Guided Fly Fishing in the Heart of the Yampa Valley

This was the best float trip!! We had Tim as our guide and he was awesome. I am a beginner and my husband is experienced. Tim was a great teacher and very knowledgeable. He has a lot of good tips. We had a great float and caught a ton of fish. . I would recommend Yampa Valley Anglers and look forward to a future trip!!

Half Day on Chapman Reservoir Two beginners and two “advanced” beginners had success with Jake and Ben as our guides. The reservoir was beautiful and we caught the first fish within minutes of putting the line in the water. Ben gave easy to follow intro and then both guides tweaked our technique and helped with our line and flies the rest of the day. Everyone had success and a good time. We learned a lot!

Went fishing for my bachelorette party and had such a blast with Ryan and Michael! Went with a party of 5, we were all beginners but caught a bunch of monster trout and took a couple home for dinner. Both of them were super nice and helpful and we had such a great time! Highly recommend. Wish we could do this every year!

After spending 2 long weekends with the YVA crew, I can without a doubt say that these are the best guides I’ve ever had and will definitely be out with them again. Herb (Ryan), the owner, and his entire crew are simply great, hard working, and passionate people that love giving people great experiences and getting them on fish!

Absolutely phenomenal guide Ryan, caught a lot of toads rainbow and brook trout, very knowledgeable and always willing to help others out on the river, might even book another trip this week, very knowledgeable on spots and techniques!

We had a such wonderful time on our guided trip with Ryan! Two of us were experienced fly fishers and two were beginners, and they did a great job at balancing the trip so we all had a good time and all caught fish. Ryan made it really fun and was an excellent guide; did I mention that we caught a lot of fish? We joked about our arms being sore the next day, and mine really was! I highly recommend Ryan and his team.

Great company to fish with! Got a chance to go out fishing with Ryan last week. Myself, wife and son all got to wade out into the river and have some fun. Ryan was awesome and absolutely fantastic helping us work on our fly fishing skills throughout the day! My son had a great time and talks about it all the time. If you are out that way and looking for a fishing guide, definitely give Ryan a call! We will definitely be using you again next time we are up in Steamboat! Thank you for a great day!

Great Day It was a fabulous first day to successfully fly fish. A huge thank you to my talented guide Jack Barton ! 15 fish caught on the YampaColo Reservoir! Great job Jack & Yampa Valley Anglers.

Awesome! A great ice fishing experience on Stagecoach. Ryan gave us a ride back to our place due to car trouble! Can’t wait to go back and fish with him and his team. Best experience we’ve had in steamboat!

Fly fishing outside of Steamboat Springs, CO My family had a delightful experience fly fishing with Ryan (Herb) and Ben. They were knowledgeable, patient and warm — the perfect instructors and guides. The scenery was breathtaking. A joyous experience.

Fun and Positivity Spent 5 days with Ryan and his crew of guides in May 2022 and I couldn’t imagine a better experience. He brings positivity and fun and even though you won’t know it you’ll be a smarter and more capable fisherman after your time with him. Highly highly recommend. (And the riverside chili is 6 stars!!!)

Newbie fly fishing adventure! Great experience for newbies!

My husband and I completed a half day guided fly fishing experience and it was AWESOME. I had internalized a lot of concerns because there weren’t many pictures of women, and I was worried about gear fitting my plus-sized body. Our guide, Jake, made everything work without batting an eye, and we caught tons of fish and had a blast doing it. Jake also made sure to teach us along the way. That was nice because neither my husband or I grew up doing that kind of “stuff”, and we want to learn as adults but it can be overwhelming and intimidating. After this trip, we are “hooked” (full pun intended!).

Can’t wait to come back!

Late winter skiing break was the highlight of the trip! Ryan put my wife and I on some great Ranibows and Browns on the Yampa near downtown. The next day Mike took my son and I on an awesome Yampa/Sarvis Creek snowmobile accessed adventure. The fish weren't as large or plentiful, but my goodness, the scenery! Both gentlemen were very knowledgeable, personable, and .patient. Will be booking with this guys again.

