By Chris Duerksen, as printed in the American Fly Fishing magazine

“Crowds are not my cup of tea when it comes to fishing. Still, I’ve been intrigued when I tool down US Highway 285 through South Park on the way to Denver and see only a smattering of anglers plying the South Fork South Platte above Antero Reservoir. Further whetting my angling appetite, I have heard tales of huge browns migrating out of Antero Reservoir up the South Fork in late summer and early fall. I started to strategize a future trip to avoid any competition. First, I pinpointed several designated public-access parking areas along this stretch to avoid like the plague. Then I kept a sharp eye out for alternatives and discovered several walk-in access points from service-vehicle-only gates. The next step was to find a day when the wind isn’t blowing like a banshee in South Park, an all-too-often condition.”

Chris’s September 2022 presentation to our chapter was very inspiring. He talked about four different places that are not too far a drive from our home valley, all with nice fish and without crowds — very special in the South Park valley, as it is so close to Colorado’s Front Range cities. He talked about his appreciation of solitude, and how that trumps catching big fish while rubbing elbows with the anglers standing right next to you. If you’d like to discover some lesser known angling spots, all of which require a bit of adventuring and searching, Chris gives just enough information for you to go and look.

Read the full article here, as reprinted from the American Fly Fishing magazine.

You can find more of Chris Duerksen articles at his web site, www.hooknfly.com.