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Fishing Reports

South Platte River – 03/26/2025

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Time: 11:30AM – 3:30PM

Location: Eleven Mile Canyon

South Platte River 03/26/2025 Photo Album

With weather on Wednesday projected to be similar if not nicer than Monday, I booked another fly fishing trip. For this outing I selected the South Platte River in Eleven Mile Canyon. Even the renowned icebox in a canyon was expected to reach high temperatures in the low sixties.

I arrived at my favorite pullout at 11:00AM, and after my usual preparation and a short hike, I was perched along the edge of the river ready to cast by 11:30AM. Because of the shadows and the nine mile per hour wind, I slipped on my Under Armour long-sleeve thermal undershirt, and I added my fleece hoodie along with my rain shell as a windbreaker. I was comfortable for the morning and early afternoon, but I was forced to remove my raincoat and unzipped my fleece during the warmest part of the day from 1:30PM until 2:30PM. My rod choice was my Sage One five weight in the event that I hooked up with a larger than average trout.

Good Start

The flows were quite low at 64 CFS, so I expected technical fishing, but I selected a size 8 amber ice dub chubby Chernobyl nonetheless. I knew that the heavy foam fly would create a splash, when it landed in the river, but I planned to counter that concern by fishing the edges of faster and deeper water. For subsurface offerings I knotted a 20 incher as the top nymph and an olive perdigon as the anchor fly.

Home of Number One

In the hour before I broke for lunch at 12:30PM, I landed two very respectable rainbow trout in the thirteen inch range. Both nabbed the perdigon, and one emerged from a deep pocket, and the other came from a long deep run near the left bank.

Rather Fine

I arrived at the long slow-moving pool with a huge vertical rock wall along the western edge by 12:30PM, and that is where I consumed my lunch. I carefully observed the pool for fish activity, but it remained still and devoid of action. After lunch I waded into the midsection, and I fanned casts to the entering runs and along the fast water seams, but to no avail.

Home of Number Two

A pair of fishermen appeared above me in the next smaller pool, so I crossed below them and walked along the opposite bank. I had my sights set on the large bend pool, but another angler preceded me, and he was stationed along the opposite bank, where one of the braids that bordered a small island reentered the main river. I thought about asking if he would mind if I fished the entering riffle, but I decided to keep moving, as I knew there was much productive water ahead.

I fished the west braid around the small island and then crossed to the flats next to the steep bank below the tunnel. I spotted a few fish in the flats, but without the benefit of hatching insects, I knew catching a fish with the low river levels was a long shot. I attempted a few casts from the right bank above the flats, but in the process I snapped off my olive perdigon. Needless to say, I was not happy about losing another fly with an expensive tungsten bead. I replaced the perdigon with a beadhead hares ear and combined it with an emerald caddis pupa. I moved on and skipped by the narrow area with a high rock wall and crossed the river at the ninety degree bend.

Next I approached another long smooth pool that featured some very attractive entering runs that flowed around several large exposed boulders. I covered this section quite thoroughly, but the fish failed to cooperate. The sun was bright, and no clouds appeared in the bluebird sky, and the temperature hit its peak. This was the time frame, when I removed my raincoat and unzipped my fleece. I looked at my watch and noted that it was 2:30PM, so I endured two hours without any action whatsoever.

Another Fish Count

I decided it was time for a change, so I swapped the chubby for a peacock hippie stomper and then combined it with the olive perdigon and a classic RS2 size 22. I began working my way through the pocket water above the large pool, after I circled around another pair of fishermen. Some large clouds slid above me and blocked the sun, and the wind kicked up a bit. I spotted one lonely blue wing olive, and suddenly trout began attacking my nymphs. The next three fish were beneath twelve inches, but I was pleased with the action. All three attacked the perdigon, as the slender olive nymph resumed its position, as the hot fly in my arsenal.

Perfect for Trout

I moved farther up the river and ended my day with two fine rainbow trout in the thirteen inch range. One nipped the perdigon, and the other chomped the RS2. I also experienced momentary hookups with three other trout, but they managed to twist free after a very brief connection. I suspect that the three escapees grabbed the tiny RS2.

I would by lying, if I said I was satisfied with my day. After a fifteen fish day on Monday on the Arkansas River, my expectations soared. Nevertheless, seven fish on March 26 is quite satisfactory for early in the season. Four of the landed trout were rainbows in the twelve to fourteen inch range, and three were below twelve inches. The weather was very favorable for March in the Colorado Rockies, and that was another positive. I am rolling into the 2025 season with a bit of momentum.

