When people think of fly fishing in Colorado, the first things that probably come to mind are trout, rivers, and scenic views. Yes, we have all those, but honestly, none of the above are what started my fly-fishing journey.
Twenty plus years ago, I was introduced to fly-fishing at a local lake. There was always a small crew of gents out there and they were consistently catching wiper on a fly rod. I went to a local fly shop, learned what a wiper ate, and learned how to tie a fly to replicate it. I spent days at that lake casting my clouser minnow and stripping it back in just waiting on one to latch on. Finally, it happened, an unforgettable strike followed by my cheap fly rod bending to the cork. I had done it! I still remember it like it was yesterday. Since then, my addiction to that strike has only grown, I have chased these fish in multiple states just waiting on the next tug. If you are looking to try something new or expand your horizons when it comes to fly fishing in Colorado, I suggest giving warm water fly fishing a try...
The Fish:
Wiper are a hybrid between a white bass and a striped bass. They are hatchery raised fish, bred to keep shad populations in our reservoirs in check. They go through a "false" spawn in the spring. These fish are pelagic, much like a saltwater fish, wherever the bait goes, they will follow. Wiper, in my opinion, are the hardest fighting fish, pound for pound in Colorado.
Gear:
The best thing about wiper fishing is that it doesn't take an insane amount of gear to chase them. For wiper in Colorado a sturdy fast action 6-7 wt rod will suffice. You can get by with a standard floating line, take an old leader and cut it back to where it will match with 14-20 lb test line, make your leader 8-10' in length, add a clouser and start casting. Waders, will be a useful tool as well, as wading out to where you can make an unimpeded back cast is generally necessary. Other good fly patterns include lefty's deceiver, ep baitfish, the gummy minnow, and basically anything that can replicate a small shad or baitfish.
When and where:
For the shore angler, springtime is generally the best time to chase a wiper with a fly rod. As the water warms to 55 degrees the wipers will start going very shallow to feed, they also move shallower to go through a false spawn. Generally mid-April through the month of May are the best times of year to chase these fish. They will move deeper in the summer following schools of baitfish. The best way to find them in the summer is to look for them busting baitfish on the lakes surface early and late in the day. They can push these baitfish into shallow water and if they do it can make for an unformattable few minutes to a few hours of fishing. As summer transitions into fall the wiper will spread out more, there will be fish shallow, deep, and everywhere in-between. They will feed heavily in the fall like most fish as they are putting the feed bag on before the lake ices over.
Many Colorado Reservoirs have wiper, do your homework on the CPW website, look at stocking reports, and throw a dart. A few lakes to try include, Lon Hagler Reservoir, Jackson Reservoir, Barr Lake State Park, John Martin Reservoir, and there's many more. In springtime, look for shallow coves, beaches, inlets, or rip-rap type structure. If you can find a location like this with the wind blowing straight into your face, you might have found the magic spot.
If you have any questions, feel free to reach out through the website. We offer guided fly fishing for wipers spring through fall. We have permits on many public lakes with healthy populations of wiper, we also have access to some of the best warm water private lakes in Colorado.