8200 Mountain Sports

06/04/2026

🌊 Book Your Rafting Adventure TODAY! 🌊

Did you know you can hit the water with 8200 Mountain Sports for more than just guided fishing?!😎

There’s no better way to spend the day than floating through the scenic mountain landscape on a guided raft trip. It’s the perfect mix of refreshing fun and unforgettable views for rafters of all ages.

🚣‍♂️ Trip Details:

💥Convenient departures: Monday – Friday at 9:30am

💥Duration: Approximately 1.5 – 2 hours on the water

💥Affordable family pricing: Adults $65 | Children (12 & under) $55

☀️ Important Tip: High-country river conditions are changing quickly this year! Secure your spots early while the water levels and conditions are absolutely ideal for the ultimate family float!

👉 Book your trip online here: https://www.8200sports.com/guided-raft-trips/
☎️Call the shop directly at 719-873-1977 to book today!

06/03/2026

🎣 The Bug Report: What’s on the Menu?👀

The weekend is crawling closer, and the bugs are officially making their move. If you’re planning your next fishing adventure, here is exactly what’s looking tasty right now:

On the Surface 🦋
Caddis / Mayflies are popping beautifully in the afternoons. If you love a visual take, keep your eyes peeled for the ripples, it’s game on.

Sub-Surface Secrets 🐛
The morning hours belong to the nymphs. Pheasant Tails and Zebra Midges are doing the heavy lifting before the sun hits the water.

Streamer Season? 🦈
If you're hunting for the local monsters, strip some Olive Woolly Buggers or Black Dungeons through the deeper pockets.

The Bottom Line: The fish are looking up, the water is clearing up nicely and gearing up for the Salmon flies to hatch and we’ve got the bins fully stocked.

Whether you need to grab a fresh dozen, pick up some fresh tippet, or just want to swap stories about the one that got away, swing on by. We’re open until 5:00pm tonight!

👇 What are you tying on first this week? Let us know below!

06/01/2026

🎣 FISHING REPORT: JUNE 1
Happy first day of June, anglers! It is prime time on the Upper Rio Grande, but if you want to get a boat on the water, you need to act fast!Here’s your fresh update on how things are shaping up from South Fork to Del Norte.

📊 CURRENT CONDITIONS & FLOWS
Current Flow: ~740 CFS (via the Hanna Lane Gauge)

🚣‍♂️Water Clarity: Excellent! It’s running beautifully clear with just a slight, perfect spring tint.

🌡️Water Temps: High 40s in the cool morning shade, creeping up into the low 50s by midday. Perfect trout-feeding weather.

🐛 THE HATCH REPORT
What’s Firing Now: The Caddis blanket hatch is absolutely crushing it in the afternoons! We are also seeing steady midday Blue-Winged Olives on overcast afternoons, and plenty of hungry stonefly nymphs migrating subsurface.

👀What to Look Forward To: Keep your eyes peeled and your fly boxes stocked because the legendary Salmonfly hatch is right around the corner. You won’t want to miss the big bugs hitting the water.

🎣 WHAT TO EXPECT THIS WEEK
Expect aggressive feeding windows, especially from midday through the evening. Start your mornings deep with heavy stonefly nymphs or streamer patterns through the deeper slots, then switch over to dry caddis and BWO imitations as the afternoon hatch intensifies.

🚨 FLOAT SEASON WARNING: BOOK NOW! 🚣‍♂️
Let's talk logistics: water levels are unseasonably low for this time of year. This means our float fishing window is going to be shorter than usual. If you have been dreaming of drifting down the Rio, hitting those hard-to-reach banks, and casting into pristine pools, you cannot afford to wait.

🏃‍♂️Don't miss the boat, literally! Give us a shout to lock in your guided float trip before the river drops.

📞 (719) 873-1977
💻 https://www.8200sports.com/

RESERVE ONLINE AND SAVE 5% BOOK NOW Ski & Board Rentals 8200 Mountain Sports can help you save time and money on your ski, snowboard and gear rentals. Stop by our shop on your way to the

05/26/2026

🚨Rio Grande River Report: South Fork to Del Norte

If you've been waiting for the Rio Grande to clear up, your window is right now. The high-mountain snowmelt has slowed, dropping the Del Norte gauge to a beautiful, clear ~750 cfs (~1.91 ft).

⏰ When to fish: Don't stress about an early start. Wait for the sun to hit the water. The bug activity is peaking between 10:00 AM and 4:00 PM.

🪰 What to throw: Since the water is clear and cold, fish are looking down.
Drop a heavy Pat's Rubberlegs or a 20 Incher into the deep runs with an Olive Caddis Larva or Prince Nymph trailing behind it.