Fish Landed: 7

 

Arkansas River – 03/24/2025

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Time: 11:30AM – 4:30PM

Location: Lower Bighorn Sheep Canyon

Arkansas River 03/24/2025 Photo Album

Mild spring weather returned, and after five days in Arizona playing pickleball, I was ready for a change. A visit to a Colorado river was the perfect medicine, and I accepted the prescription with a trip to the Arkansas River. Highs of 74 degrees in Canon City prompted me to focus on the lower Bighorn Sheep Canyon area.

A Solid Starting Place

After an incident free drive I arrived at my chosen pullout by 11:00AM, and this enabled me to be in a position to fish by 11:30AM. I wore only my raincoat as a windbreaker, and I assembled my Sage One five weight. Both these choices were driven by the wind, which reached speeds in the low teens throughout my time on the river.

Solid Start

I began my quest for trout with a size 8 yellow fat Albert, a 20 incher, and an olive perdigon, but I was not rewarded with any action, before I took my lunch break beside the river at noon. After lunch I continued in an upstream direction, but the the fish were not cooperative. I took some time after lunch to reconfigure with a peacock hippie stomper trailing the perdigon and a size 22 sparkle wing RS2. I stopped to fish some nice deep glides along the far bank, and as I cast, I noticed several rises in the current seam close to my position.

Scanning for Rises

What was I to do? I just completed the labor intensive task of reconfiguring my dry/dropper. Should I abandon it after ten minutes and switch to a dry fly? The number of rises increased, and the frequency escalated, although the surface feeding never reached a steady rate. I decided to take the plunge, and I kept the hippie stomper in place as a visible indicator and added an eighteen inch tippet section with a soft hackle emerger with a dab of floatant. Nothing.

A Third Rainbow on a Dry

The fish continued their rhythmic feeding, so I made another change. I replaced the soft hackle emerger with a CDC blue wing olive with a fluffy gray wing. Initially this fly was also ignored, but then it delivered, as I landed three spunky rainbow trout in the 12 to 13 inch range. I am not certain whether it was the fly change or my presentation that changed the results. I began making across and downstream drifts, and all three takes occurred in the current seam as the flies floated downstream.

The Fly the Trout Liked

Eventually the fish stopped rising, but I persisted with the dries, as I moved to another promising location. In a nondescript short pocket along the left bank, a nice brown trout rose to suck in the CDC BWO, thus moving the fish count to four. I was elated with my good fortune that led to catching trout on dry flies on March 24.

Lowering

Unfortunately the hatch waned, and the water shifted to faster runs, riffles and pockets. The tiny CDC BWO did not seem conducive to the character of the river, so I returned to the dry/dropper approach. I kept the hippie stomper in place, but below it I featured a beadhead hares ear nymph and sparkle wing RS2. The combination delivered one trout that smacked the hares ear, but then I endured a fairly long lull despite prospecting some fairly attractive spots.

I Will Accept It

I decided to go big, and I replaced the RS2 with one of my new psycho prince nymphs. Voila! The psycho prince delivered a nice rainbow in a deep run that rolled along the left bank. Unfortunately the hares ear and psycho prince were one hit wonders, so I returned to the flies that brought superior results on my previous trip to the Arkansas River. I switched the top fly to an ice dub amber chubby chernobyl for superior floatation and then added a 20 incher and an olive perdigon.

Swept in Front of the Largest Rock and Nailed the Brown Trout

These flies stayed on my line from the middle to late afternoon, and they delivered excellent results. The fish count increased from five to fifteen. I covered quite a bit of the river, and my journey demanded lots of casting under windy conditions, but on a fairly regular basis, a trout grabbed the perdigon or 20 incher. Slow current velocity seemed to be the key, and I ran my flies along current seams and through deep troughs, and the trout responded.

Sixteen Inch Slab

The last fish of the day was also the prize. I lobbed my flies to a deep trough between two fast moving seams, and near the tail of the V, the  chubby dipped. I set the hook, and I instantly realized that the combatant on the opposite end of my line was larger than previous landed fish. I released line several times as the rainbow made streaking runs, but eventually it tired, and I gained the upper hand. I slid my net beneath a sixteen inch slab with a brilliant scarlet stripe, and I decided to make it my last fish of the day. What an ending!

Rainbow Emerged from Above the Exposed Rock

On the day I landed fifteen healthy trout, and had I not allowed five to escape, I could have reached twenty. All the trout were twelve inches or longer, and number sixteen was the largest. Number thirteen was a respectable fifteen inch brown, and that was also a gratifying catch. Surprisingly I landed eleven rainbows and only four browns. This ratio is the opposite of what I usually expect on the Arkansas River.

