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The river begins its race for the flatlands on the Continental Divide's backbone in Rocky Mountain National Park. During the course of its rush to join the South Platte River near Greeley, it provides more than 60 miles of public fishing. There are good populations of brown and native trout, as well as some mountain whitefish. Three sections on the river are restricted to fly and lure fishing, and on these sections the bag and possession limit is two fish, 16 inches or longer.
The Cache la Poudre River is the only river in Colorado designated as a "Wild and Scenic River" by the National Park Service. It also has two sections of the river which have been designated as Wild Trout Waters by the Division of Wildlife.
According to legend, the river was named in the 1830's, when a group of explorers (possibly en route to the Green) was caught in a heavy snowstorm near the banks of the river. They had to "cache la poudre" or "hide the powder" in order to lighten their load, returning to retrieve the gunpowder in the spring.
This river wanders through beautiful canyons, offering many types of water and scenery for the flyfisher. Whether you like smaller streams, pools, raging water, riffles - this river has it all. And the great news is that there is also lots of access.
Access- Plenty of it
The Poudre starts in Rocky Mountain National Park. If you're up for a hike, you can fish the headwaters by taking the trail off Trail Ridge Road. Poudre Lake is just off the road and the trail heads north along the river through the park and into Comanche Peak Wilderness
The Poudre and Joe Wright Creek meet near Hwy 14, which is the main highway north of Rocky Mountain Nat'l Park, connecting the Fort Collins area with North Park. Highway 14 follows the Poudre from Joe Wright Creek to Highway 287, a journey of about 48 miles.
Access is available at numerous spots along the road. There are trailheads, campgrounds, picnic areas, and turn-outs, mostly on USFS land. There is also access at Bliss State Wildlife Area, the state fish hatchery and the Poudre State Wildlife area. There is private land along the river, but by far a majority is public. Great fishing! Drive along the highway until you see your spot, no other fishermen, and access. You're in!
Canyon fishing
Some nice rainbows are growing up on the Poudre (photo courtesy Scott Murdoch)
There are lots of other great areas to fish - go over to North Park and fish in numerous rivers and creeks, including the North Platte. Drive north off the western end of Hwy 14 and fish the Laramie. Fish the loads of lakes in Rocky Mtn Nat'l Park and the nearby wilderness areas - this is where you will find Greenback Cutthroats.
The area can be crowded in summer - not just fisherman frequent this river - it is also a popular region for kayaking, rafting, hiking, or just getting-away-from-it-all. So, plan accordingly, making sure you have your lodging organized and your patience cap on for the traffic. This is a 2-lane road.
The river is home to several types of trout including rainbows, browns, cuttbows, and cutthroats. There have even been reports of Kokanee in the Poudre!
From its headwaters downstream, through the city of Fort Collins, the Cache la Poudre River contains abundant populations of self-sustaining wild trout, with none of these salomnid populations being native to the river. The vast majority of trout that live within the river system are Brown Trout. The community of Fort Collins contains devoted Poudre River Anglers, who seek brown trout of all size- ranging from juvenille trout all the way up to piscivorous and predominantly nocturnal five to eight pound trout. Anglers pursue these trout most actively in the guise of a fly fisher and dozens, if not hundreds of local fly patterns] have been developed purely for use on the Poudre.
Many locals consider the Cache la Poudre River to be the life blood of the Fort Collins community. Yet, water rights run deep in the community's history and water ownership for uses such as irrigation, drinking and industry create unstable flow environments, greatly impacting the abundance of wildlife in and around the river. As a result, several conservation organizations have been formed in an effort to protect and enhance the natural state of the river.
Anglers seeking success on the Cache la Poudre River can find it in all seasons, as water remains open in certain areas year-round. Fishers in the winter often pursue skiddish trout with flies the size of a pinhead at distances of up to forty feet. In the fall, Brown Trout spawn and in the spring, so do the Rainbow Trout, making for aggressive and active fish that are more than willing to take a fly, dressed of fur and feather and will fight the angler well. Spring, Summertime and Fall mark the highest amounts of anglers on the stream, but enough public water exists that one may always find solitude if he or she so desires it.
Because of increasing fishing pressures on a finite resource, special regulations have been designated for certain stretches of the Poudre by the Colorado Division of Wildlife. These regulations include the use of flies and lures only and strict catch and release designations. This ensures that trout populations are left to thrive naturally and that fish who are caught for sport are released , unharmed, to live on as a wild creature, a worthy adversary, and also as an intoduced invasive spcies. Special regulation waters include, The Indian Meadows Section, The Hatchery Section and a small tailwater stretch of the North Fork of the Cache la Poudre River, which flows from Seamen Reservoir to the main fork of the Poudre. As the Cache la Poudre leaves the canyon for the valley to flow through Fort Collins the water quality decreases significantly. Although trout still live in the lower Cache la Poudre, the population is increasingly diminished due to marginal water flows and water quality, both of which greatly hinder self-sustained trout reproduction in the lower Poudre. Because of this, all fishermen whether bait or artificial should release their catch in town in order to make sure the fishery on the lower Cache la Poudre will remain for years to come.
Many believe that with the right combination of flow, habitat and regulation, that the Cache la Poudre River can become a world-class trout fishery. Furthermore, the Cache la Poudre River has and will continue to support tremendous fly fishing in a wild and beautiful setting.
Cache La Poudre River as it flows through Fort Collins, Colorado.
Country United States
State Colorado
Major cities Fort Collins, Greeley
Length 126 mi (203 km) [1]
Discharge at Fort Collins
- average 162 cu ft/s (4.6 m³/s) [2]
- maximum 6,080 cu ft/s (172.2 m³/s)
- minimum 0 cu ft/s (0 m³/s)
Source Rocky Mountains
- location Rocky Mountain National Park
- coordinates 40°25′29″N 105°48′24″W / 40.42472, -105.80667 [3]
- elevation 10,755 ft (3,278 m) [4]
Mouth South Platte River
- location Near Greeley
- coordinates 40°25′17″N 104°36′3″W / 40.42139, -104.60083 [3]
- elevation 4,600 ft (1,402 m) [4]
Major tributaries
- left North Fork Cache la Poudre River
- right South Fork Cache la Poudre River
Cache la Poudre River
About the River
Regulations
Tips to Blue River
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