😎Pro Tip: Keep a dry fly rod rigged with a BWO Sparkle Dun just in case an overcast afternoon brings on a hatch.

🚣‍♂️ Float Hazards: If you’re putting in upstream of Hanna Lane, keep your eyes peeled between CR Bridge 18 and the Hanna Lane takeout. Recent river work has left a shallow rock structure that is proving tricky at 750 cfs. Look to line or portage river-right if you're in a drift boat.

Good luck out there!🍀

👇 Drop a comment if you are headed out this week!

05/21/2026

🚣‍♂️ River Shuttle Services with 8200 Mountain Sports! 🚣‍♂️

Planning your next float trip or river adventure? Let 8200 Mountain Sports handle the logistics so you can focus on the water!

📍Check out our current routes and rates below:

🐟Putting in and taking out at any ramp between Palisades Campground and County Road 19 | $40

🐟Putting in at Wagon Wheel Gap or Deep Creek or taking out at County Road 17 or Del Norte | $50

🐟Putting in at Sixmile (Marshall Park) | $60

🛑 Important Service Boundaries
⚠️ Please Note: We will NOT shuttle anything above Sixmile (Marshall Park) or Creede at this time. Please plan your launch points accordingly!

📲 Ready to book? Give us a call or stop by the shop to lock in your shuttle. ➡️(719) 873-1977

05/20/2026

Protect your eyes, rep your favorite fly shop. 😎🧢

Built to handle everything from high-country wind to rowing the drift boat all day, the 2026 collection at 8200 is just what you need.

Stop into the fly shop this week to find your new lucky fishing cap, talk fishing reports, and dial in your setup for your next adventure.🎣

05/18/2026

🔥Hot Fly of the Week: Pat's Rubber Legs

🎫The famous Rio Grande Salmonfly hatch is still a few weeks away, but the nymphs are already staging on the riverbed. With cold runoff flowing from South Fork to Del Norte, a Size 8-10 Pat's Rubber Legs is your golden ticket this week.

🍽️With spring runoff keeping the water high, cold, and off-color, trout are hugging the bottom looking for one thing: A protein-packed meal and these staging stonefly nymphs are exactly what’s on the menu right now.

Pro Tips👨‍🏫
📍 Go Heavy: Use it as your lead fly with enough weight to get deep.
📍 Target the Soft Water: Avoid the main current. Fish the eddies, pockets, and slow water tight against the banks.
📍 Add Flare: Drop a flashy Pheasant Tail or Copper John behind it so fish can spot it easily.

Who is hitting the river this week? Drop a 🎣 below!

05/16/2026

🌊 Weekend Fishing Report 🎣

The Rio Grande is dropping, clearing, and prime for fishing much earlier than normal! If you’ve been waiting to hit the Gold Medal water, your window has officially arrived.

Here is the quick breakdown for your weekend trip:

📊 Flows & The Dam Effect

Current Flow: Hovering right around 1,520 CFS (Stage: ~2.44 ft).

The Taper: The massive, early reservoir drawdowns upstream have crested. Instead of a raging, muddy mess, the river from South Fork down to Del Norte is settling into a highly fishable, early post-runoff trend.

🌡️ Water & Fish Behavior
Warm afternoon air temps are bumping water temperatures into the 50s. Trout are shaking off the winter lethargy, moving into faster current seams.

🪰 What to Tie On

Nymphs: Go heavy. Lead with a size 6-10 Pat's Rubberlegs or 20 Incher Stone, and drop a size 14-16 Caddis Pupa or Flashback Pheasant Tail behind it.

Streamers: Big browns are hungry. Pound the banks with a Dungeon or Sculpzilla in black or olive.

Dries: Watch for afternoon BWO and midge hatches between 1 PM and 4 PM. Keep a Parachute Adams handy.

Flows are ideal for a drift boat right now, and wade options are opening up beautifully on the gravel bars! 😎

📍 Call us to book your adventure today, or drop into the shop to secure your spot on the water!
📞 (719) 873-1977

05/13/2026

The new Canyon Coolers have arrived, and they’ve already received the official Rebel Seal of Approval! 🐾❄️

Rebel’s been supervising the unboxing all morning, and he’s ready to help you pick out the perfect size for your next river mission. These coolers are built for the long haul! Perfectly sized for any adventure and tough enough to keep ice solid through those long, hot days of exploring.

Don't wait for the weekend rush! Come by and buy yours today! Rebel is waiting at the door to greet you with a wag (and maybe a request for a head pat). 🐕🛶

📍 8200 Mountain Sports, South Fork
🏔️ Gear up. Get out there.