Truly amazing time! What an amazing experience! Ryan was such a professional and friendly guide who took the time to teach and explain everything. The fishing spot was remote and beautiful and the best part was all the fish I caught. I can't recommend Ryan and his trips enough!

Wonderful first time fishing! Wow!!!! My sister and I booked a flyfishing and nature expedition - neither of us have ever flyfished before. Mike, our amazing guide, took us up to Routt National Forest to a beautiful falls and then to wade and flyfish in Bear Lake. We caught and released a couple of dozen rainbow trout and white fish, it was just the greatest. Mike has lived in Yampa Valley all his life and has an impressive set of knowledge of the land and its wildlife, including medicinal plants. He was so patient with us and a lot of fun. Believe me, having an expert flyfishing guide with you is worth every penny. One of our most memorable experiences to date. Great times in Steamboat!!

Great Morning on the Lake We really enjoyed our morning learning to fly fish with Bryant Stark and Yampa Valley Anglers. We loved the beautiful fall drive to Crosho Lake in the Rouff National Forest. The fall foliage was amazing, which provided a wonderful backdrop for our fishing expedition. Bryant was a great guide. He was a patient teacher for two newbies. We caught 15 fish between the two of us. He was supportive and maintained a great sense of humor as we made every mistake new fly fishers can make. We had a great morning together. This is a great activity for couples and families. Not sure? Go for it, give it a try and enjoy!

Fantastic Day With Rainbows Spent a fantastic day of fishing with Ryan. First time stillwater fishing with flies. He was great with us beginners and we landed many rainbow trout. We will definitely be back with them next time we’re in Steamboat. Worth every penny.

Awesome fishing day! I just experienced the best fishing g day of my life with Ryan! He knew all the right flies to us and taught me to do effective presentations. Caught more than 70 nice rainbow trout in a half day fishing trip! Ryan is awesome. The best fishing g guide I’ve ever had.

great guide father & son fishing trip, caught about 20 fish, kept 4, great fun, guide was very knowledgeable on where good fishing spots were

Amazing Guides and Teachers We have had two days of amazing experiences with our fly fishing guides from Yampa Valley Anglers! We had a tall order of teaching 6 kids under 12 to fly fish and they nailed it! At the end of two days the kids were able to tie their own line and flies on. They were able to cast, mend and everything else needed to fall in love with the sport; and did I mention the kids caught TONS of fish! The guides were patient, funny and very encouraging. I can not say enough positive things. Thank you Yampa Valley Anglers!!

Fly fishing with my daughters This was my 4th trip with YVA - this time with my 19 year old daughter. I can’t say enough good things in this short space about Ryan and what he has built at YVA.

We floated the upper section of the Yampa which takes you through Steamboat. Just for perspective, I am ok with a fly rod and this was my daughters first float (she has had castings lessons). My daughter was nervous about spending the day on the water - forced family fun! My wife was jealous she didn’t get to go.

Ryan’s energy the entire day was amazing. He coached my daughter the entire time helping her land a huge northern pike and several trout during the day - all firsts for her. She was smiling the entire day.

Thanks again to YVA for another amazing day on the water. We will be back next year.

Amazing Trip on the Yampa River. My wife and I scheduled a trip with Ryan (Herb) Herbert, and was taken out by Tim. We showed up and he was very well prepared with everything we needed. Was a very cold morning in late February, but great conditions for fishing. Taking a snowmobile to the fishing spot, we encountered a weird scene with a bloody Elk right next to our trail! Looked like it had been in a fight, as we then spotted two Coyotes fleeing the scene. Once we arrived to the spot, we started catching fishing right away. Tim was a great host and knowledgeable guide, and we had a great time with him.

We will be back sometime soon hopefully. Thanks guys for a memorable trip!