The weather on Wednesday looks promising, so I am already planning another March fishing outing. Stay tuned.

 

Clear Creek – 03/12/2025

Time: 1:00PM – 4:00PM

Location: Clear Creek Canyon

Clear Creek 03/12/2025 Photo Album

Wednesday’s forecast promised another mild late-winter day, with temperatures in Denver expected to climb into the upper sixties. The urge to hit a stream was strong, but first, I had to handle a commitment at home—the expected delivery and installation of our new dishwasher. Our fifteen-year-old unit had given up on properly cleansing the top shelf, forcing us into the less-than-enjoyable habit of handwashing. By 10:30 AM, the Home Depot crew had completed the installation, and I was free to chase some trout.

Given the late start, I opted for a short drive to Clear Creek Canyon west of Golden, CO. I arrived at my chosen pullout by 12:30 PM and immediately downed my standard lunch. The section of the creek, where I planned to start, was already covered in shadows, so I made a quick wardrobe adjustment—swapping my short-sleeve undershirt for an Under Armour long-sleeve thermal, layering on my North Face light down, and finishing with a rain shell as a windbreaker. The combination kept me comfortable for the entirety of my outing, even as the late afternoon sun shifted my fishing spots.

Plenty of Ice and Snow Remained Along the Creek

I assembled my old Sage four-weight and followed the south side of the creek for roughly 0.2 miles before scrambling down the steep bank to begin fishing. My starting rig consisted of a size 8 yellow Fat Albert, a 20 Incher, and a size 16 olive Perdigon—a trio that had served me well on the Arkansas River just two days earlier.

For the next hour, I worked my way upstream, managing to land two small brown trout, each around six inches. One fell for the Perdigon, and the other snatched the 20 Incher. It was a far cry from my successful outing on Monday, and despite casting to some very promising pools, my drifts remained largely unproductive. Hoping to change my luck, I swapped the 20 Incher for an Ultra Zug Bug, but that adjustment proved ineffective as well.

One of the Better Fish

By 2 PM, I reached a bridge and climbed up to the highway to cross to the other side. My plan was to continue upstream, but the narrow canyon kept much of the water in the shade, and the chill was beginning to set in. Rather than tough it out, I packed up and moved half a mile west to another wide pullout. Another angler had already claimed a spot directly across from the cars, so I opted to hike along the guardrail for some distance before descending a steep, boulder-strewn bank, carefully using hand grips to steady myself.

Prime Spot

With the change in location, I decided it was also time for a change in tactics. I swapped the Fat Albert for a Peacock Hippie Stomper, thinking that the relatively low flows—24 CFS—might make the large foam hopper too splashy. I kept the 20 Incher but replaced the Perdigon with an Emerald Caddis Pupa.

One of Two Rainbows

The adjustment paid off. My catch count climbed from two to seven, before I called it a day at 4:00 PM. A rainbow rose to the Hippie Stomper, while another trout nabbed the Emerald Caddis Pupa. A brown took the 20 Incher, and my final fish—a brown—fell for a size 14 Prince Nymph. There was no single pattern that dominated the action, but the change in flies certainly made a difference.

Last Fish of the Day

Clear Creek, with its narrow, shaded canyon, still had plenty of ice shelves and packed snow along its banks. The cold water likely kept the trout sluggish compared to other rivers flowing through open valleys. Of the seven fish landed, two were rainbows and the rest were browns, with the largest stretching to a modest nine inches.

While it wasn’t a banner day in terms of size or numbers, it was still a rewarding outing. The beauty of the setting and the simple pleasure of being outside were enough to make it worthwhile. With a trip to Phoenix on the horizon, I’ll have to put my fishing ambitions on hold for a bit, but I hope to get back on the water in the final two weeks of March. Stay tuned!

Fish Landed: 7

Arkansas River – 03/10/2025

Time: 11:00AM – 4:00PM

Location: Lower Bighorn Sheep Canyon

Arkansas River 03/10/2025 Photo Album

Forecast highs of 74 degrees in Denver, CO had me seeking fly fishing water on Monday, March 10, 2025. I checked temperatures in various potential destinations, but I could not overlook 72 degrees in Canon City. The wind speeds in the 10 – 15 MPH range gave me pause, but I decided to make the trip regardless. I experienced several productive days in lower Bighorn Sheep Canyon last spring, and this influenced my decision to visit the Arkansas River.

Starting Point

The drive was inconsequential, even though Jane warned that the number of accidents spike after daylight savings time. I arrived at my chosen spot by 10:45AM, and this enabled me to be on the water ready to cast by 11:00AM. I stopped for gasoline in Florence, CO, and the wind was whipping by me at a ridiculous rate; however, the wind, although present, was more moderate at my chosen fly fishing spot.

