Vail Valley Anglers

The Eagle is a freestone river and Vail Valley Anglers treats it as the home water, floating it from drift boats and fishing rafts and wading it the rest of the year. The float season is short, running April through July in most years, while the river can be waded year-round, and once flows drop under about three hundred cubic feet per second it turns into wading water. It is most famous for the prolific caddis hatches that come off in spring and early summer, with blue-winged olives either side of them, and wild brown and rainbow trout are the fish. Trips run a half day up to four hours, three-quarter day up to six, or a full day of six hours and more, and include the guide, the boat, clean Simms waders and boots, rods and reels and bottled water.