The Elk River is one of Colorado’s few undammed “freestone” rivers. It is defined by its steep gradient and spectacular snowmelt runoffs who’s power you can feel throughout your body if you get too close to the river’s edge. But as spring ebbs to summer, the flows come down to wading levels and the fish start looking up for large attractors. Right at the junction in the town of Clark the river makes significant change from a steep narrow canyon water to a wider calmer valley water. It is still very wild and can be challenging to wade, but this transition gives the trout much better holding and spawning water. This is where the large trout begin to take a hold, but unfortunately for most anglers, the river from this point down to its confluence with the Yampa River is almost entirely private. Our 1+ mile stretch of the Elk next to the town of Clark is formerly the primary fishing waters for The Home Ranch, an Orvis Fishing Lodge that is no longer catering to guests. In fact, many of our guides are former Home Ranch guides who have immersed themselves in this stretch for years. Not surprisingly many of our clients, are former Home Ranch guests who know how special this water truly is.