Why fishing is making a comeback in Colorado

Why fishing is making a comeback in Colorado

Outdoors

Updated:   06/22/2014 02:00:14 PM MDT

Just like a hungry trout, fishing is on the rise in Colorado. After a dramatic drop in popularity in the late 1990s, the number of licensed anglers in the state has bounced back from a low of about 630,000 in 2000 to some 765,000 last year, and counting.

Whether it's Olympic gold medalist and self-proclaimed "fish whisperer" Lindsey Vonn of Vail picking up a fly rod for the first time or the neighborhood kids dunking worms in a local pond, the allure is universal.

"People fish for different reasons," said Ronnie Precht of Denver, who caught the fly-fishing bug last year. "My friend Gary is a fish slayer — he just loves to catch any fish he can any way he can for the thrill of it. But my buddy Keith only fly-fishes, and he really only cares about the art of casting and the rhythm and the feel of it. I don't think he even wants to catch a fish. If you weren't watching, he probably wouldn't even tie on a fly.

First-time angler Jen Exiner, from Chicago, casts out on the South Platte River near Deckers.

First-time angler Jen Exiner, from Chicago, casts out on the South Platte River near Deckers. (Andy Cross, The Denver Post)

"For me, I like being outside with my dog. If we are in a raft catching trout, that's even better."

Considering the broad appeal, fishing's popularity in Colorado is easy to understand, especially when you examine trends nationally.

According to the American Sportfishing Association and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the number of anglers in the U.S. grew 11 percent from 2006-11, and fishing tackle sales grew more than 16 percent during that span. With more than 50 million anglers nationwide, more Americans fish than play golf (21 million) and play tennis (13 million) combined.

Here in Colorado, fishing is credited for contributing more than $1.9 billion each year to the economy. But, really, can you think of a more beautiful place to wet a line?

Not if it's a fly-fishing line. According to a fly-fishing industry report published by Southwick and Associates in 2013, the Rocky Mountain region is responsible for nearly a third of the total U.S. market share of fly-fishing gear sales, the most by a long way. And since it's fish, not fishing tackle, that people mount on the wall, it's safe to assume all that fly-fishing gear is being put to good use.

"Some friends of mine took me fly-fishing for the first time, and I just fell in love with it," said Peggy Stevinson of Greenwood Village, who now shares her passion with other women through the Casting for Recovery program for cancer patients. "It's a challenge, you're constantly learning, you're outside — it's just my favorite thing to do. I took the summer off just to fly-fish."

Although it's still a relatively small segment of the overall market (about 6 million nationally), fly-fishing is the fastest-growing segment of the fishing population, with first-time participants making up 20.5 percent of the sport's growth in 2012. And the most recent statewide angling survey indicates it's the most popular method of fishing in Colorado.

Fly-fisherman Craig Conrad, visiting from Craig, casts replica minnows bait in trying his luck at Bear Creek Reservoir at Bear Creek Lake Park.

Fly-fisherman Craig Conrad, visiting from Craig, casts replica minnows bait in trying his luck at Bear Creek Reservoir at Bear Creek Lake Park. (Andy Cross, The Denver Post)

"Getting into this dry-fly-fishing is like a whole new sport. It's so much different than any other fishing I've ever done, but it's the most fun I can have without gathering the attention of the authorities," said Gary Bragg, a lifelong angler who recently took up fly-fishing. "It's a pretty severe hankering. Once you do it a few times, you have to get back at it again."

It's no wonder, given Colorado's abundance of fishable waters. With more than 2,000 lakes and reservoirs and nearly 9,000 miles of streams, an angler is never far from his or her preferred habitat. Fishing is available at 37 of Colorado's 42 state parks, and about 25 percent of state park visitors report that fishing is their top reason for visiting a state park — just behind hiking and slightly ahead of camping.

That translates to about 3 million fishing "visitor days" a year at various state parks alone, with the highest number of angler-visitors at Lake Pueblo, Chatfield, Eleven Mile, Steamboat Lake and State Forest state parks.

Much like the parks themselves, fishing serves as a gateway connecting people to the outdoors and a healthy lifestyle by introducing them to other outdoor activities. Without a doubt, fishing is a cornerstone of the American outdoor experience and Colorado remains at the frontier.

www.rod-fly-fishing.com