Monthly Archives: August 2025

South Boulder Creek – 08/27/2025

Time: 10:30AM – 3:00PM

Location: Below Gross Reservoir

South Boulder Creek 08/27/2025 Photo Album

I was a bit under the weather on Tuesday after over exerting and not drinking enough fluids on Monday, but I made plans to fish South Boulder Creek with my young friend, Nate. It had been quite a while since Nate and I fished together, since his job and pursuit of a career dictated higher level priorities. However, with a short break in his education, we managed to meet up on Wednesday, August 27, 2025.

Because of my concern over my weakened condition from illness, I parked at the kayak lot, as this allowed a shorter albeit steep return hike at the end of the day. The sky was overcast, and the temperature was in the mid-sixties, as Nate and I prepared to fish. I selected my Loomis two piece five weight for my day on the creek. Flows were steady at 100 CFS.

Lunch View

We were positioned along the creek by 10:30AM ready to cast. I began with a solo parachute drake with the hope that the trout had a long memory for western green drakes. In the first decent pool I witnessed five refusals to the parachute green drake. Needless to say, I was very disappointed. I tested it in a few more promising spots, but fairly quickly I converted to a dry/dropper featuring a size 8 tan pool toy hopper, a prince nymph, and a salvation nymph. I never really got a read on this combination, as all three flies separated from my line for some unknown reason, probably a bad knot connecting to the eye of the hopper.

Amazing Color

When I rigged anew, I switched to a peacock hippie stomper and an olive perdigon. Nate was having quite a bit of success with his dry/dropper, and one of his nymphs was a perdigon similar to a rainbow warrior. I managed to land two small brown trout on the perdigon, but then I suffered through a lengthy time period with no action in spite of some very attractive creek structure. I finally ended the late morning frustration by wading to the bank to find a decent resting spot to eat my lunch.

Cannot Wait

Since Nate was faring quite well after lunch with his dry/dropper, I reverted to that approach. I knotted another tan pool toy hopper to my line and then followed it with an ultra zug bug and a size 18 pheasant tail nymph. The pool toy hopper suddenly worked some magic, and I landed two decent rainbow trout in the eleven to twelve in range on the foam terrestrial. Next, a fish grabbed the pheasant tail, and suddenly I was in the realm of respectability at five fish landed. Another trout grabbed the ultra zug bug, and then Nate and I spotted some natural green drakes floating above the creek.

Sleek Look

Nate quickly switched to a green drake, and he immediately netted a couple fish. This was the impetus I needed to make the same change, and I placed a size 14 parachute green drake on my line. For the remainder of my time on South Boulder Creek I fished green drake patterns including the paradrake, a user-friendly geen drake, and a comparadun green drake. The fish count climbed from six to eleven, and most of the takes were instigated by the parachute green drake.

Hit the Pocket

Although I enjoyed the two hours of green drake prospecting, the episode was nothing like my experience on my two previous visits to South Boulder Creek during the green drake hatch. The fish were very discerning, and I probably had one refusal and one temporary hook up for every fish that I landed. I rotated among the green drake styles, but none of them delivered the consistency that matched my earlier trips.

Backhand Casting Wizard

The highlight of the day occurred around 2:30PM. I was presenting a double dry with the user friendly in the forward position and the parachute green drake trailing. I made a reach cast across some currents and created a long drift over a relatively smooth slide of moderate depth, and suddenly I spotted a take just as the flies were set to drag before the lip of the run. I swiftly set the hook and immediately saw the side of a substantial brown trout flash. Eventually after a spirited battle, I slid my net beneath a fifteen inch brown; a giant by South Boulder Creek standards. Needless to say, this made my day.

Last and Best Fish

We both quit at 3:00PM, when we reached a narrow streambed that created fast whitewater. We were tired and not up for continuing, so we hooked our flies to our rod guides and made the return hike. Although Wednesday did not measure up to earlier South Boulder Creek green drake outings, it was a success nonetheless, and I valued my time with Nate. Nate’s fly fishing abilities have advanced measurably, and he accumulated fourteen fish on the day. I, in turn, landed eleven. All our fish were hard earned, and two double digit fish counts were worth a gorgeous day on South Boulder Creek.

Fish Landed: 11

 

 

Lake Mary – 08/23/2025

Time: 11:00AM – 12:00PM

Location: One of the wooden docks

I was very anxious to introduce my five year old grandson, Theo, to fishing; and we were babysitting both our grandsons on the weekend of August 22 – August 24. Jane and I concluded that Saturday offered the perfect opportunity to deliver on the idea of a fishing outing.

A year ago when Theo was four, I also attempted an introduction. I shopped at Bass Pro Shops and purchased an all-in-one Jurassic Park rod and reel. I also parted with a few bucks to buy a styrofoam cup of night crawlers. On a Saturday in late August or early September, Jane and I along with Theo and his parents tromped to Warembourg Pond in Louisville.

