Bill Palmer battles a nice Kootenai River rainbow. Photo by Chuck Robbins

For any angler yearning to catch the trout of a lifetime from a river, tailrace sections hold the best promise. Fortunately for us, the Rocky Mountain region is loaded with just such opportunity.

LEE'S FERRY
Traveling U.S. Highway 89 north of Page, Lee's Ferry marks the jumping off point for floating the Grand Canyon. It's also one of the country's premier trout fisheries.

Situated below Glen Canyon Dam on the Colorado River amid 1,000-foot sandstone cliffs, Lee's Ferry is among the more scenic trout waters anywhere on the planet. Moreover, it is living proof of how cooperation between water managers and fisheries managers can improve the overall health of a river in jeopardy. After fluctuating water releases caused the fishery to dwindle to mediocrity and then threatened to kill it altogether, a plan evolved to stabilize flows and fulfill obligations to water users, including anglers. In record time the fishery recovered, and many Lee's Ferry regulars believe conditions will only get better.

Constant water temperatures, ranging a miniscule 4 degrees between 48 and 52 degrees Fahrenheit, combine with stable flows to create an ideal environment for bugs and the fish that eat them, resulting in fat trout and happy anglers. "Things are cookin'," said one Lee's Ferry guide.

The game is sight fishing with small nymphs and scuds to rainbow trout in water almost too clear to believe. In winter, pounding the water with streamers, spawn and egg patterns works well. Long rods, 8 to 9 feet, for 5- or 6-weight lines, leaders of 10 to 14 feet and long, fine tippets from 5x to 7x rule the days here. Useful lines include floating, intermediate sink and sink tip, depending on tactics, weather and flow regimes.

Popular flies include a variety of olive and gray scuds and midge patterns, PTs and Hare's Ears in sizes 18-20. San Juan Worms, black, brown and olive Woolly Buggers, (a local favorite is Bill's Pumpkin Bugger), weighted with lead wire, bead- or cone-heads and a No. 10 egg and spawn pattern have loyal followers. Dry flies, Humpies, Tarantulas, PMXs, Stimulators, ants, 'hoppers, beetles, Royal Wulff and Parachute Adams in a variety of sizes, ranging from Nos. 14-20, round out the selection.

Ultra-light spin fishing rigs spooled with 2- to 4-pound premium line works best. Small lures, 1/8- and 1/16-ounce jigs, in black, brown and olive (Charley's Jig is the local favorite); 1/4-ounce Kastmasters (copper or silver); small countdown Rapalas; and during spawn large pink, blood red or yellow No. 10 Glo Bugs produce well.

There is one walk-in access at the mouth of the Paria River. By far the most popular is to float fish. A high water level, around 20,000 cfs, eddies and backwaters are the top producers.

SAN JUAN
The San Juan, below Navajo Dam east of Farmington, N.M., ranks right up there when it comes to fruitful, fertile tailwaters. The first 3.75 miles below the dam is designated special trout water, with regulations requiring flies and artificial lures with a single barbless hook. The first quarter-mile, from the dam to the cable, is catch-and-release.

The next 3.5 miles are designated quality water. The creel limit is one trout over 20 inches; once that fish is taken, further fishing is restricted to the C&R section or downstream of the quality water where the limit is six trout over 6 inches and bait fishing is allowed. Rainbows dominate the upper reaches, browns the lower sections. The river is open all year.