655 Yampa St, Unit C-2, Steamboat Springs, CO 80487
Established in 1980 and anchored at 655 Yampa Street, Steamboat Flyfisher is the longest-running fly shop in the Yampa River corridor — a 2,200-square-foot destination perched above the river's edge where staff cast demo rods from the parking lot into the same currents they'll put you on tomorrow. Co-owners Steve Henderson and Tim Kirkpatrick have run the operation since 2005, building a reputation for genuine local knowledge and zero pretension. In Steamboat Springs, where ski culture dominates the calendar, this shop keeps the fly fishing identity of the valley alive year-round.
Steamboat Flyfisher runs a full guide service on the Yampa and its tributaries — the Elk River, Stagecoach Reservoir tailwater, and the remote high-country streams of the Flat Tops Wilderness. The retail floor stocks a premium rack of Sage, Winston, Simms, Patagonia, and Costa, and the guides post current conditions reports that are among the most reliable in the state. Whether you're chasing the Yampa's technical spring hatches or looking for a walk-and-wade on a September afternoon with the aspens turning gold, this is the essential first stop.
Brown Trout, Rainbow Trout, Cutthroat Trout
Brown Trout, Rainbow Trout
Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout, Brook Trout
Brown Trout, Rainbow Trout, Cutthroat Trout
Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout
Brown Trout, Rainbow Trout, Brook Trout
“Booked a half-day wade trip on the Yampa with guide Jake — he put us on fish within the first ten minutes. Matched a PMD hatch I never would have figured out on my own. The shop staff took twenty minutes helping me dial in my leader setup before we left. They know this river at a level that's hard to explain until you experience it.”
“Stopped in on a Tuesday in late September with zero plan. They pointed me to a stretch of the Elk River with detailed instructions on access and what was hatching. Caught more browns in an afternoon than I had in two previous self-guided trips combined. The gear selection is excellent — picked up a Patagonia wading jacket I'd been looking at for months.”
“Long-established shop with solid staff. Guide service is top-notch — my float trip on the lower Yampa produced a 20-inch brown on a size 18 RS2 that I'll be telling people about for years. Only knock is that the shop fills up on weekends during ski season. Come early or call ahead.”