Number One Was This Rainbow That Grabbed the Olive Perdigon

I rigged my Sage One five weight and wore my light down North Face coat, which proved to be a bit of a mistake, as I was overly warm during the afternoon time frame. To begin my search for trout, I configured my line with a New Zealand strike indicator, a yellow/green Pat’s rubberlegs and a zebra midge. The yellow/green rubberlegs was chosen with the molting golden stoneflies in mind, as both ArkAnglers and Royal Gorge Anglers fly shops reported their presence.

Olive Perdigon Saved the Day

I prospected up along the left bank of the river for fifteen minutes with no response, so I swapped the zebra midge for one of my crystal stones, size 18. Once again my flies were ignored, as I spent 1.5 hours in the late morning exercising my arm. I did connect with a small trout briefly, but it escaped after throbbing my rod for a few seconds.

Nice Catch

Between noon and 12:30PM, I moved to a separate braid of the river, and I switched the crystal stone for a beadhead hairs ear nymph. I encountered another angler, the only one I saw on the river, so I steered clear of him and migrated up the braid for at least fifty yards to allow him space. When I jumped in, I made some drifts through some marginal runs along the far bank, but once again I was met with futility.

Another Fine Wild Brown Trout

At 12:30PM I found a nice rock to serve as my seat, and I downed my three course lunch. After lunch I used my pause to revise my rig. I removed the New Zealand strike indicator and shifted to a dry/dropper system with a size 8 fat Albert as the top fly. Beneath the fat Albert I knotted a size 12 20 incher, and below that I added an olive perdigon. I tied five perdigons within the last week, so I was anxious to baptize them. I also wanted to make sure I was drifting deep with the dry/dropper, and the four foot dropper along with the tungsten bead were geared toward that objective.

Left Bank Produced

I am not sure whether it was the time of day, deeper drifts, flies chosen or the new section of the river; but some combination of factors caused my angling futility to change into hot fishing. One o’clock was the new noon after turning the clocks forward, so that may have been part of the change in fortunes, but I was also certain that utilizing the tungsten bead perdigon was a turning point. Between 1:00PM and 3:00PM I landed ten trout, and all but one were in the twelve to fourteen inch slot. Four were rainbows and the other six were brown trout. At least three of the landed trout were healthy fourteen inch fighters, and I was quite pleased with my successes.

Headed Back

The olive perdigon accounted for six of the trout, the fat Albert duped one aggressive rainbow, and the 20 incher made its presence worthwhile by fooling three fish. The wind was a constant nuisance, but I was able to avoid severe headwinds, although my casting arm was quite fatigued by the end of the day. The action slowed significantly by 3:00PM, and, in fact, I did not land additional fish between 3:00PM and 4:00PM. For the last hour I probed the largest braid of the main river, and this may have also inhibited my ability to catch fish.

Chunky Bow

I was quite pleased with my day of fly fishing on the Arkansas River on Monday, March 10, 2025. The wind was tolerable, and the air temperature was pleasant. I landed ten trout in the twelve to fourteen inch range, and the dry/dropper approach proved to be effective. I also tested my olive perdigon and discovered it to be a solid fish producer. Monday sparked my interest in fly fishing, and I hope more nice weather will encourage another trip in the near future.

Fish Landed: 10

Slower Velocity to the Right

Love the Distinct Spots on This Prize Brown Trout

St. Vrain Creek – 02/28/2025

Time: 2:15PM – 4:15PM

Location: Near Lyons, CO

St. Vrain Creek 02/28/2025 Photo Album

The last day of February was projected to spike at a high in the upper sixties in Denver, CO, so I researched temperatures in nearby potential fishing destinations. My first outing of 2025 was Boulder Creek, so I decided to journey a bit farther north to St. Vrain Creek. Temperatures in the vicinity of my planned fly fishing venture were predicted to be in the low sixties. That was acceptable to this fair weather angler.

Cutbow Surprised Me

Jane and I took advantage of the gorgeous late winter day to play pickleball, and when I returned home, I downed my lunch and packed the car and departed for my planned fly fishing destination. Once I arrived at my pullout, I wore my Brooks long sleeve thermal undershirt, and I chose not to add any additional layers. I selected my Orvis Access four weight and clamped my Battenkill reel to the butt section, and this line featured the loop, that I repaired using the Restorline kit that I bought at The Fly Fishing Show. It worked quite well.

