NATHROP — About the time a young backpacker named John Fielder discovered his passion for wilderness photography, he was forced to make a decision.

“I quickly found out that the photos are best at the same time the fish are biting,” Fielder said. “So I had to give up one or the other. My fishing days are long over.”

On more than one occasion, Fielder’s loss has proven to be Colorado’s gain; he’s had a hand in helping preserve several of its most memorable landscapes. At the forefront of his current projects is a special spot that just happens to double as one of Colorado’s most underrated fisheries.

Browns Canyon of the Arkansas River is ranked as the most raft-crowded river run in Colorado, quite likely in the nation and possibly in the world. Yet somehow the scenic Chaffee County canyon stretching 10 miles between Buena Vista and Salida remains virtually vacant of fishermen.

“We’ve done a little more fishing this year just because the fishing has been good for so long,” said Bill Dvorak of Dvorak Expeditions (719-539-6851) in Nathrop.”You hardly see anybody in here in the evening, at most maybe one other boat this year that I can remember. That’s the nice thing about it, that you pretty much have the canyon to yourself.”

Fielder’s fishing wisdom with regard to timing and lighting is arguably the fishery’s saving grace. Well, that and the boating skills needed to navigate some tricky Class III and Class IV whitewater found in the fairly committing canyon tumbling about 35 feet per mile.

But while a guided trip with an experienced oarsman such as Dvorak is generally the best way to travel, it’s likely that even those private boaters who possess the required rowing skills are scared off by the reputation of midday chaos on crowded summer weekends. Lest they have forgotten, the river’s management plan forbids commercial rafting launches for all except fishermen after 3 p.m.

“One of the reasons we like fishing in Browns is because we get bigger fish here. Maybe not quite as many fish as we might get from Salida down, but we tend to catch a little higher quality fish,” said Dvorak, who lays claim to the first commercial outfitter’s license issued by the state. “I think that’s due to the lack of fishing pressure. There’s just not as many people that fish Browns Canyon.”

Read more about Browns Canyon and see additional photos.