Fishing and Hunting??? (Colorado Springs, Golden, Montrose: relocating, vacation, work)

[Road to Fishes]

I am making a move to Golden from Auburn California (No. Cal). Relocating for work.
I have a myriad of questions that range across the board.
All of my hobbies circle around the outdoors. Fishing, Hunting, Kyaking, Camping. I have three kids and a Wife that have the same passion for the outdoors that I do. I am leaving Northern California where I was born and raised. I am leaving my favorite Hunting and fishing spots, and have deep fear that I will have to travel back home to continue pursuing "productive waters", so to speak.
How is the stream fishing, and what area's of the state hold the Trophy Stream Waters? Is the trout fishing as good as I am hearing? I am not looking for anyone's secret spot, I am willing to pay my due's. What I am looking for is a friendly point in the right direction.
Also how is the public land hunting? I have briefly looked at the CODOW and not pulled a whole lot of info other than what fee's I will be paying. Are the Elk in healthy populations? How is the Deer Hunting? What is a good resource to use other than the DOW for info and feedback?

I have not used a message board before and have no idea if I am even in the right spot to ask ?'s. Please take pity on this poor, pathetic, computer illiterate, fisherman/hunter and steer me in the right direction.

Thanks for everything

Road to Fishes

[ryanek9freak]

The trout fishing in Lake city is unbeleiveable, trust me. Check out Official Lake City, CO Colorado Vacation, Tourism & Visitor Information Site And yes, coming from a fellow Elk hunter, the population is very healty. And as far as deer hunting? That's a joke. The deer in most places are so tame that you could just walk up and hit one with a hammer. I've seen them walking around in the mall parking lots in Colorado Springs, in broad daylight. People feed them all the time, so they've lost most of their fear of humans. They're more of a nusicance than anything, cause they destroy everyone's gardens.

[SheridanL]

My husband says the Arkansas River ( which is a lonnnggg river but) far west part!! Lake City is fantastic and the elk and deer scenario well, you'll see tons! From Montrose to Ouray, it's almost scary!

I do know a LOT of hunters go to above Gypsum (west of Vail, a totally different area) once a year for deer and elk.

You're coming to Colorado.....it is rich with the things you want!!
You'll just need to take in everyone's suggestions then, decide what area and $$ you want to spend for housing!!

FYI,,Arkansas River is the #1 for rafting and kyaking ( Trout and fishing too by the way).

[ryanek9freak]

You'll get to hunt something that you probably don't have on Norcal. Pronghorn Antelope. Man is that some tasty meat. The hunting Colorado is awsome. Here in Ohio, we can't even use high powered rilfes to hunt. We can onlu use shotguns and archery equipment. IT SUCKS.

Oh and check out this thread Fly Fishing / Hunting

[Mike from back east]

Recent article in the Rocky said they were going to hire sharpshooters to thin the Elk herd. Most hunters would pay dearly for that opportunity, so my question is: Why not do an auction to select sportsmen/women to do the thinning? Is it somehow dangerous or risky? We can make it a point to keep Dick Cheney out. It should be quite a money maker as opposed to an expense.

[ryanek9freak]

I'd sign up for that in a hearbeat. My 30.06 needs a good workout.

[DOUBLE H]

Welcome to the forum!! Arkansas River is a great spot and a long spot as it stretches across U.S. Hwy. 50 for a long ways. Lots of people have their favorite spots; mine isjust west of Howard (14 miles east of Salida). Another great spot is Blue Mesa Reservoir, on 50 maybe 10 miles from west of Gunnison.

[2bindenver]

Come visit the Colorado Welcome Center in the Trading Post at Red Rocks (I volunteer there) we have several publications on hunting and gaming, as well as fishing, hiking, biking, brewery tours, shopping....

Hours are 9 to 4. Best of all it's free

Plan to visit the Visitors Center up top (332 stairs, or a short drive) Red Rocks is amazing, and then do the hike around the park.

[jazzlover]

Many Colorado fisheries were devastated a few years back by whirling disease in trout. They are starting to make a comeback, but many are nothing like they were 25 or 30 years ago.

There are plenty of deer and elk in Colorado, but there are also plenty of hunters, too, though it does seem that hunter numbers in the field this past season were down some. The decency of fishing and hunting in Colorado is generally in direct proportion to distance from major metro areas and difficulty of road access. In other words, the farther you are from the Front Range and the more willing you are to walk, the better the fishing and hunting experience you are likely to have.

A lot of people have mentioned the Arkansas River as a good place to fish. It is, mostly for stocked trout with some German browns, but you are unlikely to have it to yourself and it sits hard against a relatively busy US highway (US 50) for nearly all of its lower stretch (Salida to Parkdale).

Truth is, the best hunting and fishing in the Rocky Mountain region is in Wyoming and Montana, but both states' out of state licenses are pretty expensive and many local residents in both states take a dim view of the "invasion" of their hunting and fishing areas by Coloradans (derogatorily called "greenies" because of the color of the Colorado license plate) and other out of state hunters and fishermen.

[ryanek9freak]

Colorado hunters can be just as nasty to non natives, trust me.