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Pristine stretch of river now open for guided fishing tours

You used to have to pay more than $100,000 to fish at this pristine spot in Eagle County. These days, you can take a guided fishing tour for much less.
Credit: Matt Renoux, KUSA

EAGLE COUNTY — An once exclusive stretch of river in Eagle County is now opened to guided tours.

“It’s remote, it’s beautiful, untouched, undeveloped, un-fished,” fly fishing guide Chase Hansen said.

The 7-mile stretch of private water is located at Piney Valley Ranch north of Wolcott. Joe Tomasic with Sage Outdoor Adventures says many anglers consider it one of the best places to fish around.

“Anyone who fishes knows that this river is the Holy Grail of fishing, not only in Colorado but in the country,” Tomasic said.

The only problem? Very few people have ever seen or been on that part of the Piney.

“I have been here for 26 years and I have never stepped foot in this valley,” Tomasic said.

The Piney River has been flowing for a long time, but fishing it at the Piney Valley Ranch has taken a large cash flow, with people paying hundreds of thousands of dollars to fish the private stretch of water.

“This river was private and was accessible to a private club that charged $150,000 to join and about $100,000 a year in dues, so it really wasn’t tailored to the masses,” Tomasic said.

That’s started to change with the price falling and the masses being let in.

“We’re talking under $400 to come out and fish the Piney River, which is a fraction of what it was,” Tomasic said.

Now, guides like Hansen get to take fishing enthusiasts through once exclusive water.

“We’re just getting back on the river,” Hansen said. “We’re still having a great time exploring all this."

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