It was a hot day, and the pond was very low requiring fairly long casts to get beyond the dense algae that bordered the shoreline. It was not ideal for a novice four year old. I rigged Theo’s Jurassic Park setup with a bobber, split shot and hook baited with a small section of a nightcrawler and tossed everything toward the middle and beyond the muck. I handed the rod to Theo, and the bobber remained stationary for what seemed like five minutes, but was actually only a minute or two, but nothing happened. I took the rod back and reeled in, and I was about to cast to a new location, but I noticed that the line was twirled and kinked along its length. I spent some time unfurling it and made another cast with similar results. Our fishing venture ended pretty quickly, due to a lack of fish and the frustrating line condition.

I returned the rod to Bass Pro Shop and bought another, where the line actually passed through the hollow rod without rod guides, but when I tested it, the same twirling and kinking plagued me, so that outfit was also returned. I eventually released the nightcrawlers into my garden. so at least I gained some benefit from the experience.

Summer turned into fall and then winter, and I pondered the youth fishing problem. At some point I discovered an old rod in the corner of the garage, and I remembered that an old push button reel was settled in the bottom of my fishing box. In anticipation of a new attempt at introducing Theo to fishing, I retrieved the reel and attached it to the rod and strung the line. However, when I attached a heavy rubber weight to the line to test the casting capability, I discovered that the push button release was not functioning. Theo had a bit of fun in the alley, however, bouncing the rubber sinker off the concrete.

At a social gathering with friends, Howie and Sandy informed us that they took their granddaughters to Lake Mary at the Rocky Mountain Arsenal Wildlife Refuge, and they mentioned that the girls caught loads of fish. They described small sunfish actually fighting to eat the bait. This was my ticket to select Lake Mary as my next fishing destination for Grandson Theo.

As our babysitting days approached I, along with assistance from Theo, spent quite a bit of time picking Japanese beetles from my garden. For some reason they prefer pole bean leaves and eggplant leaves, and it is a constant battle to stay ahead of the infestations. Theo loves spotting the pests, and then I pluck them and shove them into a large yogurt container with a clear plastic lid. It may sound inhumane, but I let them sit in the garage in the heat, and they eventually suffocate.

When Saturday arrived, Jane and I loaded Benny and Theo into their car seats and motored off to Bass Pro Shop. I stowed the rod and the yogurt container with Japanese beetles in the back of the car next to the stroller. I planned to purchase a new functioning reel with line that would not kink at Bass Pro Shop on our way to Lake Mary

I approached the non-fly fishing counter and described to the friendly salesperson what I was looking for. I wanted a fairly inexpensive push button reel for my five year old grandson (who was standing nearby) with a decent line that would not kink. In short order he led me down the counter to a box filled with red push button reels that were on sale for $5.99! I inspected the footing to make sure it was compatible with my rod, and I scooped up the reel. Next I marched over to the refrigerator and bought a box of medium nightcrawlers in case Colorado fish did not savor Japanese beetles. We were now set for fishing adventure number two.

A short drive delivered us to the parking lot at Rocky Mountain Arsenal Wildlife Refuge (RMAWR). We unbuckled the boys from their car seats and approached the lake. We quickly discovered that the perimeter of the lake was filled with tall cattails that made it almost impossible for an experienced fisherman to cast let alone a novice five year old. We spotted two wooden platforms that extended into the lake, but it was a Saturday, and not surprisingly, they were filled with anglers, young and old.

We were about to acknowledge that the fishing gods did not want Theo to catch a fish, when the occupants of one corner of the platform offered us space. We jumped at the invitation, and Theo and I moved to the right corner of the dock. The dock contained a railing, and that was good for safety reasons, but it also served as an impediment for a five year old to sling the line over the top.

Lots of Small Sunfish

I removed the lid from the beetle container and impaled one with a size 8 snelled hook that I purchased in the early 1980’s. Because Theo was unable to fling the rig over the railing, I pressed the button and flipped a cast ten feet from the dock. It only took a second before the bobber moved sideways, and I set the hook and felt the small weight of a fish. I attempted to hand the rod to Theo, so he could experience the fun of reeling it in, but he refused! I wound the handle and brought up a four inch bluegill. Theo and Benny admired the flopping fish, but neither were brave enough to touch it. I quickly removed the little guy and flicked it back in the lake.

I embedded the hook in several more beetles and landed another smaller sunfish, but then it seemed that the beetles were falling off prematurely, so I switched to nightcrawlers. I ripped a piece of a nightcrawler off, and double hooked it. By now the nice anglers that offered us the corner moved to the left, and this opened up space where the railing was lower. I thought Theo could cast over the lower barrier, but he remained adamant that he did not wish to cast. With the worm as bait. I simply dropped the bobber off the edge of the dock, and Theo and I could see at least twenty small sunfish nipping at the worm. We stuck with it for another fifteen minutes or so and landed three more tiny sunfish. Theo continued to resist reeling them in.

