Here at Kirks Fly Shop in Estes Park, we understand that many of you are itching to get out and enjoy everything that Estes Park has to offer, particularly the fishing. This is why we have made changes to our guided fly fishing trips to stay up-to-date with current state and county regulations in regards to social distancing.
We are extremely excited for the upcoming season and all of the fishing to be had! As summer quickly approaches, we have been busy stocking the shelves of our fly shop with the latest fishing gear and apparel for your adventures. If you are interested in booking a fly fishing guide through our shop, you can rest assured that we are taking the following steps to prevent the spread of COVID-19 this summer.
Social-Distanced Guide Trip Precautions:
- Clients ride in their own vehicle and follow the guide 15-20 minutes to the fishing location
- Our guides wear face masks for the entirety of the trip
- Guides instruct clients on fishing technique while maintaining 6 feet of distance
- Our guides use long-handled nets to land your fish while ensuring proper social distance
We recently put together this video to show you a visual example of what our guided trips look like during this social distancing period. Kirk and his client were able to catch some nice fish!
Whether you have been on a guided trip before or not, fly fishing is a great way to relieve stress, and our guides would be happy to show you around the area and help you catch a few trout! The guides that are working for us this summer have proven to be respectful and mindful of the current outbreak, and our recent trips have been bringing back great reviews!
Where Do Guided Trips Go?
Despite Rocky Mountain National Park currently being closed due to COVID-19, there is still plenty of water to fish around Estes Park! Our guided fly fishing trips primarily fish the Big Thompson River in the Big Thompson canyon. Here, you can expect to catch brown and rainbow trout ranging anywhere from 8-20 inches, with the average size being about 12 inches.
We also fish the Big Thompson river closer to town. A great place to fly fish this time of year is the inlet to Lake Estes, where hundreds of trout fill the Big Thompson as it meanders its way through town before eventually entering the lake.
Our guides know the area like the back of their hands, and the time they spend on the water allows them to be the first to know about the most current fishing conditions, and plan their guided trips accordingly.
If you have any questions about the social distancing measures that we are taking with our guided trips or within the fly shop itself, we invite you to give us a call! We are also still accepting orders for curbside pickup, and would be happy to put together an order of flies or gear to be ready for you to stop by and grab.