LAKEWOOD, Colo. — "Trout don’t live in ugly places in Colorado. So even if you’re not catching fish, you’re getting to explore the great outdoors. And getting to see some spots that maybe you haven’t seen before," Jimmy Juliana said with a smile.
Juliana, the general manager of Anglers All, has covered a lot of water, but one of his favorite fisheries is only a half an hour away from downtown Denver.
"I love Bear Creek, one reason being is it's close," he said. "So I can come up here for a couple hours (and) catch a few fish. Kind of scratch the itch."
This popular hiking and biking trail off Morrison Road is home to hungry brown trout.
"Yeah, they’re definitely eager in this river. These fish don’t see as many flies and leaders and whatnot as they do in some of the other waters in Colorado, that are more pressurized. So you can fool them a little easier," he explained.
One cool thing about Bear Creek is that you don’t have to find a pocket. And the odds are good it's full of fish.
"Absolutely, that’s one of the best parts about it. You can cover a lot of water and catch a lot of fish. And see a lot of different water," Julianna said. "So, you can just keep moving and there’s always going to be a fish in that next hole. You just have fun and enjoy it."
According to Julianna, the hopper dropper is the go-to rig because it gives fish a look at two very different types of flies.
"Hopper dropper is essentially, like I said, you got that top water. Something that resembles a (grass hopper), a beetle or some insect like that. You would tie that one on first. And then off the bend of the hood I like to add, depending on the depth of the water, any kind of bead headed nymph that you can drop off the back of a hopper a lot of the times. Especially in an area like this can be really effective," he said.
That technique pays off on rivers and streams throughout the front range. But this is a great place for beginners.
"This is a good spot for people to not have to travel too far, but (to) get outdoors and catch some fish. It’s been a little bit more crowded than it has been in the past, but I think as COVID-19 subsides it’ll kind of spread out a little bit more," he said. "You get a lot of people up here hiking or biking and picnicking. The ratio of hikers and bikers to anglers. There’s definitely a lot more of those guys over there and a few fishermen scattered around."
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