Anyone have any experience fishing around Ilium? From what I can tell, there’s a creek (Deep Creek) that runs near the camp, but I can’t find anything on it. I’d love to fry up some fresh trout & potatoes for breakfast before heading up to the festival.
Tough fly fishing there at the campground. River runs fast. But if you still want to try it, walk downstream about a mile or so. A few more pockets there. And fish along the way, but stick to the shoreline.
Another warning. With this much snow this year, the runoff could be even bigger than the last couple, when even the fly fishing shops in town said to just skip it. My buddy walked plenty of streams and saw nothing but chocolate-like water.
But now, another opportunity. About 10 miles west, there are some little streams that run along the road that heads north. I jumped in there a couple of years ago and spanked a bunch of little trout. Nothing much to eat, and I always catch and release anyway, but it was fun. You gotta be stealthy as all get-out, but there were some nice holes to throw flies into.
I’ve also fished along the little streams that you’ll criss-cross on the way from Dolores to T-Ride. Again, stealth is the key, but I stuck a couple of nice fish in very little water on hoppers. As for the Dolores River, I’ve never had much luck there, and around the festival time, it’s usually pretty chocolate-y from the runoff. If you have time, go west from Dolores into the protected stream area - much better fishing there.
Fishing in mid to late June is pretty tough in Colorado with the run off. My wife and I come out for two weeks, in Telluride Tuesday through Tuesday and I always bring my fly fishing gear. I have never had much luck wading in June. One year after the TBF we drove to Salida and did a float trip down the Arkansas ($$$) I caught a bunch of nice Browns. Last year I waded the Doloras about a half hour out of Telluride on Wednesday and got skunked, didn’t even see a trout. Still it was a nice quiet day in the water in the beautiful San Juans.
Some great info, guys; Much appreciated. I’m not much of a fly fisherman, will probably just bring some spinners and cross my fingers. I hear trout lake (about 15 minutes south of Ilium) has some good fishing that time of year, so I’ll probably end up there the Tu/Wed. before the fest.
If you have time, check out Alta Lake (I think its called) … its just east of Telluride … go past the turn off to Mtn Village a ways and take a left onto the winding dirt shelf-road that takes you up to the lake.
If we have a hot summer, run off will be early and the fishing will be good :medal.
However, if I tell you of my fishing hole I will have to kill you :lol
Fishing conditions change every summer.
So the best info is at the fly shop. They ALWAYS know and are eager to share some great new fishin holes each summer :medal
I can smell fish and worms in the air in the Springtime :flower.
TIME TO FISH!!! :sunshine
If we have a hot summer, run off will be early and the fishing will be good :medal.
However, if I tell you of my fishing hole I will have to kill you :lol
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Landshark, please be advised that I am more the willing to to be killed if you guide me to a hole filled with 20-inch browns. At least I’ll die happy and with my (wading) boots on.
Peak runoff is this weekend. Bring your fishin gear, the river is calling us… :cheers
Thank you, I was just getting ready to post a question to that regard.
if you’re fishin’ for a delicious morning treat, we’ll be mixing white russians bright and early!
suppose one could aide in the other, yeah?!
can’t wait!!!
Funny, I remember this same question from last year; and the year before 