A Bright Spot Amid Drought
Drought has affected summer fishing in Colorado, where river flows have decreased to near-historic levels and prompted numerous fishing closures, both voluntary and mandatory, on popular waterways. Yet, anglers still have options: the Upper Conejos River in southern Colorado has been named the top "under-the-radar" fishing destination in the country by Rightboat, an online marketplace for boats.
The Ranking and Its Criteria
Rightboat ranked 10 places in the U.S. based on online search data, TripAdvisor reviews, publicly available tourism data, wildlife information, and geological data, according to both Baltimore Sun and Hartford Courant. The company aimed to identify waterways that offer abundant natural beauty and few crowds; the less Google-searched and the less publicized on social media, the better.
Why the Conejos Tops the List
The Upper Conejos River is described as "a brilliant trout fishing destination in Colorado's southern San Juan Mountains." It took the top spot because it is remote and requires a hike to reach its upper sections, which have several additional forks. One fly retailer, quoted in both reports, said, "there are places to hike in and not see a soul for weeks."
Rightboat elaborated: "You'll find wild rainbow, brown, and brook trout in cold, fast-moving mountain water here, with the dramatic San Juan peaks rising above 14,000 feet on the horizon and elk grazing the meadows below."
Voluntary Closures and Fish Welfare
Since July, the Upper Conejos River has been under voluntary afternoon fishing closures. People are discouraged from fishing between noon and midnight, when the water is at its warmest and fish become stressed, according to Colorado Parks and Wildlife. The agency advises anglers to use a handheld thermometer to test water conditions and to move to cooler, higher-elevation waters once temperatures approach 71 degrees.
CPW maintains a spreadsheet of all of Colorado's fishing closures so that locals and visitors can stay up to date with the latest conditions.
The Top Five
Rightboat's list also included the Conasauga River in Georgia, the Big Bend region of Florida, the Cranberry River in West Virginia, and Eleven Point River in Missouri, rounding out the top five.
Perspectives
As reported by Baltimore Sun and Hartford Courant, the situation presents two viewpoints in the reports themselves. One is the positive recognition of the Upper Conejos River as a near-pristine angling destination with a strong wild-trout population and outstanding scenery. The other is the practical and conservation-minded response from Colorado Parks and Wildlife and anglers, who acknowledge the drought pressures and urge anglers to fish responsibly during warm periods, using the available voluntary closure information and temperature checks to minimize stress on fish. This contextualization comes from the same two sources, reflecting both the celebratory ranking and the current environmental challenges facing Colorado's waterways.
Methodology and Sources
The analysis draws on reporting from the Baltimore Sun and the Hartford Courant, both of which presented the same set of facts and quotes about the ranking and its publication context. No other information was available to this restructuring.