Kind. Patient. Easy to work with We scheduled a family fishing trip with grandpa And grandson. We had to cancel because grandpa fell ill. The owner and guide were super understanding and kind.

I’m a local here in steamboat and have heard nothing but great things about this company on the water. Although I didn’t get to fish with them . they are amazing off the water too.

Fantastic Trip Spend three days fishing with Tim Drummond and Yampa Valley Anglers. First day was river fishing on the Yampa. Had great weather and caught fish from the first cast. Day two was spent fishing from a raft while covering 12 miles of the Colorado. Again caught fish immediately. Tim would point and say "Cast there" and as long as we did we caught fish. Amazed because he was also in charge of the raft. Also, beautiful scenery or so I am told. I was too focused on fishing. Day three was on Stagecoach Lake. Again a new experience and again we caught fish. Tim was great for all three days. Taught us a lot about how to catch big fish on a fly rod. Only bad part of the trip was I discovered my wife is a better fisherman than I am. She just has the touch I guess.

Anyone planning a fishing trip I would highly recommend Tim.

Best fishing experience of my life! Last month my dad and I caught 40+ fish in one day! Ug (Michael) took us to Stagecoach and knew exactly where all the Rainbows were. Ug taught us how to fly fish in about an hour, after that, we were catching fish for the next 6 hours. I highly recommend using Yampa Valley Anglers!

Great time on our first fly fishing experience!!! My Husband and I along with my adult son went out with Ug on our first fly fishing trip. We meant him at Stagecoach reservoir which was a perfect place for us to start. Ug was very patient and taught us each the fly fishing technique very thoroughly. Soon we were all throwing fly rods and catching rainbow trout. We usually deep water fish so this was totally different for us. This definitely will be one of our top things on our list to do on our next visit to Colorado in the summer. Thanks to Ryan for arranging this trip for us.

Most fish I've ever caught in one day! Awesome day of fishing on Stagecoach reservoir! A thank you to Tim for being an amazing guide and teacher. Will definitely do it again with Yampa Valley Angers.

Stage coach reservoir- UG rocked it!!! What a fun trip! We had a great time and hooked into a lot of fish! Will do it again! Michael “UG” was a great guide. Gave us a lot of pointers and told some good stories!

Fly Fishing Great experience caught about 20 rainbow trout in 2 days with no experience! Ugg was a great guide and helped make the experience memorable. Would recommend trying both Stagecoach National Park and the Routt National Forrest!

Most fun I’ve ever had fishing I went on a guided trip with Ryan today. My dad also went and he is a very accomplished angler, whereas I am novice at most. Ryan was an exceptional teacher. He was tremendously patient and encouraging. He gave me great instruction when I needed it and helped me catch the biggest fish of my life (see photo). My dad also caught the biggest fish he’s ever caught in Colorado, and we both had a wonderful time. Ryan is a great guide for all skill levels. 10/10 would recommend him and the entire Yampa Valley Anglers crew for anything fishing related here in Steamboat.

Very happy repeat visitor Ryan is the BEST guide in the Steamboat area. He is not just a guide - he is a teacher too. I’ve taken my wife and daughter fishing with him and Ryan made sure they both had an amazing time fishing. Ryan and his team are absolutely exceptional. They accommodate all skill levels and make it fun while also helping every guest improve. Under Ryan’s guiding, my wife, daughter, and myself caught the biggest fish we ever have. This is the best guide service you can book with.

Great Everything My family and I decided to fly fish at the last minute and Yampa Valley Anglers were able to accommodate all 5 of us. Max and Mike were GREAT! They made the experience that much more enjoyable. The kids had a great time with them and the location was picturesque.

Outstanding Service and Outstanding Fishing Just finished a 5 day hosted trip with Sportsman's Finest out of Austin Texas. The river was running high but we were put on lots of fish both in the river and the lakes. The guides were all excellent and the service orientation of YVA is outstanding. Recommended.

