Awesome day on the river. First time fly fishing caught a ton of fish. Guide was Awesome!

We've always wanted to do a guided fly-fishing trip in this part of Colorado, since we come every year to visit our son. My husband's birthday was the perfect opportunity, especially when we discovered RIGS was located right in Ridgway, where we were staying. They serve the whole region and are very convenient to Ouray as well. We chose the High Country full-day trip for two. RIGS was very accommodating--David answered all our questions in person, and Nick helped us book over the phone. Both were patient and professional. Our son, who works locally as a Climbing Instructor and Guide for Basecamp Ouray, might've joined us, but we didn't know his schedule until the last minute. Despite it being peak season, RIGS managed to get another guide so all three of us could go together. We really appreciated that flexibility. Check-in was smooth since we'd completed the online waivers. They walked us through the day with a laminated checklist of everything we'd need and tips for success. We bought our one-day fishing licenses (separate from the trip cost), then got fitted in their gear room. Our guides, Ethan and Jason, ensured everything fit comfortably. Being from Florida, my husband and I opted for full-body waders to stay warm. They recommended knee-highs, but we were glad we went with full-body. I wore leggings, he wore light hiking pants--we stayed comfortable all day. Our son, a local, wore knee waders and was fine. It was a mix of sun, clouds, and light rain, but we had rain jackets as advised. I also brought insect repellent, which was useful during sunnier stretches. There were definitely mosquitoes in the brush. We stayed warm, dry, and bug-free. My husband's toes still got cold, so he was grateful for the gear. The drive to the high country was gorgeous. When we arrived, Ethan and Jason set up chairs for us to put on our gear comfortably--felt like red carpet treatment! My husband and son went with Jason since they had some experience, and I went with Ethan, who was so patient and clear. He showed me each step, explained fly placement, and helped me spot bites to set the hook. I'm used to saltwater fishing, so freshwater fly-fishing was a totally new, relaxing experience. At our first stop--a confluence between two rivers--I caught 16 rainbow trout (6-10 inches). Even more fun was practicing the motion and avoiding snags. I worked hard not to make Ethan's job harder and only got snagged once. He quickly re-rigged the line without ever making me feel bad. We fished from shore and landed plenty at all the spots they chose. For lunch, they rolled out the red carpet again with chairs so we could relax. My husband and I are Plant-Based (Vegan/Vegetarian), and they were thoughtful in providing a lemon-dill hummus, carrots, grape leaves, corn crackers, cookies, and nuts--super satisfying and energizing. Our son, who's not PB, got a charcuterie tray with cheese, crackers, and cold cuts. We'd brought snacks just in case, but we didn't need them. If you're someone who eats a lot--like our son--you may want extras, but we were perfectly satisfied. After lunch, we headed to a second spot on the Cimarron, just 10 minutes away. It was great to fish two very different rivers. The first was smaller--ideal for beginners like me and for my husband and son to get reacquainted with the gear. The second was much wider, more secluded, and more of an adventure. Ethan and Jason asked if we were up for it, and we happily agreed. Along the way, we saw moose droppings and trees downed by beavers. Wildflowers were in full July bloom--perfect for me since I love photographing them. We hiked through brush and forest to get there, which was also part of the fun. Bring bug spray for this part! At the second river, it was harder to land fish, but they were biting. I caught two bigger rainbow trout (around 10 inches). The technique Ethan taught me earlier really helped here, with longer casts and river wading. I loved every second. My husband enjoyed the openness and challenge and really appreciated the techniques both guides shared. I even took breaks so Ethan could help my husband and son too. Ethan and Jason were endlessly patient. Each of us needed help--my husband and son had a few snags, which Jason handled, and Ethan stayed beside me to make sure I didn't slip, even standing knee-deep in cold water all day. They went above and beyond to make the trip special. The only problem now is... I'm completely hooked on fly-fishing. So our future Colorado trips will definitely include another RIGS adventure! read more

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I did a 1/2 day Tenkara walk/wading trip with Rigs with Spencer as my guide. It was my first time out to fly fish and my goal was to get some first hand face to face instruction with hands on (you can only do so much with YouTube). What a great day. Spencer ask the relevant questions and customized my time with him. It was a Winter time trip and I actually hooked up with a fairly large Rainbow Trout! Rigs is a FIRST CLASS operation and worth every penny. Thanks Spencer for a great day on the river. read more

RIGS Fly Shop & Guide Service - My first catch ! - Fishing Near Me - Ridgway, Colorado

First class all the way on our 3 day float trip. From the check in the day before to the pick up the morning of our first day to the quality of the rigs, quality of the gear, quality of the food, quality of the camp site set ups to the guides first class. What a great experiences three dads with their sons/son in laws we had a blast. Spencer lead a great group of experienced guides who made the trip fun and eventful. I will do that again. read more

