastest dry fly action in the West for predominately 10″ to 16″ Browns. We begin in late April with our famous Caddis fly hatch and continue into the fall, fishing with attractor and terrestrial patterns. We take you to feeding and holding zones accessible only by raft as we drift through private and public lands. We drift within casting distance of trout other anglers only dream about! Our float fishing trips show you a side of the Arkansas few experience – no crowds, beautiful sunsets, wildlife and fishing where walk / wade anglers can’t reach due to private land, difficult hikes or swift currents. We promote catch and release with single barbless hooks. Only flies or lures are allowed – no bait! Anglers should be proficient in casting skills to insure a rewarding experience. Novices should consider our instructional fly fishing course prior to float fishing. National Geographic Adventure magazine featured our Evening Float Fishing trip in it’s March issue!
- DATES: Late April – September, when the river is clear before and after runoff.
- TRIPS: Evening floats launch at 5 PM and go until dark. Full day trips launch at 9 AM and return mid to late afternoon.
- PRICES: Full Day trips – $ 350 per boat for 1 or 2 anglers. Evening Float – $ 250 per boat for 1 or 2 anglers. Our limit is 2 anglers per boat.
- INCLUDES: Guide, all boating gear, transportation from our base and lunch on full day trips. Flies are not included and should be purchased ahead of time at Royal Gorge Anglers in Canon City. Price includes the State Park use fee.
- YOU BRING: Your fishing gear with an adequate supply of flies or lures from our recommended list. Fly rods and light action spinning gear work best. Quick drying clothes and shoes you don’t mind getting wet and rain gear. Cleated wading shoes are not allowed. A valid Colorado fishing license is required and is available just east of ART at the Cotopaxi Store, at Royal Gorger Anglers or online at http://wildlife.state.co.us/fishing. You may also call 800-244-5613.
- RECOMMENDED FLIES: May to early June: Elk Hair Caddis # 14-16, Golden Stone Fly Nymphs, Bead Head Prince and Pheasant Tail Nymphs Nymphs, and other Stonefly patterns. Mid-summer to fall: Grasshoppers, Stimulators, Yellow Humpys, Royal Wulffs and other attractor patterns. Streamers are a mandatory fly to carry. Visit Royal Gorge Anglers website at www.royalgorgeanglers.com for current flies and conditions.
- RECOMMENDED LURES: #1 – 2 Gold and Silver Blue Fox, Panther Martins in Black and gold, Mepps in red and silver and small Rapalas. Anglers using lures must clip 2 hooks off and pinch the remaining barb.
- MEET: At Arkansas River Tours base in Cotopaxi one half hour prior to launch time.
ARKANSAS RIVER OVERNIGHT FISHING TRIPS
Combine our popular evening float with camping and another float in the morning for a memorable fishing experience. Enjoy the best time for fishing the Arkansas with the river virtually all to yourselves. While Brown’s Canyon is one of the busiest sections of river for rafting during the day, evening brings a secluded wilderness experience. Brown’s Canyon is on every Colorado angler’s wish list. Float fishing is the only way to experience this exceptional fishing. These trips will begin after peak flows when float fishing becomes exceptional in mid to late summer. Call for current conditions.
Brown’s Canyon – Choose an evening float into Brown’s Canyon for a wilderness trip combined with a morning float in Bighorn Canyon with camping at our base in Cotopaxi. Trip includes guides, a late evening dinner, camping at our base in Cotopaxi and a hearty breakfast. Trip concludes about noon on the second day.
- PRICE:$ 255 per person. Minimum of 4 anglers, includes State Parks use fees.
Click here to check availability.
Bighorn Canyon – The Bighorn Canyon option combines 2 different sections of the Arkansas River above and below Cotopaxi. Trip includes guides, a late evening dinner, camping at our base in Cotopaxi and a hearty breakfast. Trip concludes about noon on the second day.
- PRICE$ 235 per person. Minimum of 2 anglers, includes State Parks Use fees.
Click here to check availability.
HALF AND HALF – WALK/WADE AND FLOAT FISHING – FULL DAY
This has become a very popular summertime trip for those who like to walk/wade fish and float fish as well. We start each day with a morning wade trip beginning at Arkansas River Tours in Cotopaxi at 7:30 AM with a guide from Royal Gorge Anglers fly shop. This portion of the trip lets you shake loose the cobwebs and concentrate on the great early morning dry fly fishing. At noon, you are free to spend a few hours on your own relaxing during the heat of the afternoon or pursuing Browns rising to hoppers along shorelines. Meet us at 4:30 back at Arkansas River Tours in Cotopaxi for an evening float using large dries and streamers. The best of both worlds ! You’ll need to provide your own flies and lunch. Mid June through August.
- PRICE: $ 450 for one or two anglers.
Click here to make a reservation
FLY FISHING INSTRUCTIONAL COURSE ARKANSAS RIVER
We have partnered with Royal Gorge Anglers to offer this 2 day program combining expert instruction, walk and wade fishing and guided float fishing. You will begin with instruction on casting and other fly fishing basics while you fish with a guide on the Arkansas River. You will camp at our base on the Arkansas River in Cotopaxi where we will serve you a BBQ steak dinner and breakfast. Your second day will be spent on the river learning to fish from a raft being guided by our expert guide-instructor. This program is available from May 1 through September except during periods of high water in late May into June. Call for current conditions.
- COURSE PRICE: $ 595 per person Minimum of 2 anglers
Click here to check availability.
ARKANSAS RIVER – ROYAL GORGE FLOAT FISHING TRIP
Combine the exhilarating whitewater with float fishing a section of the Arkansas that receives no fishing pressure! This trip is for groups of 4 anglers so we may have 2 boats on the trip for safety. We will run these trips when we can combine optimum water levels and clarity before and after runoff. Anglers must be in excellent physical condition and willing to join us for what we call extreme fishing. We will focus on the sections of river before and after the major rapids as we seek the hidden secrets of the spectacular Royal Gorge.
- PRICE – $ 150 per person, minimum of 4 anglers
Click here to check availability.
