SPECIAL ALL-INCLUSIVE LODGING & FISHING PACKAGE PRICING WITH CRYSTAL FLY SHOP AND THE REDSTONE INN.    The historic Redstone Inn is a beautiful and affordable place to stay--we've always recommended our clients to stay up the Crystal where you're actually out in the mountains instead of in a town--and the Inn is our favorite.  The Inn offers styles of rooms to fit all tastes and budgets, from luxurious suites to dormer rooms, and has a swimming pool.  And the Inn is the hub of Redstone's nightlife, with a lively bar and restaurant that offers both casual and cultivated cuisine.  The Redstone Inn operates The Preserve private fishing property--approximately 1.5 miles of privately stocked catch and release water on the Crystal River at the Inn.  To ensure the quality of this fishery, river priveledges are limited to only 4 rods per day, at the modest cost of $80 per rod--the most affordable rod fee of any private Colorado fishing property we're aware of.  We highly recommend this section of river and are happy to guide you there if you would like our assistance. We have partnered up with the Inn to offer discounted, all inclusive pricing for their guests who want to fish with us either at the Redstone Inn Preserve property, at Bar ZX private ranch over McClure Pass (the Inn is one of the closest places to Bar ZX), or who want to float or wade fish the Roaring Fork, Frying Pan, or Colorado rivers (stay a few nights and fish them all!).  Contact the Redstone Inn at 1-800-748-2524 to discuss rates for various rooms and dates, and give us a call to talk about the fishing side of things.   DISTANCE FROM CRYSTAL FLY SHOP TO: ASPEN                                                                  31 Miles          45 Minutes BASALT (& FRYING PAN RIVER)               13 Miles           20 Minutes GLENWOOD (& COLORADO RIVER)       13 Miles           15 Minutes REDSTONE                                                         16 Miles           25 Minutes ROARING FORK & CRYSTAL RIVERS      ½ Mile              5 Minutes DIRECTIONS TO CRYSTAL FLY SHOP FROM UPVALLEY: (Aspen, Snowmass, Basalt):  Driving northwest (downvalley) on Highway 82, drive 4 miles past El Jebel and turn left at the next light, which is Catherine's Store Road.  The road curves and crosses the bridge and leads you another 3 miles into Carbondale.  Crystal Fly Shop is on the second city block on the left, at 208 Main St.   DIRECTIONS TO CRYSTAL FLY SHOP FROM DOWNVALLEY: (Glenwood Springs, Denver):  Driving southeast (upvalley) on Highway 82, turn right at the main light for Carbondale, which is Highway 133.  The 2nd light 1 mile away is Main St--take a left.  Drive through downtown, and when you see the Village Smithy on the right, you are 1 block away.  Crystal Fly Shop is on the right, at 208 Main St., across from Russett's, at the corner of 2nd and Main.	HERE IS A LIST OF ACCOMMODATIONS IN AND NEAR CARBONDALE.  WE HIGHLY RECOMMEND STAYING UP THE CRYSTAL RIVER VALLEY AND IN REDSTONE BECAUSE OF THE SECLUSION AND OUTDOOR FEEL THESE PLACES OFFER.  CRYSTAL RIVER VALLEY/REDSTONE: Alpine and River Lodging 877-963-2701 Redstone properties--18 miles southwest of Carbondale Amanda's Hideaway, Gamekeeper's Cottage, The River House Avalanche Ranch (877) 963-9339 12863 Highway 133--13 miles southwest of Carbondale BRB Crystal River Resort Cabins/Campground (800)-963-2341 7202 Highway 133--7 miles southwest of Carbondale Crystal Dreams Bed & Breakfast and Spa 970-963-8240 475 Redstone Blvd.--18 miles southwest of Carbondale Crystal Valley Manor 970-963-2365 215 Redstone Blvd.--18 miles southwest of Carbondale Redstone Cliffs Lodge 877-963-2701 433 Redstone Blvd.--18 miles southwest of Carbondale Redstone Inn, Historic Landmark 800-748-2524 82 Redstone Blvd.--18 miles southwest of Carbondale.  Private fishing access on the Preserve Property, and all inclusive lodging/fishing packages pricing with Crystal Fly Shop. White River National Forest Campground-Redstone 1-877-444-6777--13 miles away White River National Forest Campground-Bogan Flats (Marble) 1-800-280-2267 and 1-877-444-6777.  25 miles southwest of Carbondale CARBONDALE ACCOMMODATIONS: Ambiance Inn Bed & Breakfast (970) 963-3597 66 N. 2nd St. Downtown Carbondale—1 block from Crystal Fly Shop Carbondale Days Inn (970) 963-9111 950 Cowen Drive, Intersection Hwy 82 and Hwy 133 Comfort Inn & Suites (970) 963-8880 920 Cowen Drive, Intersection Hwy 82 and Hwy 133 GLENWOOD SPRINGS: Colorado Hotel Service 888-892-3642 Booking agency for Glenwood Springs hotels, motels, inns
