LaNoue Dubois Vineyards- Uncompahgre River- Montrose, CO

The name of the game here is big Rainbows. Browns and the occasional Cutthroat can be found, but big Bows are what you’re looking for here. With there being no major diversion structures between the famed Pa-Co-Chu-Puk and LaNoue Dubois, the monstrous fish are free to travel up and down this famed stretch, and they certainly do. Caddis and midge patterns are effective April through November, while PMD’s, terrestrials and Stones can be a good choice in summer months.

Rarely is such an adventurous locale this close to civilization. In a matter of steps, you are transported from a beautiful vineyard to tall willows flanking a wild river. Along the river corridor, there is an abundance of wildlife including a Yellow Bellied Marmot colony, foxes and their kits, bald eagles, and wintering waterfowl. There’s also a standing deer herd of about 15, a mountain lion that travels the river, and last but not least a bear who is usually only seen in the fall.