Diamond ArrowCarbondale, Colorado
“Great property. Hooked into a good number of 16-18in Browns and Rainbows in the riffles. Great property, landowner was friendly and helpful.”
Just a short 7-mile drive outside of Glenwood Springs, you will find this beautiful 1-mile stretch of gold medal waters on the Roaring Fork River, along with a stocked pond. This location tends to fish well all year long. Even throughout the heart of winter, you can find twenty-inch brown and rainbow trout sipping midges along its calm pools. Enjoy stunning views of Mt. Sopris while you cast your line into the water. Located between Carbondale and Glenwood Springs, this is a premier location for the green Drake hatch.
This stretch of water is part of the Ironbridge Golf Club, with moderate access on the river and easy access at the pond. A golf cart is provided (when weather and conditions allow) to help you explore the mile of the river. It doesn’t get much better than this. Fish range from 12 to 16 inches, and rainbows and browns are plentiful here. This section is a bit different from the upper Roaring Fork. You have the potential to catch up to 20-inch trout or larger. The Roaring Fork at Ironbridge Golf Course is broken up by a diverse arrangement of water. This stretch of the river consists of shallow water eddies formed off mid-river bars, tight pools spread out along riverbanks full of large rocks and deadfall, willow-covered beaches that parallel deep holes, and even canyon-style rock banks along slow-moving flows. It is a mile in total but fishes like a couple due to its angled shape, changes in shoreline, and varying water depth. Any level of experienced fly angler will have great opportunities to land quality trout and enjoy the scenic views of the Roaring Fork Valley.
This section of the river is full of a variety of bugs throughout the year, from midday and evening hatches of caddis, BWOs, PMDs, tricos, midges, yellow sallys, golden stones to march browns, and green drakes. Keep your eyes peeled for the different bugs that might be coming off the water. With the unpressured water, you can have some great dry fly fishing during these select hatches. And if you are into chucking a streamer, there are plenty of deep pockets to rip them through as well. Also, being along a golf course, this property is loaded with hoppers, making it an extremely hot spot for hopper dropper season.
River access is easy/moderate for people of all ages. The banks of the river are a bit steep, but there are steps in a few locations to make it easier to access the riverfront. You may fish from sunrise to sunset. Golf carts are available from the Ironbridge Pro Shop between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. The pro shop stocks flies for purchase and has rods and waders for rent.
CFS: Ideal Flow Range 800 to 1500 CFS. You can still fish up to 3500 CFS if water clarity is good. You may have less shore accessibility, and the fish may not rise as much, but good fishing can still be had.
Although we typically get your booking approved within a few hours, please allow up to 1 business day for booking confirmations.
Pets are not allowed on the property. Please respect all staff and golfers of the Ironbridge Golf Club.
RESOURCES
Know before you go
Check out the resources below to help you prepare for your upcoming trip and ensure you have the most accurate and up-to-date information for a stellar day on the water.
- Don’t forget your local fishing license, you can grab one online here.
- Check your local flow report here. Ideal Flow Range 800 to 1500 CFS. You can still fish up to 3500 CFS if water clarity is good. You may have less shore accessibility, and the fish may not rise as much, but good fishing can still be had.
- Contact a local fly shop for the most up-to-date hatch and fly information.
- Know the local regulations.
- Fishing Hours: Sunrise to Sunset
- Fishing Season: Early spring pre-run-off. Mid to late July will pick back up. Phenomenal fall and early winter fishing.
Most of our properties are ranches, so expect to walk through hayfields, cow fields, or even hop a few fences. These are not "groomed" properties. They can be rugged and wild and we believe that is part of the adventure with RareWaters! If you have specific questions or concerns, please reach out in advance of booking a trip!
River Data
5-Day Weather Forecast
Thursday
12/7/2023
49℉ / 33℉
Friday
12/8/2023
39℉ / 30℉
Saturday
12/9/2023
29℉ / 15℉
Sunday
12/10/2023
34℉ / 14℉
Monday
12/11/2023
40℉ / 24℉
Features and Amenities
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Frequently
asked questions.
What is RareWaters?
We provide affordable and easy access to private ranches for you to experience do-it-yourself (DIY) fly fishing experiences. No upfront membership fees are required. Just pay as you book! Pricing is listed at the top of each property's listing page. DIY fly fishing means anglers are responsible for determining weather, river flow and fishing conditions. When the information is available, we include weather and river flow information for the properties on our website.
What hours can I fish?
Each landowner sets their fishing hours, and most are sunrise to sunset. We have a few landowners who deviate from that timeframe. This information is listed on each property listing page.
Can a non-angling friend or relative join me?
At this time, everyone over the age of 12 must pay the full rod fee to be on RareWaters' property. This is to ensure that all anglers have the serenity, space and outdoor experience we are committed to providing.
Will I get the water all to myself?
