Pat Dorsey
Pat Dorsey
Advisor
As a native of Colorado, Pat Dorsey has been guiding customers of all abilities for nearly 30 years. Pat Dorsey spends well over two hundred days a year on the water, a combination of guiding clients, hosting destination travel-trips, and personal days on the water.
Pat Dorsey is the head guide and a co-owner of the Blue Quill Angler fly shop in Evergreen, Colorado. He oversees and trains more than 25 guides, setting the standard for integrity and professionalism in the Blue Quill Angler guide operation. Dorsey also, publishes an online stream report that monitors stream flows and conditions for the Blue, Colorado, South Platte (Cheesman, Deckers, Spinney Mountain Ranch, and Eleven Mile Canyon), North Fork of the South Platte, and Williams Fork Rivers.
Pat Dorsey is a Simms Ambassador, a member of the Sage Elite Pro Team, Fishpond Ambassador, Orvis Pro Team Member, Yeti pro staff, Hyde Drift Boats Pro Staff, and Scientific Anglers pro staff. Pat Dorsey is also the Southwest Field Editor for Fly Fisherman Magazine.
Pat Dorsey is the author of four books: Fly Fishing Tailwaters, a comprehensive book on fly-fishing tailwater fisheries. It includes detailed discussions on dams, benefits of a tailwater, hatches, fly selection, reading the water, and tactics and techniques to fool tough trout on year-round waters. Tying and Fishing Tailwater Flies contains 500 step-by-step photos to tie 24 proven patterns, as well as, helpful tips and illustrations on how to rig and fish them. Colorado Guide Flies, features tips from the state’s best guides and includes approximately 600 proven guide flies with recipes. Fly Fishing Guide to the South Platte River (completely revised in 2018) is a complete how-to fly fishing manual for the entire South Platte River drainage. It encompasses a thorough look at each section of the river detailing the hatches and recommended fly patterns.
Pat Dorsey is an accomplished fly tier and has originated a number of effective patterns such as the Mercury series, UV Scud, Limeade, Cherry-Limeade, Paper Tiger, Top Secret Midge, Medallion Midge and the famed Black Beauty. Although Pat Dorsey no longer has the time to tie flies commercially, he once produced over 28,000 flies in a year. Dorsey is a fly designer for Umpqua Feather Merchants. His signature flies are available at the Blue Quill Angler and other specialty fly shops throughout the United States. Pat Dorsey is a Pro Team Member for Whiting Farms. Many of his flies incorporate Whiting Farm products.
Pat Dorsey is a nationally known speaker. He travels the United States sharing his passion for fly fishing at trade shows and fishing clubs and is active with Trout Unlimited and the conservation of cold-water fisheries.
Pat Dorsey resides in Parker, Colorado with his wife Kim. She is an avid angler and often appears with Pat at trade shows and other speaking engagements. Kim and Pat Dorsey, host yearly trips to Alaska Sportman’s Lodge (Bristol Bay), and Rio Manso Lodge (Patagonia, Argentina).
- Home water South Platte River, Cheesman Canyon and Deckers.
- What 2-3 lines do you use the most and why? If you can catch a trout in Cheesman Canyon, you can catch trout anywhere in the world. There’s no substitution for time on the water. Success has nothing to do with luck, it’s much simpler than that, knowledge leads to success.
- What was the watershed moment when you knew you wanted to make your living fishing? When I was a young boy and saw a guide working with a client when I was fishing with my father on the Eagle River.
- If you could spend one day on the water with anyone, who would it be? My wife Kim.
- On the rocks or straight? Rocks
- If you could give one piece of angling advice to a younger version of yourself, what would it be? Never quit learning, stay humble, and share your knowledge with others.
- What’s in the cooler? A hearty lunch and a cold beverage to cap off a great day.
- What are you doing when you’re not fishing Tying flies, writing, speaking, hosting trips (destination travel) and thinking about my next adventure into Trout Country.
- Where would you most like to fish? Patagonia
- Stealth or bright lines? Stealth
- Two Truths and a Lie Trout don’t live in ugly places, I’m not numbers driven, and I don’t lie, just like all fisherman.
- Craziest experience on the water? Getting married to my wife Kim in my drift boat.