Fantastic guiding! Tough weather the whole weekend kicked our butts so we made it happen on Sunday calling the Rigs guides! Thanks Benny & Mac! read more

RIGS Fly Shop & Guide Service - Fishing Near Me - Ridgway, Colorado

Now let me say first of all ... I am not a fly fisherman by any means. Did I feel like a fly fisherman while visiting RIGS? Most Definitely!! The staff was friendly and helpful and didn't treat me like an idiot when I asked obviously stupid questions about fly fishing. Thank you Chris for walking me through some fly fishing fundamentals. If you happen to be staying in or driving through Ridgeway and you want a total fisherman experience then settle for nothing less than dropping a line into the RIGS Fly Shop. So let it be Written.. So let it be Hooked. read more

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Had a new crew to fly fishing, my high schoolers and college kids with a visit to Ridgway. As an aspiring fly fisherman wanting to learn more and expose my kids to the experience, the Rigs crew did a great job in both accommodating our timing, our skill levels and moving me along on my skill level. Highly recommend their team the next time you are in the area. And, the scenery is pretty spectacular as the fishing was as well. read more

Oliver took me and my buddy up into the high country for a day of fly fishing on the Big Cimarron. He is an excellent teacher of fly fishing technique, and he knows the river really well. We had a wonderful day and, as a beginner, I learned a lot. 5 STARS! I'M HOOKED! read more

I've been an avid angler for 20 years but somehow fly fishing has always eluded me. We booked a guided trip with Rigs Fly Shop because of the good reviews and it proximity to the house we were staying at. The best compliment I have is we booked another day trip on the same day as our first trip. We rearranged our plans so that we could go out again on our week vacation. Mac was an awesome guide, very patient and a great teacher. My second piece of advice is to book a full day. The time goes by so fast! The equipment was top notch and now my wife and I are looking to invest in fly fishing gear. read more

RIGS Fly Shop & Guide Service - Fishing Near Me - Ridgway, Colorado

Brought my daughter out for her first time fishing a float trip. Our guide Spencer was exceptional. Great patience and a great teacher. Highly recommend for experienced fishermen and first timers. I've been fishing 30+ years and still learned from him, but I appreciated all the attention, time and efforts he spent with my daughter. Great experience! read more

RIGS Fly Shop & Guide Service - Fishing Near Me - Ridgway, Colorado

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A friend and I booked a half day fly fishing guide and got Sam as our guide. My friend and I both had no experience fly fishing but Sam was an excellent teacher. He was very patient, knowledgeable, and genuinely excited about getting new people into fly fishing. We started the day meeting at around 7:40 where we were met outside by the Rigs crew. They welcomed us into the building, got us set up with our fishing licenses, went over a few suggestions to help make the trip a success and then provided us with all of the equipment we were going to need for the day. We hopped in Sam's Ford Ranger and headed to the spot. Once there, Sam gave us a run down of how the equipment worked, basics of casting, flys, and more. Throughout the morning he stood right by each of us providing pointers on casting, how to select the right fly, where to find the "good" fishing spots, and how to set up the perfect rig. Sam was an encyclopedia of knowledge and I feel that we didn't even scratch the surface of what we could learn from him. He had great patience each time we got caught up in a tree, got the flys twisted, or got hung up on a rock. We fished until 12 exactly and then headed back (the 4 hours fishing was actually 4 hours of fishing and didn't include the drive time which was nice). Once we made it back to Rigs, Sam took a few extra moments to show us a few good spots to fish later in the afternoon and provided us with some pointers to make the rest of the stay a winner. If you're looking to try out fly fishing or just looking for some area expertise to make sure your fishing trip is a good one I cannot recommend Rigs enough. read more

I had a great day trip on the lower Gunnison! Several trout caught, many more seen / short striked, missed but very exciting. Good instructional tips delivered timely & supportively. Not the typical "hopper-dropper" day. Mostly single dry hopper, top water action. Guide Chris Cantrell was very knowledgeable and adept at putting the boat in the right place with the right advice at the right time. read more

RIGS Fly Shop & Guide Service - Fishing Near Me - Ridgway, Colorado

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1/2 Day Fly fishing was awesome! Zach spent a lot of time showing and sharing techniques and how the fish work the river. We were on the the fish within 15 minutes and and stayed busy the whole time. Very nice cutthroat's and several rainbows. One of the best guide trips I have ever been on. Highly recommend the tail water 1/2 day! read more

We have used Rigs Fly Shop on several fishing trips and each trip has been an awesome experience. Claire answered all of our questions and helped setup our trip and Jake our fishing guide got it done. read more