Guide Profiles  All stories and accounts contained herein are fictitious and any similarities to any persons living or dead are purely coincidental.  The names and faces have been changed to protect the lives of the innocent...(and that includes the fish too!) Other great guides on our roster but not profiled include Kevin Hurley, Mal Burks, Patrick Murray, Clem Rinehart, & Tom Hayes.	DAVID JOHNSON knew from a young age that fishing was the road to fame & fortune.   Since getting his start under mentor Roy Palm he has been guiding for 15 years--the last 6 as an outfitter, & 5 as a shop owner, with some 2000+ guide trips--and he sees that wealth coming to fruition every night when he walks up the steps into his rental house in Carbondale.  Living proof that fishing guides are overeducated, underachieving, maladjusted, escapist misfits, DJ dropped out of college with a high GPA after studying English Lit. in London his junior year, & has been dropping out with his guitar and fly rod ever since.   Never one to do anything half-assed, he has filled his surroundings with necessary trappings like a raft and driftboat, & unnecessary trappings like a fly shop & its fixtures, all to help himself & his clients escape from that dreary place known as the "real world".  He enjoys changing the scenery & mixing it up between float and wade trips, beginners & experts--because a guide isn't anything if they aren't versatile (except schizophrenic, of course).  When he grows up, he wants to be a big boy, & perhaps begin thinking about buying a place by the age of 40 (forget that now--too late),  & may some day publish his memoirs, "Red Letter Ravings--or How to Win Friends & Influence People with a Poison Pen".
JAKE MCKITTRICK is a Western Slope native whose fanaticism for fly fishing started at an early age chasing trout on the Grand Mesa and Gunnison River. Jake started building fly rods for Scott in the Telluride factory when he was in high school and then went off to college in Bozeman and New Zealand to pursue new trout waters.  After college, Jake moved to Denver and became obsessed with targeting bass and other warm water species in still water environments.  These days, when Jake’s not sleeping, chances are he is on his boat on some Front Range lake drinking way too much caffeine, perfecting his flies and warm water techniques.  Jake has been a guide off-and-on throughout his life in such locations as Telluride, Livingston, Ft. Collins, Basalt and Denver. Jake is currently a fly designer for Solitude, a pro angler for several fly fishing companies and gives warm water seminars throughout Colorado. He also had top five finishes in two fly fishing bass tournaments this year and is featured in Barry Reynolds newest carp movie with more to come.  Spending a day sticking fish at Jake's pace will make you feel like you drank too much caffeine too.	MATT RUSSELL is a rising star in the Colorado galaxy of fly fishing.  He grew up fishing in Glenwood Springs, and has spent most of his guiding career the past 6 years putting clients onto fish out of either his driftboat or raft locally on the Roaring Fork and Colorado, as well as doing many 3 day excursions in the Black Canyon of the Gunnison with Black Canyon Anglers.  His team finished 2nd in the local High Mountain Masters float fishing tournament a couple years back, and Matt recently finished in the number 1 slot for the extremely scentific Glenwood Post/Independent newspaper poll for "best fishing guide" (Matt's girlfriend has always believed strongly in "vote early, vote often").  He also takes wade trips, and has a warm guiding style that will charm your socks off.   Don't let Matt's youth fool you--he is a young gun who can show you a lot of tricks while showing you a good time.