Cutbow Home

I cut to the stream, when I was prepared, and I knotted a peacock hippie stomper to my line and then added a beadhead hares ear nymph as a dropper. I extended the dropper tippet so that I had approximately three feet of leader below the stomper. The creek was relatively low, and I fishing marginal slots and riffles in the first fifteen minutes. I experienced one refusal to the hippie stomper in a nice deep run, and I landed a sub six inch brown trout on the hares ear.

Decent Brown Took Hippie Stomper

The next phase of my outing, however, took a positive turn. In a long relatively deep pool I flicked a cast toward the right bank. and suddenly the hippie stomper exploded, as a trout consumed the fake attractor. I immediately recognized a nice trout was on my line, and I was proven correct, when I slipped my net beneath a fifteen inch cutbow. What a surprise! The trout had a bronze background color on the body and a thin stripe of scarlet along its sides.

Hippie Stomper Brown Was Right Below the Large Exposed Boulder

Shortly after this reward for my efforts in February, a brown trout rose to slurp the stomper. Two trout on dry flies was more than I could have hoped for. I continued up the stream, as I looked for spots with depth, and I soon discovered that my beadhead hares ear broke off. It was not delivering much interest, so I replaced it with a size 14 ultra zug bug.

Pretty Brown Released

I now moved at a faster pace, as I knew that lingering on marginal water was a waste of time. I sought slower moving locations with a fair amount of depth, and this strategy paid off, as I landed another five over the remainder of my outing to boost the final total to seven. I was quite pleased with seven trout in two hours of fishing including the fifteen inch cutbow.

Love the Scarlet Stripe Visible

Two of the additional landed trout were small rainbows, and the remaining three were brown trout in the nine to eleven inch range. The ultra zug bug accounted for the last five landed fish, as the hippie stomper assumed the role of indicator. I did witness another refusal to the hippie stomper.

Rainbow Came from This Nice Deep Run

By 4:15PM the shadows spanned the entire creek, and my hands were quite chilled, thus forcing me to abandon my sungloves. I covered several very attractive deep pools created by stream improvements, but the fish did not seem to be present in these prime lies. At 4:15PM I stripped in my flies and hooked them to my rod guide and hoofed back to my car.

Friday was a successful day on the last date in February. The one negative to the day was a wet right foot, as I squeezed quite a bit of water from my Smart Wool sock. The wetness began around my ankle, so I will attempt to remedy this situation on Saturday afternoon, if the weather cooperates.

Fish Landed: 7

Boulder Creek – 02/07/2025

Time: 1:40PM – 3:30PM

Location: City of Boulder, CO

Boulder Creek 02/07/2025 Photo Album

As I looked ahead at the weather, I noticed the high temperature in Denver, CO on Friday, February 7, 2025 was predicted to be 65 degrees. Could this be my first day of fly fishing in 2025?

I reviewed my Weather Underground app for potential fly fishing destinations, but I quickly learned that high winds were the prevailing weather for Friday. South Boulder Creek was windy and cold, and Clear Creek’s display showed a similar circumstance. I shifted my attention to the South Platte River, and Cheesman Canyon, Deckers and Eleven Mile Canyon were  facing high wind velocities. The only locales that seemed to dodge the gusting wind forecast were Boulder Creek and Bear Creek, and I quickly settled on Boulder Creek due to its proximity.

Low and Clear at the Start

The air temperatures were not expected to reach the fifties until noon, so I decided to play pickleball in the morning and then make the short drive to Boulder. I prepared my lunch on Thursday evening and gathered up some of my essential fly fishing gear, but I was not fully committed in case the wind became a factor in Boulder as well. By the time Jane and I returned from pickleball, it was 12:15PM, so I quickly packed the remainder of my necessary gear, and I consumed my standard lunch. One of the items that I retrieved for my initial fishing outing of 2025 was my new pair of Simms wading boots.

Site of the First Fish of 2025

I arrived at my chosen parking lot in Boulder by 1:25PM, and this enabled me to perch my new boots along the edge of the creek by 1:40PM. I wore my Under Armour long sleeve insulated shirt, my fishing shirt and a fleece layer, and I was actually dressed too warm, as the thermometer peaked at 65 degrees. Boulder citizens and students were out in mass enjoying the unseasonably warm winter day.About to Release Number One

I chose my Orvis Access four weight and marched to the edge of the river near a bridge and began my upstream migration. The water was quite low and clear, although I was unable to check the flows due to ice and snow on the gauge. I tied a peacock hippie stomper to my line, and when I attempted to extend leader from the bend of the stomper to add a nymph, I discovered that my 5X spool only held four inches. This forced me to remove my frontpack and backpack, as I searched the backpack pocket for a new spool. It was there, and I swapped it with the empty spool on my tippet minder, and I added a beadhead hares ear nymph on a two foot leader.