Ethan is the best. He worked hard to give us the best chance of success on the Lower Gunnison. Patient, knowledgable, and a great teacher. I've fly fished for over 40 years, but learned a lot about how to present the fly, set the hook, and get big fish to the net. We had a great day. read more

The guide picked us up right at our Airbnb and took care of everything. read more

RIGS Fly Shop & Guide Service - Fishing Near Me - Ridgway, Colorado

Such a great fly shop! I went in to buy a couple of things and they told me exactly what I needed to know and where to go, including hikes. Definitely stop by! read more

We had an amazing time.....first class all they way! All of the guides were extremely accommodating of our personalities and very knowledgeable and attentive. All three of the fishing guides, Ethan, Drew and Spencer, did a tremendous job of putting us on fish. Trey (guide in training) is going to make a fine fishing guide (he is very easy going and patient). I can't recommend this trip enough! read more

Beginner Fly Fisherman. Did a Walk & Wade with guide Spencer Terry on the Gunnison River East of Delta, CO. It was a awesome day!!! Spencer was a great teacher. Would request him again in a heartbeat. High praise for Heather and the entire staff at Rigs Fly Shop!!! Would definitely recommend booking a trip and stopping by. Plan on doing a float trip with them the next time. read more

RIGS Fly Shop & Guide Service - Walk and Wade on Gunnison River East of Delta, CO. - Fishing Near Me - Ridgway, Colorado

We were in town for the Ouray Canyon Fest and some fly fishing. This place had gear that was good for both activities. First the fly fishing: Staff was great when it came to suggesting good flies for local rivers and overall fishing advice. I stopped here both for PMDs and lightweight level line for my tenkara rod, which fortunately they had in stock. Wish I had the time and money for a guided trip but hopefully next time! Canyoneering: Not your typical place to get canyoneering gear, nor do they carry rope or rappel devices. But what they do have is loads of fishing wear and gear that doubles up perfectly for canyoneering. We stopped here en route to Upper Uncompaghre and picked up extra layers to wear beneath and above our wetsuits. My husband picked up some Simms gloves that he said were warmer than neoprene. He loves and treasures them. Staff was a bit confused at first as to what we needed gear for, but definitely was able to help once they realized we just needed lots of layers. read more

My wife and I had a fantastic time fly-fishing with the guide. He picked us up on time and we were fishing in 20 minutes. We are both novices (no experience at all) but our guide took the time to give us some tips and we both were catching trout in no time. The guide was patient and took care of all the details throughout the day. He even took pictures and videos of our experience. Thanks RIGS for a great time on the river! read more

We had a day long drift boat fishing trip on the Gunnison River yesterday with Riggs and are still laughing and flying high today remembering all the fun we had! Our guide Doug was FIRST RATE! Not just a great guide but a really gifted teacher! He continually explained how, where and when to cast, but more importantly WHY! Doug was like any great coach...always reinforcing and correcting with positive and immediate feedback. This trip was not only worth every penny but added immeasurably to our knowledge and abilities on the River. Thank you, Riggs! read more

I just wanted to drop a quick note about my half day fishing today. Jacob exceeded my expectations today as a guide. As a newer fly fisherman my goal today was to learn. Everything from rigging, to fly election, to roll casting better, habitat, etc. I explained that to Jacob on the way to the fishing site, and he was excited to share his knowledge with me. Now I've heard that from guides before, and had them do very little to actually teach me. Jacob took the time and effort to really educate and inform me. I'm a better fisherman today than I was yesterday. In addition to being a great guide and teacher, he was also a great conversationalist. Overall my experience with your shop has been exceptional. From my initial call a week or so ago with Spencer, to your assistance setting the trip up has been so smooth and easy. You and your team have earned a client for life. Looking forward to coming into the shop at some stage, and booking some trips for later in the year. read more

My husband and I did a half day fishing trip on the Uncompaghre. Chris was a great guide and we thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience. We had never fly fished before and were able to learn information and skills that we could use. read more

RIGS Fly Shop & Guide Service - Fishing Near Me - Ridgway, Colorado

Despite COVID, y'all cater to those of us who look for our own adventure! Thanks for the info on drys, and directing me. To San Miguel. Looking forward to it! read more

We did a half day guided fly fishing trip on the San Miguel with Kevin. We each caught about 4 rainbow trout, and learned a lot from our knowledgeable guide. All of the staff I worked with leading up to our trip were helpful, and followed up when they said they would. We were both beginners, and feel much more confident fly fishing now! We stopped in the store and perused the gear and rented paddleboards, at the Ridgway reservoir later in the day. We also had a good experience with this. I would recommend Rigs! read more