We limit each property to a max number of anglers, typically no more than 3-4 anglers per mile. This is different for each property, so be sure to go to the property's listing page to find out what the maximum is for the property you want to book. For example, if you have 2 anglers in your group and the maximum number of anglers is 4, we may add 2 other anglers to the property that day, even if they are from another group. If you book all 4 (or more) rod spots that day, then your group will have the whole property to yourselves.
How do I know where to go after I book?
After we receive your payment, you will receive a booking confirmation email. Within 7 days of your reservation, you will receive a property map via email with GPS coordinates, directions, parking and camping information, etc. We strongly encourage all anglers to save GPS coordinates into their smartphones before leaving cell service. Many of our properties are remote working ranches with limited cell service. Google Maps is our preferred app for all angler directions.
What are your booking policies?
Great question. Here are a few policies you should know before you go:
Cancellation Policy:
Cancellations made ten (10) days or more before the booked date will receive a full refund. Cancellations made five (5) to ten (10) days before the booked date will receive a credit for future use. Cancellations made five (5) days or less before the booked date will receive no refund or credit. By submitting a booking request for any RareWaters' property, you agree to this cancellation policy. If you request to book a property within 10 days of the request date, and the booking is approved and you cancel the booking, you will receive a credit for future use. RareWaters is not responsible for weather, river flows or fishing conditions. Anglers are responsible for determining weather, river flows and fishing conditions. Refunds and credits will not be issued for weather, river flows or fishing conditions. The Cancellation Policy may be superseded by extenuating circumstances as deemed appropriate by RareWaters' staff.
Maximum Angler Policy:
Please note, if your party does not equate to the maximum angler amount for the property you've booked, you may encounter another angler or group. Maximum angler amounts are listed in the description for every property on the website. Please practice good fishing etiquette around other anglers by giving each other plenty of space and sharing different stretches of the watershed.
Leave No Trace Policy:
All anglers must adhere to RareWaters "Leave No Trace" policy. This policy requires all anglers to leave properties better off than they found them. If you see trash, please pick it up and pack it out. We ask that you kindly be respectful of the land, any livestock, and the watershed so we can continue to offer fly fishing access for years to come. Trespassing will not be tolerated and all violators will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. By submitting a booking request through the RareWaters website, you agree to this Leave No Trace Policy.
Solicitation Policy:
Under no circumstances may an angler or their guest solicit RareWaters' landowners for any reason. During your trip, anglers and guests are not permitted to promote, sell or offer any kind of services or products to RareWaters' landowners. Additionally, anglers and their guests may not compete with RareWaters in any way while visiting RareWaters' properties. By submitting a booking request through the RareWaters website, you agree to this Solicitation Policy.
Brent Bauer
November 8, 2023 at 11:23 amGreat service and amenities and easy access to the river. We fished in later October and fishing started out slow until we dialed in the right rig. There is plenty of water to fish particularly if you head to the more upstream (southern) access points. We had the water all to ourselves.
Helpful ReviewDarren Brennan
October 22, 2023 at 12:00 amWant to start with the staff at Iron Bridge, Chad and Miles couldn’t have been more helpful. Please tip these guys if they provide the same top service they provided me. For the fishing, it was ridiculous all day long. Pro tip, if you’re fishing when the course is open, Access Point #1 could see golf balls headed your way in the river with right handed shanks.
Helpful ReviewSo I quickly moved up to just below access point #2 and was happy I did. The fish were behind every rock in the riffles and the fishing was ridiculous all the way up to access point #4. Take your time here, it is well worth it in the riffles this time of year. Went back to the golf cart to catch my breath and have a break after two hours of crazy fishing. Went back out and entered at Access #5 and worked up river for an hour or so. Hooked into a few nice fish and then caught a HUGE fish on a hopper. Sunset and clouds then started working its way onto the river here so I fished downriver and caught more all the way down to Access #2. Drove the cart path back to the pond and landed a nice 14” rainbow at the pond on the course. Had an incredible day fishing here, must have netted 50 plus fish for the day and most were larger than 14” with a nice 20” toad on the hopper. Can’t wait to bring friends back here, nobody will believe my fish tales from this section, but I wanted to come back the next day. One of the best days fishing the Roaring Fork ever. Do yourself a favor, book one of the properties on the Roaring Fork that Rare Waters gives you access to, I have fished all 3, you can thank me later. Will be bringing friends here next year during the spring to destroy this place. Big fish on small flies, it doesn’t get any better than that.
Geoff O.
September 27, 2023 at 4:13 pmIt was “ok” but could have been me. Deep fast water. Pretty river. Recommendation…bring a wading staff. I bought one for the 2nd day and was much more comfortable wading. The people at Ironbridge where we accessed were amazing! other than that, you guys were great too. Good communication. Easy access to info.
Helpful Review