Location: Colorado Springs, CO
Season: Year round
Species: Trout: Browns & Rainbows
Follow Juan on Instagram @hopperjuan_fly_fishing
I guide full time on the South Platte River and the Arkansas Rivers in Colorado. Guiding brings a new challenge everyday on both rivers. I spend most of my time on the South Platte and there are several places I really love to guide depending on the season.
I love guiding Deckers when the fish are eating during high water. They will eat anything and everything. In Cheesman Canyon when the fish are looking up for stoneflies, it’s something special and it’s never a guarantee. In Elevenmile Canyon during a Trico spinner fall fish will eat for hours on the surface and matching the spinners can be painfully frustrating and challenging but extremely rewarding.
On to the Dream Stream when all the fish seem to completely disappear but you find several that are eating Tricos off the side of the grass mat in late summer. Those are the days I love the most!
JUAN'S GEAR
UV CLEAR FLY FINISH
"Before any guide trips, the work begins on the tying bench. If I am tying Jedi Masters or Flux Capacitors, I need a durable UV resin to keep things together on the water and my favorite is UV Clear Fly Finish - Thin."
AQUEL
"I am nymphing 97% of the time and I like using yarn as an indicator when possible. That yarn requires a floatant to keep it floating high and Aquel is my #1 choice to do that."
LOON DUST
"When the BWOs and Tricos are on the water, I need a little help with visability on the small flies. The Loon Dust keeps them floating high and dry and it works well on CDC flies."
DEEP SOFT WEIGHT
"Getting your flies down to the fish is key. If you are not putting it in front of their face, they won’t eat. With the moldable putty, I can add as much or as little Deep Soft Weight as needed to get my flies where the fish are to get them to eat."
ERGO BODKIN
"The Loon Ergo Bodkin usually lives on my tying bench at home but I’ve recently started using it on the river to take out little knots that my clients occasionally end up with on their leaders. It works great and as long as it’s hidden and out of the way, there is no issue!"
