7800 Frying Pan Road Presented by Chris Klug

With private water and your own 582-feet of the Gold Medal-designated Frying Pan River flowing through it, Starlight River Ranch is a true fisherman’s dream for both the seasoned angler or the occasional fisherman. Upstream of your private water is a full one and a half miles of public water, so if you feel like exploring, you can just walk upstream every morning for some of the finest dry fly fishing in the country. However, with excellent fishing opportunities on the property’s private water, it can be hard to leave!

The Frying Pan River is one of Colorado’s premier year-round tailwaters for trout fishing. Running from the bottom of the Ruedi Reservoir dam, the river flows unobstructed throughout its 13-mile journey to the Roaring Fork River and – ultimately – the Colorado River in Glenwood Springs. This private section of the Pan is one of the largest privately held river frontages on the river, inhabiting a classic tailwater fishery with prime pocket water, riffle-run structures and drop-pools. The brown and rainbow trout populations through this stretch of river are impressive, and the resident trout enjoy consistent hatches and an abundance of food on a year-round basis.

“The hatch heard around the world” is the green drake emergence, which typically occurs in early August. Some of the largest trout in the river are known to lower their guard and typical pickiness for the opportunity to feed on these massive mayflies. Last season, the largest fish landed on the property was a 24-inch rainbow that ate a green drake off of the surface. And the good news? A resident fish biologist believes that these large fish live here all year. Along with the green drakes there are an amazing number of other hatches on the Frying Pan, and since it is a tailwater, it’s a true year-round fishery. If you love dry fly fishing, this is one of the best fishing properties in all of North America. Additionally, these tranquil waters are home to a host of seasonal animals, birds and waterfowl and are a valuable resource to the extensive local wildlife. The large Cottonwoods on the property hosts a family of Bald Eagles during the winter.

Thousands of avid anglers travel to the area specifically to target hungry trout during this late-summer frenzy, but you will never feel that pressure as you have your own private slice of heaven on the Frying Pan.