Fan-freaking-tastic Eight anglers, 4 guides on a float down the Yampa. All 8 guys said their guides were great. The guide in my boat (Tim) was excellent - knew his stuff, offered tips & guidance directly but politely (even when he had to tell me the same thing for the third time), got us into great holes, had to work pretty hard a few times to keep us in some of those spots, and was genuinely excited when we landed nice fish (which we did plenty of). This was my first guided trip so I don't have anything to compare it to, but the pricing seemed fair for what you get. I also liked that lunch was provided but was simple and quick, allowing us to get back to fishing.

Best fishing ever! My husband and I fished a half day with Ryan and it was great! My husband fishes but I had never fished before. Ryan set us up, took us to the best fishing spots and showed me some great tips to be successful. He is helpful and friendly. We had a relaxing and fun time and Ryan made us feel like we were fishing with a good friend who just happened to be a pro fisherman. Being from Hawaii, we loved Ryan’s signature “Aloha shorts” that made us feel right at home!
This is a must do when you are in Steamboat Springs!

Fly Fishing in Steamboat - Great experience My son and I went fly fishing in Steamboat with Ug from Yampa Valley Anglers. We had never been fly fishing before and Ug totally hooked us up. All the gear was provided and Ug brought us to a great spot. Within minutes my son had caught 4 real nice rainbows and I was playing catch up. Ug gave us some great pointers and techniques with the rods and we ended up the morning with about a dozen fish. It was a great father son experience and I would recommend Yampa Valley Anglers to anyone coming to Steamboat looking for a great fly fishing experience. Thanks guys.

Chris Zurich - Pittsburgh, PA

A "Must Do" When in Steamboat! Father, husband, and son headed out last month for a day of fly fishing. Perfect day!! Included snowmobiling to and from fishing spot Wonderful excursion from start to finish Tough to beat the amazing skiing as top activity while in Steamboat, but all three guys agreed that return trips to Steamboat will not be complete without a call to Yampa Valley Anglers for a fun and relaxing day on the river. Professional staff - quick to respond for booking and very knowledgeable.

Spring ice fishing Our family of five had a great time ice fishing with Ug. Ryan and Ug were quick to respond when booking the trip. Answered any questions/concerns we had for our first time ice fishing. Our three kids (12, 10, and 5) ranked the experience highest out of their last three Steamboat adventures (dog sledding, snowmobiling, and ice fishing). The parents agree with the kids’ rankings.

Awesome Day on the Yampa with Ug My wife and decided to shrug off the cold and do some fly fishing on our trip to Steamboat and we were blown away by the guys over at Yampa Valley Anglers. From booking the trip to getting out to the river in style on the snowmobile to getting on the fish - everything was exceptional. Huge thanks to our guide Ug! He was super friendly and knowledgeable and had some great stories for us. He always was there to put us on fish and did a great job at tailoring the experience to us. And man did we catch fish! We caught some great rainbows and a few brookies and the odd brown trout as well. We will never forget fishing with Ug. The question is not if we will come back to fish with these guys, it’s when! Hopefully soon! Thanks again guys!

Amazing day of trout fishing Fantastic day wading some beautiful scenery with Ryan and Tim. Two of my buddies and I had heard great things about Yampa Valley Anglers and they well-exceeded our expectations. We are all novice fly fisherman, but Ryan and Tim were incredibly patient and were great teachers. Within 5 minutes we were on the fish and it never stopped throughout the day. My buddy landed a monster rainbow trout and we were on the action non-stop. If you are in Steamboat and want a great day on the water, book these guys!

Great three days We had a great time fishing with Ryan last September, both stream fishing and lake fishing. The numbers were there and the sizes were there. Great instruction for all levels in our group. Nice guys, prepared, on time, etc. I highly recommend YVA.

Ice fishing trip Three of us went ice fishing with Ryan Herbert from YVA today. We had never been ice fishing and knew nothing about it. Ryan was very helpful and very knowledgeable about fishing and had all the gear needed for a good trip. We had a great time, some great company, and great conversations. All three of us caught fish and will definitely be back to fish with him next time we visit Steamboat Springs. 12/10 recommend booking a trip with him. He’s got it going on!