RYAN DAVIS is a very accomplished oarsman and another one of our float guides who spends most of June chasing the salmonfly hatch around the Black Canyon of the Gunnison.  Ryan guides out of rafts and dories and has been float fishing the Roaring Fork and Colorado rivers since he was a wee lad.  Ryan spends his free time travelling to other Western rivers to float fish, or simply staying home and running crazy stretches of river like Shoshone Rapids for fun.  His knowledge of hatches and float fishing tactics has grown to be of equal stature as his rowing capabilities, and he is a great host for a day of floating down our local rivers.	GLENN MELUS (background) is a rarity in a valley full of great fishermen--he's a great fisherman who also has the patience, knowledge, and versatility to be a great guide and teacher to practically any level of client.  To watch Glenn pick apart a section of river and systematically catch every fish in it is to watch a talented artist at work.  He is not only a great guide to those more experienced wading anglers who share that same intensity--he is also a great mentor with an unassuming style who can scale things back to a beginner's pace and show anyone a great time.  A native of Maine, Glenn has fished extensively in many Eastern trout streams, throughout the Mountain West, and knows all our local waters intimately.  When he's not guiding or fishing, he's out chasing birds and training dogs with his wife Sue.
WOLF SCHEIBLBERG is a rarity in this area--someone who actually grew up in Colorado (Durango, actually).  And no, Crystal Fly Shop's shop manager is not the offspring of mountain hippie types--it's an Austrian thing!  And Wolf definitely possesses the creativity and attention to detail that we would expect from a Wolfgang--he is an accomplished photographer, ski instructor, and handyman when not handling his duties in the shop or guiding wade trips on the river (or luring in Bull Moose in heat with his special pheremones and fishing prowess).  Wolf's patience and concern are genuine, and he is a great teacher for those who are relatively new to the sport of waving a stick in a river.  He has proven himself on the waters of the Frying Pan (his favorite haunt), and also really enjoys wading the big Colorado between Glenwood and his home in Newcastle when the fishing's on down there.	BRIAN SWEETERMAN has become a specialist in wade fishing the Roaring Fork river, and has developed an intimate knowledge of much of the water on the Fork between Carbondale and Aspen the past many years.  Brian seems to be increasingly taking on the appearance of Cool Hand Luke, and certainly demonstrates a cool hand with his casting and instructional style.  Brian is equally comfortable with veterans and beginners, young and old--as his 6 year old son has taught him plenty about patience.  Brian enjoys playing guitar when he's not chasing fish up and down the valley, and like many fishing guides, also teaches skiing in the winter and performs a dazzling array of odd jobs during offseasons.
ANDY WASILAWSKI IS THE NEWEST ADDITION TO OUR GUIDING STAFF FOR 2010.  And since Andy hasn't yet provided us a digital photo of himself with one of his many big fish, we'd like to thank his parole office for providing the picture above, as well as for letting Andy out on work release to guide for us.  Waz--as he's affectionately known--has been guiding off and on in the valley for well over a decade.  He is an incredible blend of professional trout stalker, entertainer, encyclopedia, comedian, and teacher all wrapped up into one.  Andy is a wade fishing guide who is equally comfortable on the Roaring Fork or Frying Pan, with beginners or experts, adults or children.  He is the proud father of an 8 year old daughter and also teaches wilderness survival skills courses.  He might not only be able to show you some valuable mountain-man survival tricks while guiding you, but may also be able to suggest which of the hatching insects would provide you with the most protein if you need to supplement your diet.  And while Andy's outgoing style is very entertaining and engaging, who also knows that your trip is about you and your guests and he is happy to accomodate any special requests you have for your day and what you would like to get out it.	MERLE RODGERS has lived and guided in the Frying Pan Valley since time immemorial.  And yes, it is a documented fact, that Merle has indeed lived 5 full lives, which you will realize when you spend a day fishing with him and you hear of his many illustrious adventures here and abroad.  A walk wade specialist, Merle knows exactly where every 20 inch cutbow on the Frying Pan lives, as well as a few on the Roaring Fork, because that is the only thing his clients ever catch.  But seriously, Merle lives on the banks of the Frying Pan at Uncle Roy's place, and can tell you all about the saratella and every other obscure bug which frequents his world and needs to be a part of yours to catch fish there.