Time: 11:30AM – 3:30PM

Location: National forest land

Beaver Creek 07/14/2026 Photo Album

Note: In order to protect small high country streams, I have chosen to change the name for a few. This particular creek happens to be one of them. Excessive exposure could lead to crowding and lower fish densities.

Hippie Stomper Batting Leadoff

With drought, low snow pack, and wildfires dominating the news in Colorado in early July, I was very concerned about my fly fishing future. The main freestone rivers that I enjoy like the Eagle River and Yampa River and to a lesser extent the Arkansas River were already in voluntary “no fishing” stages. Typically this occurs in August, and when it does, I focus my efforts on tailwaters and smaller high country streams. With the low snow pack, would the high country streams remain an option? I decided to visit one to find out.

Foam Pool

I arrived at the small parking lot near the trailhead, and I was fortunate to find a parking space. Only one other vehicle preceded me, and it contained a group of elementary age kids staged for a short hike. The high temperature on Tuesday was projected to hit the nineties, so I was very concerned about the water temperature.

Nice Fish

I am not a big fan of wet wading, but as I geared up for my day of fly fishing, I could not bear the thought of hiking and fishing in waders. The temperature had already soared into the upper eighties at 11:00AM. I pulled out my quick dry wading pants and neoprene booties and committed to wet wading on Tuesday, July 16. I grabbed my Orvis Access four weight, and I began my hike to my starting point on the small stream.

Short Pool

I looked down at the tumbling creek, and I concluded that it was lower than usual, but it still maintained adequate volume to avoid excessive stealth when casting and approaching target areas. The first half mile was a continuous uphill, and I was pleased with my decision to avoid waders.

Another Surprisingly Chunky Rainbow

I continued another .2 mile beyond the top of the hill, and then I cut down to the cascading creek. I stepped in the creek, and I was pleased with the coolness of the water on my wader-less legs. I knotted a peacock hippie stomper to my line, and I began prospecting all the likely holding spots. My success was not immediate, but close to it, as I landed three rainbow trout, before I broke for lunch at 11:45. The stomper fooled three trout in a short amount of time, but for every fish that ate my fly, another refused it.

Ready to Get Wet

I was somewhat frustrated by the refusals, so after lunch I launched a change. The hippie stomper was drawing attention and some eats, but it seemed like it was not the close match that the trout were seeking. I switched to a light olive size 14 stimulator, and the move paid off for awhile, as the fish count moved from three to eight. The key seemed to be finding suitable water with depth and cover, and when I did, the fish responded positively to the stimulator.

Photo or Painting

Unfortunately, for some reason I stalled at eight, and the stimulator also began eliciting refusals. What were the fish looking for? My first two fly choices were not green drake imitations, but they did offer some characteristics. I never spotted a green drake, but could the trout be looking for that style of fly? I decided to find out.

Scarlet Stripe and Cheeks

I replaced the stimulator with a single size 14 parachute green drake. The move worked wonders, and the fish counter began to click. I moved from eight to twenty-two, before I quit for the day at 3:30PM. Needless to say, I was pleased with the impact of the western green drake imitation. I am sure that the trout in this high gradient mountain stream were opportunistic, and that other flies may have performed equally, but I found a winner and stuck with it.

Yet Another Prime Spot

Of the twenty-two fish landed three were small brook trout, and the remainder were wild rainbows. At least ten of the rainbows were in the twelve to thirteen inch range, and this size is very respectable for the relatively small stream. I took the water temperature at 3:00PM near the time that I quit, and it was sixty degrees. In this case the high mountain stream strategy helped me combat the heat and safely land some trout.

Along the Ledge Rock

The successful day was not without its challenges. I spent an abundant amount of time climbing over large slippery rocks and straddling large logs to enable upstream movement. I rescued at least five flies from overhanging branches on streamside trees and bushes. In one case I broke off the dry fly, and I could see it dangling from a branch without leaves. I found a long broken tree branch, and I swiped at the dangling fly, until I eventually strafed it with enough force to cause it to fall in the creek, where I quickly scooped it with my net. It was one of my finer recoveries.

Fish Landed: 22