I discovered that catching small sunfish on a worm is not an easy thing. The fish were very adept at grabbing the part of the worm that did not contain the hook. This caused the bobber to slide and sink, and I reacted with a hook set, but more times than not, I came up empty. I made a bit longer cast, and decided to allow the bobber to dive deeply before executing the hookset. This worked too well, and I landed a three inch sunfish with a size eight hook embedded in its gullet.

As Theo looked on, I used my hemostat to yank out the hook, but in the process blood squirted all over my hand. It was a tough lesson for Theo on his first fishing outing. This little study of the harshness of life was the impetus to call it a day.

Was Theo’s first day of fishing a success? I think he would still like to give it another try. I would like to identify another lake with plenty of small fish, but with more shoreline access. The lesson I learned is that Japanese beetles work better than worms, because in order to consume the beetle, the fish needs to eat the hook. If I could only figure out a way to get the beetle to stay on the hook better. Hopefully Theo and I will have another opportunity to try fishing in 2025.

 

Colorado River – 08/22/2025

Time: 8:00AM – 1:30PM

Location: Glenwood Springs to South Canyon

Colorado River 08/22/2025 Photo Album

Friday, August 22 was my second guided float trip of 2025. I stayed with my friend, Dave G., on Thursday night, and we met our guide, Reed, of Cutthroat Anglers at 7:00AM on Friday morning. The early start enabled us to complete a decent float before temperatures peaked in the early afternoon.

I secured the bow position for the first half of the float, while Dave G. took the position in the rear of the driftboat. As usual, Reed’s dog, Edna, was present, but she barely moved, until she jumped in the river at the takeout.

Bow Ahead

Reed rigged my Scott six weight with a dry/dropper set up, and the Sage One five weight was designated for double dry fly duty. I never floated this section of the Colorado River, and I was impressed with the quality of the fishery. As one would expect, the river at this stage is quite large, but the many riffles, eddies, and pocket water sections provided interesting challenges for a guide and focused anglers.

Best of the Day

Reed had Dave G, and I switch between dries and dry/droppers, as the river dictated advantages to each. A nice heavy cloud cover blocked the sun for much of the morning, and this provided comfortable temperatures for most of our trip.

My Second Best Fish

During the 5.5 hour float, I landed six trout. Three were substantial fish in the fifteen to seventeen inch range. Two of the larger fish were rainbows, and one was a gorgeous brown trout. Two small rainbows were part of the count, and the sixth rainbow was in the midrange. I recall that all the landed fish grabbed one of the trailing nymphs that comprised the dry/dropper arrangement. I had some looks, refusals, and misses on the dries, but the dry/dropper rig proved to be the most effective on August 22.

Productive Area

This was my last guided float trip of 2025. Although the fish count was subpar, it included some very substantial trout. I cast to new water, and the experience was very enjoyable. My expectations were low given the heat wave and time of the year, so the results were not disappointing. In fact, I can see the potential for very productive days at other times of the year on the Colorado River below Glenwood Springs.

Fish Landed: 6

Colorado River – 08/20/2025

Time: 9:45AM – 1:30PM

Location: Glenwood Canyon

Colorado River 08/20/2025 Photo Album

After a spectacular day on Tuesday on the Frying Pan River, I decided to sample the Colorado River in Glenwood Canyon, since it is along my homeward route to Denver from Carbondale. I fished Glenwood Canyon one other time on 10/24/2018 with decent success, although that was much later in the year. As I drove through the canyon on my way to my daughter’s place on Monday, I noted that the river in the canyon was on the low side although not abnormally low for the season, and clarity was decent with visibility of three feet along the edges.

I arrived at my chosen parking area by 9:15AM, and by the time I assembled my Sage One five weight, geared up and walked to the river it was 9:45AM. The temperature was already in the low seventies. I wore my waders, since I was fishing deep water, and I desired the extra protection of chest waders. As it turned out, I never waded deeper than my waist. The five weight was insurance against tangling with a larger fish.

Hopper Eater, As Expected, Was Along the Bank

A river like the Colorado in Glenwood can seem overwhelming due to its width and power even at lower than average flow rates. I decided to ignore the entire river except for the ten to fifteen feet out from the bank. My starting point was tricky, as it appeared to be a smooth and slow moving pool, but when I began to cast, I realized that the current was faster than expected, and there were no barriers to slow things down. I launched my day with a size 8 tan body pool toy hopper, a weighted 20 incher, and a salvation nymph. As the day evolved, the hopper and 20 incher remained constants, but I cycled through the salvation, a PMD supernova, and emerald emergent caddis pupa in the position of the point fly.

Early Eater

For the first thirty minutes I cast the hopper right along the bank, and I was about to give up on the whole Colorado River venture, when a feisty twelve inch brown trout smacked the pool toy. I thought I was on to something, but then another long lull in action returned my thoughts to an early drive back to Denver.

