My friend and I are driving in from PA and plan on getting there Monday or Tuesday. We’re staying at Mary Ilium and I was wondering if we can trade our ticket in for the festival bracelet at the campground or do we need to go into T-Ride to do that. Also do we need the bracelet before we head to the campground. Plus I hear there’s a river that runs through Ilium that will have a caddis hatch during this time anyone know what size and color the caddis are. And are you permitted to fish this river. The name of the river would be a great help. Thanks. peace, pennscreekrules.
There may be someone at the campground to take your ticket and give you a wristband, but if not you can go to the box office at the edge of Town Park across from the post office.
I don’t know about the caddies, but the river is the San Miguel and it is fishable.
I’m not sure what the license laws are for out of state fishermen though. :flower
I’d bring a selection of flies includong caddis. Maybe a more loacl fisherperson could help you when we get a bit closer to the fest date! All adult fisherfolks must have a valid license, they are readily available in town. Five day licenses are available. The fishing pond next to town park campground is for kids only and I don’t believe a license is needed.
You can also purchase them online or:
A Colorado fishing license can be purchased at any license agency, over the phone (1-800-244-5613), or through the Division of Wildlife’s website. Credit and debit cards are accepted for phone and web purchases.
Bracelets can be gotten at the entrance to Illium.
Penns,
Ya, everything I hear about Penns creek sounds awesome. Gotta make it to a 'calve out there one day.
The primary river is the San Miguel. Last year during Bluegrass Fest, runoff was still raging and the fishing stunk, but the year before, the fishing was mind-bending.
I recommend stopping in at the local fly shop - Telluride Angler - on main street for a license, a few bugs and the local beta. Those folks are super nice. Just keep your fingers crossed that the run-off has run its course by then.
Bring some muddler patterns, maybe a woolly-bugger or two, just in case. 2 years ago they were taking muddlers like crazy!
OK Bevin, you have to take me fishing. You just have to. I want to do whatever it takes to be someplace where you can use the words “woolly-bugger” and “muddler”. I’ve been so sheltered, I thought muddlers were for mojitos. :flower
Hey there
This will be my 8th year down there and I have been able to wet a line on the San Miguel probably 3 times only due to runoff. Expect severe runoff this year with the snowpack levels in that particular watershed being approximately 130% above avg. Therefore no flyfishing. However, bring your rods/flies because there is fabulous fishing between Denver and Tride (tailwater sections immune to high water) that you may be able to access depending on your schedule.
The fish in the San Miguel are easy to catch generally speaking. Any hair fly brings the fish up to the surface, with size and drag free drift more important than color of body, at least on that river. You see, it is a free stone river moving fast in June and those trout (avg. 10-14 inches, with occasional up to 16-18 inches) don’t have time to examine the particulars and are opportunistic feeders. Actually, my best experience is dropping a bead head below any hair fly (Adams #16, great fly, any elk hair caddis #16) with the bead gettimg many more takes than the dry.
So long winded answer, but expect runoff to affect your ability to flyfish. There are a couple of shops in town that can point you in the right direction for say, high alpine stillwater fishing in the vicinity.
Contact me if you want to know of places to fish enroute.
Agree with the runoff forcast. Likely no fishing. tellurideoutside is the place to go for info. On the web or on main st once you are in town.
The heck with the wooly buggers, I want to know what kind of a “dong” is an includong…anything like a ding-dong? Does it answer to a duck call? Do they make condoms for it?