Run Next to Overhanging Bank Produced

For the next two hours I proceeded upstream through some very shallow stretches and along a few ice shelves, as I prospected the two fly dry/dropper. The two hours actually exceeded my expectations, as I landed two brown trout that gobbled the hares ear. The first trout was a respectable twelve inch fish, and number two was eight or nine inches. Nevertheless, I was quite pleased to begin 2025 with a two fish day in February.

Little Number Two

I skipped the shallow sections and searched for faster moving riffles and runs at the entry point to deep pools. I was forced to stay back and execute long casts in order to avoid spooking any fish in the thin water. Both my catches came from the type of water I just described.

Friday was a spectacular day in February, and I managed to land a pair of fish to begin the new year. Hopefully I will not have to wait too long for another mild day, but I am certainly prepared to do so.

Fish Landed: 2

South Platte River – 11/15/2024

Time: 12:00PM – 4:00PM

Location: Cheesman Canyon

South Platte River 11/15/2024 Photo Album

The 2024 fishing season had all but ended for me. Or so I thought. My last outing on South Boulder Creek on October 28 felt like the finale. But when my friend Nate texted about plans for November 15-17, my curiosity got the better of me. A quick check of the weather showed temperatures in the low fifties—mild enough for one more adventure. Nate’s suggestion of Cheesman Canyon sealed the deal, as he’d found decent success there just two weeks prior.

The Road to Cheesman

We met early Friday morning at a park-and-ride and carpooled to the South Platte River. Nate recounted his recent hike into Cheesman Canyon via the upper trail. I had tried a route to the upper canyon years ago and remembered it as steep and challenging. Still, I decided to give it another shot.

The drive itself turned out to be an adventure. As we wound our way up the steep dirt road to Cheesman Reservoir, a large tow truck with a flatbed trailer loomed ahead. Passing it was nerve-wracking; I had to back down 200 yards of narrow road with a rock wall on one side and a steep drop on the other. We finally squeezed into a wide spot, holding our breath as the truck inched past. Crisis averted!

When we reached the trailhead, it became clear that the roads and access points had changed since my last visit. A locked gate barred the road I remembered, forcing us to use the trail Nate had recently hiked. A chance encounter with another angler, Dale, and his companions confirmed that confusion about the logistics was widespread.

The Hike In

At the trailhead, the air temperature hovered in the upper forties. I layered up with my North Face light down jacket, stuffed a fleece hoodie into my backpack, and set up my Sage One five-weight rod. Nate and I began the steep 2.1-mile hike, tackling switchbacks, loose gravel, and even patches of snow and ice. The final descent into the canyon was precarious, requiring careful navigation around large boulders.

Cheesman Reservoir

Once we reached the river, we scrambled along its edge for another 0.3 miles to a sunny spot. Here, we paused for lunch and prepared for our first casts of the day.

This View of the Dam Provides a Sense of the Steepness of the Canyon

A Tough Start

I started with a three-fly setup: a peacock hippie stomper, a beadhead pheasant tail nymph, and an orange scud. Despite my best efforts, the fish weren’t interested. After losing all three flies to a snag, I re-rigged with a mini Chubby Chernobyl and trailed an emerald caddis pupa and a sparkle wing RS2. The emerald caddis pupa was in response to a caddis adult that landed on Nate’s sleeve. Still no luck.

Conditions in the Canyon

The early afternoon proved frustrating, with only a few half-hearted refusals to my flies. Nate fared no better. Around 2:30 PM, we noticed a few sporadic rises near exposed rocks. Hoping to capitalize on the activity, I switched to a double-dry setup: a tan mini Chubby Chernobyl paired with a size 16 deer hair caddis.

The Reward

By 3:00 PM, we reached a promising run that spilled into a deep pool. Nate fished the tail, while I focused on the faster water at the top. On my fifth cast, a swirl beneath my trailing caddis signaled a take. I set the hook, and a flash of crimson confirmed I had a solid rainbow trout on the line.

Site of the Only Catch of the Day

The fight was thrilling but brief, and Nate assisted with the net. This fish was a stunner—a vibrant rainbow with a broad red stripe, measuring an estimated 17 inches. As I struggled to remove the fly, the trout made a final leap, escaping the net, before we could snap a photo. Thankfully, Nate witnessed its size and beauty.

Wrapping Up

The rest of the afternoon yielded no additional action. Nate experimented with a streamer, but the fish remained elusive. By 4:00 PM, shadows covered the river, and the dropping temperature signaled it was time to leave.