Beast

I finally advanced beyond the smooth and featureless area and approached some river structure that included deep pockets, slots and runs. As I would learn, the type of water played an important role in generating fly fishing success. I tossed the dry/dropper upstream, and as it drifted next to an exposed boulder, something grabbed one of the nymphs and towed the hopper sideways and beneath the surface. I immediately set the hook with a sweep, and suddenly I was attached to a streaking freight train. It shot to the fast plume and swam with the current downstream. All I could do was hang on and allow line to spin off my reel. After a fifteen yard dash, the fish made a turn toward the bank, and I caught a glimpse of a husky seventeen inch brown trout. I took a few steps, but I was reluctant to wade without my wading stick, and both my hands were occupied with holding the rod and managing the line. After a few more seconds, the brown trout tired, and I was able to hydroplane it back upstream to my net. The 20 incher remained attached to the mouth by the slimmest of membrane. Needless to say, I was a bit euphoric after landing the prize of the day.

Long and Wide

By lunch time I moved the fish counter to four with the help of a small brown and another twelve incher. I found a nice rock and observed the river, but only a few random insects fluttered up from the surface. I did notice, however, that quite a few small size 18 caddis flew erratically from the bankside rocks, as I maneuvered my way upstream. I constantly fought off the idea of casting a double dry with the pool toy in front and a trailing caddis. Who knows? It might have worked.

Such a Gorgeous Place

From 12:15PM until I quit at 1:30, I continued along the shoreline, and I boosted the fish count to seven. The three additional landed trout were all browns, and one was a very pretty fish in the thirteen inch range. I held it up for a passing whitewater raft crew to observe and received a round of applause.

I Ate Lunch Next to This Inviting Moderate Depth Riffle Area

By 1:30PM I endured a fairly lengthy dry spell, and the sun was beating down mercilessly, so I decided to get an early start on my nearly three hour return drive to Denver. I covered a significant amount of Colorado River shoreline, and I discovered that the best spots were seams and runs of moderate depth next to fast water. In addition to my seven landed fish, I endured at least five temporary hook ups. For some reason my ability to stay connected was compromised on Wednesday. I easily had the opportunity to reach double digits on the large and brawling Colorado River.

Could a caddis dry have worked? I kind of regret not trying it. More insect activity would also be a boon to fishing this large river. A lack of heat would be another favorable factor. Another strategy might be streamers around the large boulders. Perhaps an October trip is in my future.

Fish Landed: 7

 

Frying Pan River – 08/19/2025

Time: 9:45AM – 3:20PM

Location: Tailwater below Reudi Reservoir

Frying Pan River 08/19/2025 Photo Album

Tuesday was likely my best day ever on the Frying Pan River. In fact, Tuesday may have been my best outing so far in 2025.

Pocket Water Deluxe

After a rough day on Monday amid ninety degree temperatures, I opted to visit the Frying Pan River tailwater below Reudi Reservoir. I suspected that the cold bottom releases were the perfect antidote to another day of heat. As an added bonus, green drakes and pale morning duns were probably menu items.

Coiled Muscle

I arrived early at my chosen pullout, and I assembled my Sage R8 four weight. I am in love with my newest fly rod, and I was confident that it carried enough backbone to handle the Frying Pan’s best. I hiked down the road along the river to my planned starting point, and as I neared my entry spot, I noticed a DPW stocking truck. Two employees were carrying buckets of trout to the river, so I paused to question their activity. One of the gentlemen informed me that they were stocking three inch rainbow fingerlings, as the brown trout were taking over the river by out populating the rainbows. He suggested that I cross to fish the opposite bank, so I adopted his advice.

Very Nice Brown Trout

I began the morning with a parachute green drake, but after fifteen minutes with no sign of trout, I changed my approach. I tested the green drake first in case the trout were aware of their presence similar to my experience on South Boulder Creek. For my next act, I configured my line with a size 8 pool toy hopper, a prince nymph and a salvation nymph. This lineup also failed to interest the fish, so I replaced the prince with a weighted 20 incher. Finally I generated a response, and the fish count mounted to four. Two of the four attacked the hopper, and the other two chomped the 20 incher. I moved to the weighted 20 incher in order to create deeper drifts, and also with the hope that it imitated a green drake nymph.

No Exit on Left

I persisted with the three fly dry/dropper for the remainder of the morning, and by the time I broke for lunch at 11:50AM, the count mounted to ten. The 20 incher was on fire. On several occasions trout grabbed the weighted nymph as soon as it hit the water at the head of a pool or pocket.

Lovely Cheek

I was ready for lunch, but the shoreline failed to offer any sort of rocks to perch on, so I squeezed through a narrow opening in the bushes and returned to my car. I was about to sit on the tailgate area, but then I decided to cross the road to some large flat rocks along the river. I observed the air above the river closely, but signs of a hatch were absent.

Moderate Flows Over Rocky Bottom Equals Trout Paradise

With this knowledge I stuck with the dry/dropper approach until 1:30PM. I returned to my exit point, and I continued up the river through very attractive sections with deep and slower moving bands along the bank. Suddenly the hopper became the object of desire, and I advanced the fish count to twenty-two, before I approached the section across from the car and my lunch spot. The twelve trout landed in the early afternoon were quality fish and included a sixteen inch rainbow that tested the mettle of my four weight. Some spunky brown trout in the thirteen to fourteen inch range were also part of the mix.

