SW Colorado's Finest Fly Shop, Fly Fishing & Gunnison Gorge Float Fishing since 2001

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Professional Float Fishing Guide School with Colorado State Certification

January 13, 2022 By hpatterson

Our Guide Instructors have over 40 years of combined experience guiding fly fishing and whitewater trips. Each of our instructors has their own unique method of guiding. Their insights will help you to develop your own approach and techniques. Below are some quick bio’s on our main instructors, they and other talented RIGS guides will teach you what it takes to be a float fishing guide!

An outline of what you will learn in this course:
Guide Responsibilities:

  • Client Assessment & Risk – identifying client needs, wants physical condition and limitations. Ensuring a high level of safety, comfort, and professionalism.
  • Vehicle Operation and Safety – including ideal guide vehicles, driving with a trailer, backing up the trailer, vehicle organization, cleanliness and understanding laws.
  • Proper fitting, wearing and use of Personal Floatation Devices (PFDs)
  • Minimizing Outdoor Recreation Resource Impacts

Understanding Your Environment:

  • Reading the Water – river currents, eddies, and waves.
  • Types and Causes of River Hazards
  • Scouting and Running Rapids
  • River rescue and emergency services

Boating & Float Fishing Techniques:

  • Rigging and Maneuvering the Vessel
  • Sculling & Rowing Quietly
  • Using the boat to help the client land a fish and positioning the boat in the best place for the client
  • Navigating the water to avoid floating over the fish
  • Float fishing etiquette

Equipment:

  • Types of Rafts and Drift Boats – our course covers drift boats and inflatables.
  • River Gear – rigging and overnight camp considerations.

Filed Under: Descriptions Courses, Trips

Fly Fishing Guide School – Walk Wade

January 12, 2022 By hpatterson

Our Guide Instructors have over 40 years of combined experience guiding fly fishing and whitewater trips. Each of our instructors has their own unique method of guiding. Their insights will help you to develop your own approach and techniques. Below are some quick bio’s on our main instructors, they and other talented RIGS guides will teach you what it takes to be a fly fishing guide.

An outline of what you will learn in this course:
Guide Responsibilities:

  • Client Assessment – identifying client needs, wants physical conditions, limitations, and desired outcome. Ensuring client comfort, safety, and appropriate attire.
  • Organization and Cleanliness – Making sure your vehicle is clean and in working order. Be prepared for each day: lunch/beverages, pre-rigging, cleanliness & organization of vehicle, rods & gear.  Maintaining clean, professional attire and instilling confidence in your guests.
  • Commercial Permit Management – understanding the stipulations and your role in maintaining the outfitter’s permits.
  • Timing – assessing your surroundings, arrival and departure times and awareness.

Understanding Your Environment:

  • Conditions – Understanding how varying conditions such as seasonality, water flows, hatches and weather conditions can affect your trip. Using good judgment to keep your client(s) safe.
  • Environmental and Resource Stewardship – Protecting your fishery and environment through education and outreach. How to be an advocate of the fly fishing industry through client interaction and instruction.
  • Entomology – Identifying classifications and life cycles of aquatic insects.
  • Reading the Water – Understanding trout holding waters, habitat and feeding lanes.

Instructor Techniques:

  • Basic and Advanced Knots – Learn which knots to use in different situations.
  • Rigging – Learn to efficiently rigs rods for clients and advanced fly fishing setups.
  • Proper Landing Techniques – Techniques for fighting and landing fish, netting and release. Proper fish handling.
  • Angler Etiquette – Respecting the other anglers on the water.  Ethical practices and seasonal sensitivities.
  • Casting techniques including mending, dry fly presentation, double haul, single haul, nymphing strategies, Czech/Tenkara, single and two-handed techniques.

Equipment:

  • Understanding Fly Rods and Reels – Performance and selection.
  • Fly lines, leaders and tippet – Understanding these tools, their uses and benefits/disadvantages of different products and materials.
  • Guide Essentials – What you’ll need to guide a trip – backups, redundancies, and accessibility. Your gear and accessories – proper care.
  • Photography – learn techniques to provide high-quality photos for your clients to remember their time on the water.

Filed Under: Descriptions Courses, Trips

1/2 Day – Guided Fly Fishing Cimarron High Country

March 11, 2019 By hpatterson

The Cimarron High Country offers endless fishing opportunities for Rainbow, Cutthroat and Brook Trout. As a guide’s choice trip, we take advantage of our numerous locations to pick the best high country fly fishing in a half-day format. As one of the most beautiful settings in Colorado, the Cimarron High Country offers rare opportunities for solitude, native fish and remote access.