Looking Back After Early Ascent

The hike out was grueling, requiring a steep climb over icy, loose terrain. By the time we reached the trailhead, we were exhausted but grateful for the experience.

Reflections

While the fishing itself was slow, the day felt like an adventure—a test of endurance and a celebration of the wild beauty of Cheesman Canyon. Nate’s luck didn’t hold, but I was thankful to avoid a skunking with one memorable rainbow trout. At my age, completing such a challenging hike without injury or equipment failure felt like a victory.

Whether this was my final outing of 2024 remains to be seen. The weather will decide, but for now, I’m content to reflect on this unforgettable day.

Fish Landed: 1

 

 

South Boulder Creek – 10/28/2024

Time: 11:30AM – 3:00PM

Location: Downstream from Gross Reservoir

South Boulder Creek 10/28/2024 Photo Album

As October’s mild weather streak lingered for one final day, I knew colder temperatures were just around the corner. With a dip in the forecast beginning Tuesday, October 29, I decided to make the most of the lingering warmth and venture out for what might be the season’s last balmy outing. After a slow Friday on the Big Thompson, I was ready for a change and shifted my focus to tailwaters, checking the flows on South Boulder Creek. With the outflows from Gross Reservoir holding steady at a promising 65 CFS, I packed up and headed out.

Pocket Water in the Shade

After a quick morning dentist appointment, I arrived at the Walker Ranch Loop Trailhead around 11:00 AM. It was a beautiful 64 degrees—perfect for late October—and I geared up with my Loomis two-piece five-weight rod. Prepared for a possible cool down, I wore my quick-dry short sleeve undershirt layered under my fishing shirt, with a Brooks long-sleeve undershirt and raincoat packed away just in case I needed additional warmth. I made my way down to the creek, excited to start the day.

I reached the creek by 11:30 AM and kicked things off with a double dry setup: a peacock hippie stomper trailed by a size 14 light gray deer hair caddis. This combination paid off, and by the time I broke for lunch at 12:15 PM, I landed four small browns and one rainbow. Both the stomper and the caddis were successful, and though the trout were modest in size, the steady action was encouraging.

Decent Early Catch

While enjoying my lunch, a light chill crept in from the morning’s hike-induced perspiration, so I swapped my shirt for the Brooks long-sleeve layer. That added warmth made a noticeable difference, as I prepared to resume fishing.

After lunch, I stuck with the double dry setup, which continued to yield results, bringing my fish count up to nine. Most were still in the six to nine-inch range, with the smaller size dominating, but a rise is a rise in late October.

Bank Pocket

As I continued, I noticed small stoneflies flitting about, one even landing on my shirt long enough for a close inspection. I attempted a photo, but naturally, it took off, before I could snap the shot. Inspired, I decided to swap out the caddis for a size 18 black stonefly pattern I’d tied a few years back for an October hatch just like this one. I trailed it behind the hippie stomper, and was rewarded with a small brown trout for my effort, boosting the count to ten.

The stonefly pattern, however, wasn’t a consistent producer, so I switched tactics again, tying on Jake’s Gulp Beetle. It wasn’t a game-changer, but it did result in two subtle downstream takes that bumped my count to twelve. At this point, though, the bite was slowing down, so I made another shift to a dry/dropper setup.

Jake’s Gulp Beetle

For this new setup, I kept the hippie stomper on top, extending the leader to three feet and adding a salvation nymph followed by a soft hackle emerger. Dark clouds were gathering, and I noticed a few sporadic rises on the water, suggesting some blue-wing olive activity. The emerger was the perfect choice for these conditions, and for the rest of the afternoon, I managed to land four more trout.

Curled Brown Trout

Halfway through, both the salvation nymph and soft hackle emerger snapped off. I re-rigged, this time swapping the soft hackle for a size 20 sparkle wing RS2, which turned out to be a good call. The salvation nymph and RS2 each enticed a couple of trout to bring my total to sixteen by the end of the day.

By 3 PM, the clouds had overtaken the sun, and while the air temperature held up, the bite had slowed considerably. Sixteen trout on October 28 marked a solid day, even if the fish were small. This warm fall day was a welcome reprieve, filled with the peaceful solitude of the canyon and the beauty of late October on the creek. If this does turn out to be my last trip of the season, I’ll head into winter feeling satisfied and grateful for one last balmy fall day

Fish Landed: 16

 

Big Thompson River – 10/25/2024

Time: 11:30AM – 3:30PM

Location: In the canyon below Estes Park

Big Thompson River 10/25/2024 Photo Album

I somehow strained my knee playing pickleball last Friday, and I then aggravated it on Monday, so I decided to steer clear of that fun activity for a while to hopefully encourage healing of my aging body. I discovered, however, that hiking in a straight ahead direction did not create discomfort during my hike into South Boulder Creek, and then I tested it again on a 4.8 mile hike in Rocky Mountain National Park. Since I was refraining from pickleball, and the weather forecast for Friday was reasonably favorable, I decided to undertake another day of fly fishing.