Lots of Possibilities

By 1:30PM I was positioned across from my car, and I spotted a couple natural green drakes. With the fish count resting on twenty-two, I was pleased with my day, so I decided to change tactics in response to the green drake sightings. I removed the three fly system, and I switched to a solo parachute green drake. Suddenly my day morphed from excellent to spectacular. The trout of the Frying Pan River slammed my green drake, and they took it with confidence. I tossed it to all the likely fish holding pockets, riffles and pools; and a high percentage of the time I was rewarded with a hard fighting trout.

Take Two on Wide Body

Zoomed Closer on the Brown Trout

These trout were mostly browns in the twelve to fifteen inch range, and they  battled extremely hard. If I could position myself out of sight, an across and downstream drift was effective, but upstream casts also worked their magic. All the browns sported deep olive bodies with dark black spots and orange dots along the sides. Quite a few displayed orange bellies indicating healthy diets.

A Brown Emerged from the Nook of the Eddy

I finally called it quits at 3:00PM in order to allow time to back track to a safe crossing point, and by that time the fish tally was forty-eight! Yes, I suspect it was a new Frying Pan record for myself, and the last twenty-six trout mauled a parachute green drake. I lost one and cut off another, so that I would not injure a fish that took it deeply. Three parachute green drakes were responsible for more than half of my landed trout.

Big Mouth

Tuesday could not have been more different than Monday. Cold bottom releases and insect activity made a huge difference.

Fish Landed: 48

 

Canyon Creek – 08/18/2025

Time: 11:30AM – 3:00PM

Location: National Forest

Canyon Creek 08/18/2025 Photo Album

Note: In order to protect small high country streams, I have chosen to change the name for a few. This particular creek happens to be one of them. Excessive exposure could lead to crowding and lower fish densities.

I postponed my trip to the western slope from last week to the week of August 18. The reason for the delay was the Elk and Lee Fires that were spreading smoke and ash in a wide radius around Garfield County. I checked with my daughter, Amy, and she informed me that conditions improved measurably.

My departure from Denver allowed me to arrive at my chosen stream destination by 11:00AM. The temperature was already in the seventies, as I fitted together my Sage R8 four weight. A .5 mile hike placed me along the stream ready to cast by 11:30AM. I initially knotted a solo purple haze to my line, and it was mostly ignored except for a small cutbow beneath the six inch size requirement for counting purposes.

Inviting a Cast

I persisted with the purple haze for twenty minutes, before I exchanged it for a peacock hippie stomper and a size 14 light gray deer hair caddis. This combination was moderately effective, as I landed two decent brown trout in the twelve to thirteen inch range, before I broke for lunch. On this day lunch was late at 12:45PM, since I began at 11:30AM. I also foul hooked a very nice fourteen inch brown and landed a couple sub-six inch browns during the pre-lunch session.

One of Only a Couple

After lunch I continued with the stomper and caddis, and I hooked what felt like a decent fish on the hippie stomper. By a stroke of bad luck, it wrapped around a submerged rock. I could see the trout trashing about below the rock, but just before I waded into range, it slipped free.

Narrow Pool

After this disappointment I suffered a long dry spell, so I changed to a size ten Chernobyl ant paired with a sunk ant. Shortly after the changeover, I hooked a seven inch brown, but then the two fly dry/dropper ceased to attract fish. I began a series of fly changes that included a tan body mini-chubby, but the creek was dead. I failed to generate a look or refusal during my remaining stay on the creek. The temperature soared into the low nineties, and I am sure that is the explanation for the trout lethargy.

At 3:00PM I found a convenient access to the trail and completed a 1.1 mile return hike. Monday was not a good day to be on a stream, and the heat was surely the reason. Three fish landed in three hours of fishing was very lackluster. I tried to be stealthy in my approaches, and I fluttered the flies down with minimal disturbance. I am not sure if I will return to Canyon Creek in 2025.

Fish Landed: 3

 

 

South Boulder Creek – 08/12/2025

Time: 10:30AM – 2:30PM

Location: Below Gross Reservoir

South Boulder Creek 08/12/2025 Photo Album

I recently spoke to my son and suggested that we should plan a day of fishing on South Boulder Creek, now that the flows were reduced to 104 CFS, and the trout were tuned into western green drakes. He checked his work schedule, and we agreed to follow through on a day of fly fishing on Tuesday, August 12, 2025. Dan lives in Louisville, CO and has two young boys, so the opportunity to fish with him is infrequent and highly valued by this dad.