Great fishing trip My mom and I went out fishing on a cold day with Ryan and we caught a lot of fish! He was very nice and patient with us, it was a great time and he makes a killer sandwich!

Great day on Stagecoach Resevoir Three of us had a great time fishing with our guides Tim and Jeremy! We learned a new fly fishing technique on still water and caught lots of rainbow trout. It was a fun, action-packed day and I’d definitely recommend going out with this outfitter.

Great fishing/catching/learning day I booked my trip a couple of weeks in advance with Ryan who came back with quick responses to my questions as well as suggestions (I did speak with two other outfitters before booking with Yampa Valley Anglers). Ryan paired me up with my guide Tim who called me two days in advance to discuss my skill level and ultimately suggested some private water where we did a full day trip. I had fish pulling line off the reel all day. Yes, we caught a lot of fish that didn't require a net, but trout fishing doesn't get better than this in Colorado.

aMAZING We went as a group of seven total, with two teens and two seniors, one of which has very precarious balance. We were served by the friendly Herb, who made the trip relaxed and accommodated everyone’s needs extremely well! He navigated the waters the way only an expert can and his bubbly and downright pleasant personality brought the best in even the most sullen, mopey teenager of the group. Would highly recommended to those of all ages in the Steamboat Springs area - and even farther! (Definitely worth a drive!). Will definitely be doing this again next time we are in Colorado.

Great Day Fishing Had a amazing time fishing Stagecoach with Jeremy. Jeremy was a great guide who put us on fish right away. Would definitely recommend and we hope to be back soon!

Wish I could do this everyday Spent a beautiful morning with UG on the Stagecoach Reservoir. Even though I have fly fished before UG gave some great pointers. When my hubbie started doubling my catch UG was fantastic in changing up my flies and even water location. Appreciated the explanations. Highly recommend. Also my daughter and her boyfriend went out with Ben. Although not as successful these first timers are ready to buy a rod and flies!

Hosted Handsome accommodations, excellent food, beautiful scenery, accomplished guides and superb rainbows and browns: the full package that I recommend highly.

Great trip One the best fishing trips we ever had. Treated like royalty the entire time. Caught the biggest brown trout of my life.

Amazing First Time Experience We couldn't have asked for a better experience for our first time fly fishing. Ryan was a great teacher and very patient. I also never thought we would catch as many fish as we did. I don't think I will ever experience that again in my life. I would highly recommend Yampa Valley Anglers to anyone traveling to the Steamboat Spring Area. I know I will use them again.

Epic day on the water Had an absolute ball fishing with Tim from Yampa Valley Anglers. He worked his tail off and put us on trophy fish all day! It was a great day and one my dad and I will remember for a long time. Thanks for the great memories!

Just Great Ryan was a great guide. Although the tail water was crowded,he led me to the holes the others passed by. I caught a lot of fish. I enjoyed Ryan's company too.

Amazing Full Day of Fly Fishing A friend and I wanted to try fly fishing for the first time, so we went out to Steamboat for a full day of fishing. We had an awesome time with our instructor, Ug, who was nice enough to pick us up and drive us around to different streams. He was also very knowledgeable and a great teacher. He did a lot for us and I can't recommend him enough. We were catching fish throughout the day which made for an amazing trip!

'Flying' with Ryan Amazing first experience with fly fishing. The reviews are true!

We were a party of three that hired two guides and strongly recommend paying the extra money for the second guide. Recommend for older teens and adults only due to river current, river terrain and river temperature.

As our group was experienced with lake fishing, this was an opposite style of fishing all together.

The guides were so patient with each person in our group during the dry land orientation, pole practice, suiting up in waders/boots to individual lessons in the river and we all caught Trout!

Guides were patient, kind, funny and explained/taught technique. We enjoyed 'Flying' with Ryan.