Filed Under: Trips, Walk Wade Fishing

Colorado State River Raft Guide Training & Certification Course

February 1, 2017 By hpatterson

So you want to become a Colorado raft guide. This course is physically demanding course, running class I through IV rivers. Requiring the ability to carry rafts, flip boats, swim in the river, and be generally active. Be honest with your physical assessment before joining a course like this. Though we will provide all necessary equipment including P.F.D.’s, helmets, paddles, etc. as well as provide transportation and take care of all shuttles; you will need to have personal boating gear (bring it with you and we will determine its suitability) and appropriate clothing. You will need quick-dry clothing, layers for warmth and footwear suitable for rafting (Chaco, TEVA, KEEN or similar wet shoes or booties). Food is not included in the course and a packed lunch will be necessary every day. Dry clothes for the end of the day is recommended. While completing our course does not guarantee employment, we base hiring on course performance and certifications. Our company’s goal is to provide the best in customer safety and an energetic personality – rafting is a service-oriented industry with people who love to perfect their skills and share what they know.
Aspects covered in the course:

  • Learn how to guide a raft with clients (untrained rafters), gain an understanding of river dynamics, and practice river rescue procedures.
  • Introduction to Equipment, Trips, Regulations & Company History – This day will consist of familiarizing ourselves with our equipment, reviewing the diverse river sections, State Requirements and Regulations and history of the RIGS operation.
  • Boating on sections of the San Miguel, Uncompahgre, Gunnison Gorge, and Lower Gunnison River.*Each day is subject to change/location: dependent on water flows, access, and conditions.
  • Advanced aspects of the course including Scouting Rapids, Boat Flip Exercises, SwimmingRapids, Throw Bags and Environmental Considerations.
  • *FIRST-AID & CPR Course is a separate component of RIGS Guide Training Course. Current First-Aid / CPR is a requirement of the State of Colorado to operate as a commercial river guide. Course Cost: $100 – *Cost of Instruction may vary based on the instructor’s discretion. Independent Instructor: (Kevin Dunkak, CPR World)
  • *Completion of this course does not guarantee that you will be qualified to guide a commercial raft trip. Further time on the water may be required for additional training, prior to completing a final “check-out” run with a certified Trip Leader. Check-Out run assignments will only be made available to those that have successfully completed the course and those committed to working a full commercial rafting season with RIGS. Students interested in employment at RIGS for a full season commitment may qualify for financial assistance, please inquire.

Learn More

Filed Under: Descriptions Courses, Trips

Full Day – Raft, Kayak – Gunnison River (Gunnison Gorge NCA)

January 25, 2017 By hpatterson

Enjoy a 7.5-mile paddle on the Class II (class varies depending on volume – please inquire) waters of the Lower Gunnison River. A National Conservation Area, managed by BLM, with excellent opportunities for solitude, wildlife, and classic river exploration. Choose from Rafts (oar or paddle), or Inflatable Kayaks (single or tandem). This section of the river offers fun, splashy waves and plenty of fun for the whole family, without the technical skill needed on the bigger water.  A riverside lunch is included mid-way through our paddle, as well as a stop to view a major archeological site that predates Stonehenge and features Native American Rock Art on the canyon walls.

UPDATE TO 2021 SUMMER RAFTING – Due to Low Water Rafting is Suspended for the 2021 Season.

Check out our Paddle Sport Rentals for a fun way to get out on the water! or have a private lesson to learn how to properly paddleboard. 

Things to Consider on your Full Day Gunnison River Rafting Trip:

  • Fun and educational– A unique high desert river day with a riverside lunch and a stop at the oldest archeological site in Colorado. The perfect way to engage the whole family. A very safe river environment – let older kids explore by navigating their own inflatable kayak or beginners can challenge yourself in a single kayak.
  • Physical Exertion and Exposure to the Elements – The nature of our trips is such that it involves some physical exertion and potential exposure to the elements, including cold water and weather, heat, sun, wind and rain. Individuals who are overweight or lack conditioning can endanger themselves, other guests and the guides. Please consult your physician if you have medical or health conditions that could impact your ability to participate.
  • You will wear a Type III – V Coast Guard-approved PFD (personal floatation device) meeting the requirements of the State of Colorado (maximum chest size of 58 inches)
  • Be an active participant (active paddler) in propelling the craft. Actively participate in self-rescue by swimming to a boat or to shore, and/or by climbing into a boat with the help of another person in the event of an involuntary swim in cold water
  • We reserve the right not to accept passengers weighing more than 275 pounds or with a waist/chest size exceeding 58 inches.
  • Good for Kids 50 pounds and above
  • *All trips depart as scheduled rain or shine.

Filed Under: Kayaking, Rafting 1/2 Day Trips Main, Rafting Full Day Main, River Trips Main, Trip Descriptions Rafting, Trips, Whitewater Rafting

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RIGS Fly Shop & Guide Service

1075 Sherman St, Unit 101,
Ridgway,Colorado 81432

970.626.4460
[email protected]
RIGS is an Orvis Endorsed Fly-Fishing outfiter!

Colorado Outfitter #2169 - Outfitting Southwest Colorado Since 2001

RIGS Fly Shop, Guide Service & White Water River Rafting is an "equal opportunity service provider" and is a permittee of the Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre, and Gunnison National Forests. All or part of this operation is conducted on Public Lands under special permit from the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, Colorado State Parks & U.S. Forest Service. RIGS certified professional guides provide quality outdoor experiences and believe in conducting each trip in an educational, safe, and fun manner.

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