Dramatic Colors

I met Dan at his home in Louisville, since it is on the route to the Walker Ranch Loop Trailhead. I switched my gear to his car, and he drove the winding and steep road through Flagstaff Mountain Park to the parking lot at the trailhead. The high temperature in Denver was forecast to hit the upper nineties, so we knew it was going to be a hot one, but I was reluctant to wet wade, as the cold flows from the bottom release dam make me feet cold, even when I wear thick socks and waders. We both wore our waders and suffered, especially on the one mile hike up the hill at the end of our day. I chose my Loomis two piece five weight, because it is less than nine feet and offers a slower action for casting dry flies.

Very Productive Pool

By 10:30PM we were perched next to the creek. Dan commanded the left side of the stream, and I advanced along the right bank. We both began with parachute green drakes, and we were not disappointed. We experienced some refusals, but for the most part the trout were where one would expect them to be, and they liked our green drake imitations.

Dan Focused

By noon we met on my side of the creek, and my fish count rested on ten, while Dan accumulated seven. After I devoured my peanut butter and jelly sandwich and a few other snacks, we resumed our progression. As is usually the case with green drakes, the fish became more selective after lunch, and refusals and looks became problematic. Dan switched to a user friendly, after I gave him one at lunch time, and he began enjoying some success.

Pretty Brown Trout

I, on the other hand, did not fare as well with the user friendly, so I progressed to a size 14 green drake comparadun. This fly enabled me to boost the fish count by five, but the olive and brown low riding fly was very difficult to track, especially in shadows and glare. Dan persisted with the user friendly with decent success, so I reverted to that fly. I observed three natural green drakes during the 1:00PM to 2:00PM time frame.

Chunky

The final switch to the user friendly proved somewhat successful, and I moved the fish count to twenty-one by the time we quit at 2:30PM. The foam green drake imitation was not perfect, as I experienced quite a few looks and refusals. The easy pickings of my previous trip to South Boulder Creek were clearly a thing of the past. Dan, however, continued to progress upstream along the south bank with quite a bit of success, and he ended his day with a fish count in the same ballpark as my twenty-one. Forty plus fish in 3.5 hours of fishing was certainly a fine day.

Long Pocket

At 2:30PM we began our return hike, and I endured the one mile unending climb to the parking lot with at least five rest stops and water breaks along the way. What a fun day! We both commented on the feeling of remoteness, even though we were only a half hour away from Boulder, CO. When we first arrived, Dan pointed out an eagle, as it glided across the creek below us. On the drive back we encountered a wild turkey, as it shuffled across Flagstaff Road. Standing in the cold creek on a hot day was very pleasant, even though we wore waders. The trout were hungry for green drakes, and we eagerly met their needs. Hopefully I can record a few more green drake outings during 2025. Spending a day with my son was a rare opportunity and highly treasured. That companionship was more valued than any of the trout landed on Monday.

Fish Landed: 21

 

South Platte River – 08/11/2025

Time: 11:00AM – 3:00PM

Location: Eleven Mile Canyon

South Platte River 08/11/2025 Photo Album

I planned to drive to Amy’s condo in Carbondale for two days of fly fishing, but the Lee Fire had other ideas. It made little sense to drive into the county, where the fire was raging and growing, so I changed my plans and stayed in Denver. Hopefully the firefighters will gain control, and I can make the trip next week.

Instead of driving to fish on the western slope, I turned my attention to the Front Range. I already made plans to fish South Boulder Creek on Tuesday or Wednesday with my son, so I shifted my attention south to the South Platte River in Eleven Mile Canyon. I was pleased to note that the flows at Lake George were in the 125 CFS range, so I made that my destination. The high temperature in the canyon was projected to reach the low seventies, and that was advantageous for the fish and the fisherman.

Short but Fat

I arrived at my usual pullout along the canyon road by 10:30AM, and after I assembled my recently repaired Sage One five weight and hiked up the road a short distance, I dropped to the edge of the river. I planned to focus on the faster pockets around boulders and devote minimal casts to the large pools, unless I spotted rising fish. I adhered to this strategy throughout the day, as no significant hatches drew the fish to the surface.

I anticipated a trico hatch, but I never really observed evidence of such an event. On two occasions I spotted a very sparse emergence of tiny size 22 mayflies, but they were not tricos. I also noted a few random caddis and a yellow sally or two, but these aquatic insect appearances were so random, that I did not attempt to imitate them with my offerings.

Full Length

To start the day, I configured my line with a peacock hippie stomper, a size 22 RS2 and a sunken trico. The trico ploy was insurance in case a hatch and spinner fall occurred early, before I arrived. I suspected that I would see some lingering spinners in slow eddies, but this was not the case.

I Stepped Closer

In the forty-five minutes, before I broke for lunch at 11:45AM, I landed four trout This included a thirteen inch brown trout and a similar sized rainbow. The other two fish fell beneath the one foot length. The RS2 duped the first fish, the rainbow; and the hippie stomper accounted for the other three fish. The stomper also instigated quite a few refusals, and in several cases I foul hooked the fish with a trailing nymph.

