We try to fish Long Draw at least once each summer. Once is usually enough considering the two hour plus driving time from Estes Park one way. Even an early start makes for a long day driving “there and back again”  to enjoy this great fishing. Sometimes camping at the Long Draw Campground is an alternative to a long drive.

Long Draw is populated by hybrid cutthroat trout that will rise to a dry fly all day long. We shore fish this lake with terrestrial patterns like grasshopper and flying ant patterns. These fish are frisky and fight hard before their release. Most of the fish we catch are between 14 – 18 inches but we know larger cutthroats roam this reservoir.

A slight riffle on the water helps to hide our 5 X fluorocarbon tippet and a tiny strip helps  these fish find the fly when they look up. Of course, a clean flyline and adequate fly float are needed to get the fly to “skitter” rather than sink.  A 2-3 inch drag is all that is necessary to get their attention.

The stream below the spillway is usually fun to fish. While many of the larger fish are right below the spillway, we find some larger brown trout and brookies farther downstream. This mixed population adds variety to the Long Draw fishing experience.

If you go, allow about 30 minutes to get to Long Draw Reservoir from the intersection with Hwy 14. The dirt road into the lake can vary from smooth to rough depending on recent rains and the maintenance schedule. The drive takes you through the extensive burn area of the Cameron Peaks fire years ago