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River guide · Colorado

Fly Fishing the Gore Creek

A compact, clear freestone stream threading through Vail and its surrounding Gore Range wilderness, Gore Creek punches above its size with a Gold Medal designation and exceptional sight-fishing to selective trout year-round. The Gold Medal stretch from Red Sandstone Creek to the Eagle River holds an estimated 60 pounds of trout per acre.

  • 5 shops nearby
  • freestone
  • Year-round
  • Colorado
  • 6 key hatches
See fly shops ↓

The best time to fly fish the Gore Creek is Year-round. Key hatches include Midges, Blue, Pale Morning Dun, Caddis. 5 fly shops near the Gore Creek can outfit your trip.

Fly shops near the Gore Creek

Shops and guides that fish the Gore Creek. See all 122 Colorado shops →

Fly Fishing OutfittersGore Creek Fly FishermanFly Fishing OutfittersVail Valley AnglersEagle River Anglers
5 fly shops shown

Species on this water

Trout

Nearby towns

VailAvonEdwards

Rivers nearby

Blue RiverEagle RiverWilliams Fork RiverFrying Pan River
Hatches & seasons

When & what to fish on the Gore Creek

River typefreestone
Best seasonYear-round; winter (December–February) and fall (September–November) are peak. Spring runoff (April–May) degrades conditions. Summer is productive on the Gold Medal stretch.
AccessI-70 frontage roads provide easy access through the Vail corridor, with primary pullouts at exits 171, 173, and 176. Stephens Park, Bighorn Park, and Gore Creek Campground offer parking with direct streamside access. The 18.5-mile Gold Medal section runs from Red Sandstone Creek downstream to the Eagle River confluence at Dowd Junction, paralleling I-70 with multiple entry points.
Key hatches
  • Midges — year-round, dominant in winter and early spring
  • Blue-winged Olive — March through May, September through November
  • Pale Morning Dun — June through August
  • Caddis — June through September
  • Golden Stonefly and Yellow Sally — June through July
  • Terrestrials (ants, hoppers, beetles) — July through September
From The Fly Bench

Tie the flies that work on the Gore Creek

Step-by-step tying recipes & videos for these patterns.

Browse all 880+ patterns at The Fly Bench
Gear up

Gear up on the Gore Creek

Everything you need before the next trip — rods, lines, leaders, and fly-tying materials.

Shop the gear Flies that work

The flies that work on the Gore Creek

Find the most effective patterns for where you're fishing — and learn to tie them yourself, step by step.

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Updated June 2026