Big Bow Was to the Right of the Exposed Rock

The sunken trico was totally ignored, so after lunch I replaced it with a beadhead PMD supernova. The supernova picked up a decent fish, but soon thereafter it broke off, while I battled a fish that slurped the hippie stomper. I added a new length of tippet and replaced the supernova with a size 18 pheasant tail nymph. The stomper, RS2 and pheasant tail remained on my line for most of the early afternoon, and the pheasant tail was the favorite of the South Platte River trout between 1:00PM and 2:30PM.

Another Plump Rainbow

The action slowed considerably by 2:30PM, so I made a significant change to my lineup. I swapped the hippie stomper for a size 8 tan body pool toy hopper, and I replaced the RS2 with a hares ear nymph while maintaining the pheasant tail. The makeover was ineffective, and I ended my day at 3:00PM after logging ten landed fish.

Just in Front of the Rock on the Right

The quality of the fish on Monday was actually a bright spot. In the afternoon I brought a pair of fat fourteen inch rainbow trout to my net along with a thirteen inch brown trout. A couple twelve inch rainbows were also among my catch.

Submerging

My strategy of targeting the faster runs and pockets among structure proved effective, although the fishing on Monday was steady rather than fast action. Twice I actually saw the side of a fish flash which prompted me to set the hook, and then I discovered that I was attached to a decent fish.  I never tested a double dry, although the frequency of refusals to the hippie stomper suggested that perhaps that may have been a productive approach. I encountered only a few anglers, until I bumped into a group of four near the end of my time on the river. I also notched three or four long distance releases, so the action extended beyond the ten landed fish. Given the lack of insect activity, I felt fortunate to record double digits on August 11.

Fish Landed: 10

St. Vrain Creek – 08/06/2025

Time: 10:30AM – 3:30PM

Location: National Forest

St. Vrain Creek 08/06/2025 Photo Album

Note: In order to protect small high country streams, I have chosen to change the name for a few. This particular creek happens to be one of them. Excessive exposure could lead to crowding and lower fish densities.

After a very successful day on Monday, I was anxious for another day of fly fishing on Wednesday, July 6, 2025. I was not interested in a long drive, so I chose to visit a Front Range favorite, St. Vrain Creek. Another hot day was forecast, and I felt my destination choice took that factor into consideration.

Tumbling and Tight

Orange Belly

I arrived at my chosen parking lot at 10:00AM, and after I assembled my Orvis Access four weight and hiked .3 mile from the trailhead, I was ready for action. I usually hike farther from the parking lot, but on Wednesday I wanted to test the need to do so on St. Vrain Creek. The temperature at the trailhead was 73 degrees, and in a concession to the heat wave, I wore my wet wading gear. I forgot how hard it is to pull on neoprene booties that are dry. Note to Dave: wet the booties next time.

One of Two Outlier Brown Trout

For starters I tied an olive ice dub body hippie stomper to my line, and I prospected likely spots for the first forty-five minutes. I managed to land four small brook trout, but they all came from very marginal locations; whereas, the prime pools and deep runs seemed devoid of fish. There was a lot of evidence of angler traffic with bare spots and worn fishermen trails in abundance. I concluded that hiking a good distance from the parking lot remained a solid tactic, so I bashed through the brush and found the trail and stomped out another .5 mile. Would this improve the fishing?

Pounded One Up Along the Wall

Light Gray Deer Hair Caddis Was Effective

Initially it did not. Once again attractive spots that normally produced fish seemed barren. The flows remained relatively high, so I pondered the idea that the fish were hugging the bottom and snatching nymphs. I was hesitant to add a nymph given the tight quarters and risk of snagging a tree, but I capitulated to the idea and added a hares ear nymph on a short two foot dropper. I persisted with the dropper for a solid length of time, but it failed to produce, while the hippie stomper proved its worth.

Perfect Colors

Impressive Spot Pattern

By lunch at 11:45AM the fish count rested on seven trout, and all were small brook trout that smacked the hippie stomper. After lunch I removed the hares ear and shortened the leader and replaced the hares ear with a size 14 light gray deer hair caddis. The stomper/caddis combination improved my success rate, and I steadily worked my way upstream prospecting all the likely fish holding locales. I persisted with the hippie stomper and caddis duo for the remainder of my time on the creek, and I boosted the fish count to twenty-eight. I estimate that the caddis was responsible for 60% of the takes , and the hippie stomper accounted for the remainder.

Trout Lair

The afternoon fishing was not a walk in the park. I climbed over large slimed rocks, countered strong, rushing currents and scrambled over too many logs to count. It seemed that difficult wading correlated with greater fish density. I snagged a few trees but only lost one pair of flies, when a brook trout shrugged free causing the flies to catapult into an evergreen branch that was beyond reach. The hackle on another caddis was shredded by the teeth of a fish.

Another Mature Brook Trout

Of the twenty-eight fish landed, two were brown trout and the remainder were brook trout. The brookies all fell within the six to nine inch range. One of the browns stretched to eleven inches to take the prize for largest fish of the day. I photographed a few of the brook trout that displayed especially vivid orange bellies.

