JEFFERSON — When Gary Nichols contemplated the future of fishing around South Park, he took a look at the past. As a result, some otherwise off-limits streams have opened to fishing with a certain retro feel.
“When I was growing up, my father knew a number of ranchers in the area,” said Nichols, director of tourism and community development for Park County. “He was able to get permission to fish on their property, and would always make some kind of small payment to them for that privilege. We enjoyed some very good fishing on private property and we were seldom turned down.
“That got me thinking. Maybe today’s anglers also would be willing to pay a small fee for access to some good, lightly fished waters on private property, as we had done in the ’60s.”
And so, with an initial grant from Great Outdoors Colorado, the South Park Fly Fishers program was born.
In its ninth year, the nonprofit, cooperative effort by the Park County tourism office and landowners offers access to about 14 stream miles on eight ranch properties. Portions of Tarryall Creek, Four Mile Creek and the South and Middle forks of the South Platte River are included.
Fishermen are charged a daily rod fee to reserve a stretch of fishing water for a given day, similar to booking a fishing beat in England. Rod fees range from $35 to $60, and the number of daily permits is limited to ensure uncrowded conditions. All fishing is with fly rods and artificial flies, and catch-and-release fishing is mandatory.
Access points are prominently marked, and the properties are regularly patrolled.
“Most of our fishermen are very conscientious, respecting both the river and the private property, but from a landowner’s standpoint, that adds another layer of protection,” said Jim Fagerstrom, who with Debra Baxter has operated the Ute Trail River Ranch downstream of Tarryall Reservoir for 17 years and participates in the program.
Landowners receive payments for leasing access rights to their property and a percentage of the collected daily rod fees. Nichols reports that the program has become entirely self-supporting after the initial GOCO funding and that surplus revenues are returned to the operation in the form of stream habitat improvements and similar projects.
Landowners enjoy some other benefits as well.
“The tourism office does a great job in getting the word out on their website (),” said Fagerstrom, whose operation includes a guest lodge, cabins and a small general store. “It’s something we’re not able to do as effectively ourselves, and we’re seeing some of the benefits.”
The eight leases provide a combined 2,000 angler days per year, according to Nichols. In the early years, almost all the fishermen were from Colorado’s Front Range, but 40 percent now are from out of state.
“They’re coming to Colorado, they want to try some fishing and they’re looking for a nearby place to stay,” Nichols said. “That’s a benefit to the entire county.”
The properties offer a variety of water types and whether from Colorado or other states, most anglers seem reasonably happy with what they find.
“We might hear some occasional grousing to the effect that that it’s too hot, or the water’s too high, or maybe the fish just weren’t biting for them, but that’s all part of fishing,” Nichols said. “By and large, the fishermen seem satisfied.”
Nichols believes the program is of value to fishermen and landowners alike, and hopes to eventually expand it.
“It gives fishermen access to waters that don’t get a lot of fishing pressure and otherwise probably would be posted,” he said. “It fills a niche between fully public waters that have unrestricted access and the high-end private clubs.”
