Time: 12:15PM – 4:15PM

Location: National forest

Beaver Creek 09/30/2026 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.

Wednesday was the first day of a planned three day fishing trip on the western slope. The weather was a concern, as I drove through steady rain and cold temperatures, but by the time I reached my destination, the dashboard temperature registered 61 degrees, and the air was dry, although heavy clouds blocked the sun most of the day.

On Display

I geared up and assembled my Orvis Access four weight. I was also concerned about the flows during this drought year, so I peered down at the creek to make sure that Beaver Creek was a viable fishery. It was, so I hiked up the trail a decent distance, before I cut across some large rocks and approached the stream. By this time it was nearly noon, so I found a suitable rock and gobbled my lunch.

Lovely Pool

After lunch I knotted a peacock hippie stomper to my line and began my quest for trout. The solo stomper was ignored, so I added a short 18 inch dropper and tied a supernova PMD to my line. The two fly dry/dropper clicked somewhat, and I boosted the fish count to six in the first hour, but the stomper was provoking a lot of refusals. The supernova accounted for most of the early catch, although there were a couple stomper takes.

Spots Like This

I concluded that I was bypassing some juicy spots with no action, so I reworked my configuration. I replaced the stomper with a tan mini chubby and swapped the supernova for a prince nymph. I also extended the dropper leader to 2-2.5 feet. I was seeking deeper drifts by way of a heavier fly and longer leader.

Pastel Rainbow

Well, the prince failed to deliver, so after a reasonable trial period, I exchanged it for a salvation nymph. I am not certain whether it was due to the fly change, depth adjustment, time of day or section of the creek; but my flies began to produce with regularity. Over the last two hours I raised the fish count to thirty-three. Roughly 70% of the grabs were on the salvation, but the mini chubby attracted its fair share of eats.

Quite a Pool

Five of the netted fish were twelve inches or greater with the largest estimated to be fourteen inches. Most trout were small and between six and eleven inches, but they were fun to fool and play nonetheless.

I Was Unable to Fool the Pair of Trout in the Center

Thirty-one of the thirty-three fish were rainbows, and two were vibrant brook trout. Fishing the narrow, high gradient stream was very challenging, as I contorted myself over slippery, moss covered rocks and over and under large deadfalls. Deep pools and tailouts produced most of the fish.

Glowing

Wednesday was a successful day with nearly perfect weather for fishing. The aspen leaves were bright although trending past their peak.

Fish Landed: 33