Loved These Flowers

I quit at 3:30PM and marched back to the parking lot and discovered that my total penetration was around 1.3 miles. On my return hike I flushed a grouse, and I was startled by the loud sound of sudden wings flapping. On my drive home I saw a coyote trotting down the middle of the road without a care in the world. I thought about a photo, but it shuffled off into the woods and disappeared behind some shrubs.

Wide Body on a Short Fish

The fish were small, but I was nevertheless very engaged. The game on Wednesday was mostly about reading the water and executing accurate casts in tight quarters. I felt that I succeeded on both accounts. Another complication was selecting the best path for moving upstream. It reminded my of completing a difficult maze. I learned that hiking farther translates to better fishing, and I will remember that on my next visit.

Fish Landed: 28

South Boulder Creek – 08/04/2025

Time: 10:00AM – 3:00PM

Location: Below Gross Reservoir

South Boulder Creek 08/04/2025 Photo Album

I always keep my eye on the DWR graphs for South Boulder Creek below Gross Reservoir, and I noted that the flows dropped to the 144 CFS range over the most recent seven days. This could only mean one thing; game on for fly fishing SBC. I reviewed my posts for South Boulder Creek for late July and early August, and I learned that I hit green drakes on August 3, 2022. Could 2025 also be an early western green drake year? Read on.

Spectacular Colors

By the time I made the drive, assembled my Loomis five weight and hiked to my chosen fly fishing spot it was 10:00AM. The temperature in the parking lot was 69 degrees, but the high in Eldorado Springs, the closest town, was projected to hit the upper 90’s. I knew it was going to be a hot one. Needless to say, by the time I was ready to fish, I was a bit damp. The flows were, in fact, 144 CFS, and the creek was clear. These flows were higher than I prefer, as they limited my mobility, but the presence of green drakes offset flow shortcomings.

Bankside Pool Was Productive

I began my day with a size 14 parachute green drake. This has become my favorite western green drake pattern, although I carry five different types. As it turned out, all the trout I landed on Monday grabbed a green drake pattern. I did have to test different patterns, however, throughout the day, when one fell out of favor.

Nice Small Stream Brown Trout

Between my start and 11:45AM, the parachute green drake fooled twenty trout. Yes, the fishing was torrid. In nearly every location that looked like it might hold fish, a trout emerged to crush the green drake. It was not always the first cast, but quite often that was the case. I quickly discovered that the fish avoided the pockets and slicks in the middle of the river, so I confined my casts to the likely holding lies along the banks. There were a few places, where I was able to maneuver enough to launch some casts to the opposite bank, but for the most part this gambit was not effective. Upstream casts along the right bank were the most productive. In addition, some places were wide, and this allowed the creek to spread-out and create moderate riffles and pockets, and I was able to wade to the middle to cover all the likely spots.

Parachute Green Drake Was Popular

I continued with the parachute green drake after lunch for fifteen minutes, but suddenly the trout consistently refused the previously hot fly.  This was a common occurrence during previous year outings, and my reaction was typically to switch to a green drake comparadun. I followed tradition, and the comparadun delivered and moved the fish count from twenty-five to thirty-one. However, the low riding fly with a large high wing was also refused, and it was very difficult to track because of its earthy colors.

Slender Look

I grew frustrated with the low visibility and the inability to follow, so I made another exchange. In this instance I substituted a user friendly green drake. This fly was designed by Andrew Grillos, and it is very similar to a hippie stomper. It possesses a different wing, and I modified it to display the green drake colors. I have had some previous success with the user friendly, but I consider it a third option behind the paradrake and comparadun. Well, guess what? It became a hot fly. I improved the fish count from thirty-one to sixty-two on the back of a user friendly. I tested it, because I suspected that the fish were looking for a wider and bushier profile, and the user friendly possesses those qualities. In addition, the foam strip makes the fly very buoyant, and the white wing enhances visibility. It worked better than I ever expected.

Wide Bank Pool to Explore

By 3:00PM I was weary, and I reached a point where significant rock scrambling was required to continue an upstream progression. I faced a one mile ascent to the parking lot, and I was depleting my energy supplies. I called it quits and hiked back to the car.

Face Down

What a day! Of course, many of the trout landed fell in the six to eight inch range. Nevertheless, there were enough brown trout and rainbow trout in the ten to twelve inch slot to keep me focused. I love prospecting with a single dry with the knowledge that the fish were tuned in, and I could expect a response in nearly all promising spots. In fact, quite a few marginal locations also generated takes. The rainbows were on average a bit larger than the browns, although I never landed a fish from either species longer than a foot.

User Friendly Green Drake

Hopefully I can return in the near future when the green drake hatch intensifies. I saw one natural green drake during my entire stay on the creek, but the trout were certainly aware of their presence. A modest drop in flows that offered better wading conditions would also be welcome. Stay tuned.

Fish Landed: 62