Stopped in passing through, staff was very helpful and provided great recs for hatching patterns. Scored a great day on the uncompahgre. read more

RIGS Fly Shop & Guide Service - Fishing Near Me - Ridgway, Colorado

Really patient and knowledgeable fly fishing guides. We were all newbies to fly fishing and their guides showed great patience with my wife and college aged kids. The Gunnison river offers lots of beautiful trout to catch. They took care of everything and made this float trip worth the money. read more

We had a great two day float with Jeff and Matt. They put us on the fish the whole trip and stayed patient with a bunch of amateurs. This was a special trip for my father's 70th birthday and we are glad we chose Rigs to guide our trip. Thanks for the memorable experience. 9-1141813 read more

My wife and I used RIGS for guided fly fishing and kayaking. We were very pleased with their service. Their guides know their water very well. Our fly fishing guide spent a lot of time helping us refine our cast; I've fished with a lot of other outfits where the guides are more concerned with their own fishing than that of their clients and it was refreshing to have a guide who was really there to help. He knew the river well and we caught a huge cutthroat trout. Our kayaking guide was well organized and knew a lot about the local flora and fauna. The lunch that was provided was very nice and much better than the cheap crap that most places offer. read more

We hired Rigs to take our family on a fly fishing trip and from start to finish they were amazing and professional. Everyone we spoke to in the shop (Tim,Brady and Zack) treated us like honored guests. And out on the River --We had the best fishing experience of our lives (and we've fished a lot!) Ethan and Jacob and True were incredibly patient and engaging with our kids and made sure we all had a safe and exhilarating experience. All 5 of us caught at least 7 fish (I caught 12 ---not that I am proud and bragging!) and had the most amazing family memory. We felt like true fly fisher people in a few hours. The professional, next level service made all the difference. These three guides are truly doing what they love and sharing their gifts with their clients and they are lovely to be around. They are true fishermen and gentlemen and adventurers. Go for Rigs--you won't be sorry! read more

I've vacationed in and around Ridgway for the past 10 years. Rigs is great if you want to use their guide service for fishing or rafting. However, if you're a spin fisherman looking for a few odds and ends, they quickly size you up and can't bother to give you the time of day. Half the time they don't acknowledge you when you walk in their shop. Save your time and money and look for some great guides in Montrose who will bring you to some fantastic spots, without the pretentious air. read more

My wife and I and 4 friends went on a three day float trip fly fishing the beautiful, amazing Black Canyon of the Gunnison River in Colorado, with the crew from RIGS fly shop in Ridgway. Everything from pre trip planning, delivery to the canyon, the fishing, the food, the tents, and especially the guiding, was everything we had hoped for . We had three fishing rafts and a great boat that went ahead and set up camp. Matt, Chance, Geoff and Chris were great company as well as great guides . This really is an amazing experience in one of the most beautiful places in America read more

I have been coming to this shop for several years. Every time I come to the shop, I spend a few hundred dollars. Thanks for the great service. read more

Terrific Whitewater rafting experience. While staying in Telluride, we were looking for a good rafting trip to take our 8 year old son for the first time. From the overall booking process to taking care of us on our trip, everyone at RIGS was super friendly and were just good people to deal with. And our rafting guide, Brenner (sp?), was great and kept our son entertained. We did that half day trip, and it was the perfect length and challenge level for us. We would absolutely recommend using them, no questions asked. read more

Cool place, I gave it four stars because they originally told us it would be a level 2 or 3 rafting experience and take 4 hrs. It was a level one and took 1.5 hrs. Ethan our guide was nice, I like the humor from Malakai better. They guarantee your safety though and it was a first time for us. Water was 44 degrees, which was totally perfect, I would suggest water shoes and water/ kayaking clothing. We all wore under armour shorts and tops and sneakers. You can't take a phone but they take pics and post them for you to Facebook site for you to save. read more

We did the 1/2 day morning trip on 7/12/17. Our guide's name was Ethan. We thoroughly enjoyed the trip and will definitely be back in the future. Ethan was very helpful for those of us that were first timers at rafting. I strongly recommend asking for Ethan. The entire experience with Rigs was professional and organized. I can't think of a reason to book through another company. read more

My wife and I went to RIGS for a 1/2 day rafting trip. The staff at the shop were excellent and professional. We had a blast with our two guides Tom and Ian. The water fights were a lot of fun too. Thanks for a great time. The 1/2 day trip would be excellent for those with younger kids as well. read more

Good selection of gear, nice staff that was extremely knowledgable. Every single worker we came across asked if we needed help. It's nice to see that some stores still know what customer service is. read more

This company was great. The guides were fun and knew the rivers. We had an excellent rafting experience.