Originally I planned to make the journey to Eleven Mile Canyon, but in the final analysis, I was averse to making the long drive. South Boulder Creek on Tuesday was enjoyable, but again I was reluctant to endure the one mile hike up a steep hill at the end of the day. On October 15 I visited the Big Thompson River and experienced reasonable success, and the flows remained at 23 CFS, and the projected high temperature in Estes Park was 61 degrees. The Big Thompson became my destination.

I arrived at a wide pullout in the catch and release section by 11:00AM, and the dashboard thermometer registered 48 degrees. I countered the unaccustomed chill by wearing my Under Armour long-sleeved thermal undershirt and my light down coat. For headgear I chose my billed hat with earflaps, and I tugged the flaps down for the start of my day of fly fishing. I chose my Loomis two piece five weight as my casting tool, and I was perched along the edge of the stream by 11:30AM.

Black Ghost

Cheech Leech

I read many articles extolling hot streamer fishing in the fall, so I decided to commit to that fly fishing methodology. I crimped a split shot to my line eighteen inches above the terminal offering, which was a size eight black ghost to start my day. I persisted with streamers from 11:30AM until 12:15PM, when I paused for lunch. I cycled through the black ghost, a Mickey Finn, and a cheech leech; but I observed nary a follow. I executed upstream, up and across, across and down, and swings and dangles at the end of the drifts, but nothing proved effective. I also varied the speed of the retrieve and experimented with twitches and pauses. Nothing.

Prime Spot Did Not Produce

After lunch I abandoned the streamer concept, and tested a double dry approach. I knotted a peacock hippie stomper to my line and then added a size 14 stimulator with a rust body. I also read many articles about the October caddis, and the stimulator was my attempt to imitate that popular autumn food morsel. Nothing.

During this entire time I was fishing in the shadows, and I was very thankful for my layers and earflaps. The chill would have been much more acceptable, had I been able to land a fish. I did manage to temporarily hook a trout on the hippie stomper during this time period, but it escaped after an acrobatic leap above the surface. No luck with streamers and minimal action with double dries suggested another change, and I went to a dry/dropper. The hippie stomper remained in place, and I added a beadhead hares ear nymph and salvation nymph on a relatively long dropper.

This gambit was also a failure. I temporarily hooked a minnow sized brown trout on one of the nymphs, but otherwise the subsurface offerings were essentially a nuisance. At one point the nymphs drifted beneath a large exposed boulder with a ledge, and I was unable to dislodge them, so I waded next the rock. I tried to use my boot and my wading stick to free the nymphs, but eventually I defaulted to reaching my left arm down to unsnag the flies. I should have broken them off, because I now had saturated layers up to my elbow, and this condition simply added to my discomfort while fly fishing in the shadows. The only positive was the near absence of wind.

Site of First Fish

Rainbow Kicked Things Off

I looked upstream, and I noticed that the Big T made a 90 degree bend, and the area beyond the bend seemed to be bathed in sunshine. I skipped the remaining shaded stretch and advanced to sunlight. The nymphs were not producing, so I returned to the double dry method. In this case I stayed with the hippie stomper, but I swapped the stimulator for a size 14 light gray deer hair caddis. The stomper/caddis combo has historically proven to be a winner.

Number Two Was This Nice Brown Trout

Shallow Run Along the Rocks Produced

Alas, the two flies worked their magic once again. Between 2:00PM and 3:30 I notched five landed trout. The first one was a nine inch rainbow, and the last four were brown trout. The brown trout were all relatively respectable fish for the Big T, with a couple stretching the tape to a foot long. Two of the landed trout nabbed the caddis, and the others were attracted to the hippie stomper. I was actually a bit too warm while working my way upstream in the bright sunshine. Along the way I noticed a gravel depression, and a trout that was wiggling in an effort to eject eggs, so spawning was evident. Before I recognized the redd for what it was, I made a cast of the dry flies, and a fish elevated and nipped at one of the flies. It actually looked like it was fending off something invasive and not making an effort to eat.

Another Fine Brown Trout

Foam Was Home

All my landed fish came from slower moving areas such as eddies and slow pools that bordered the bank or were adjacent to faster current seams or large sheltering rocks. I regard Friday as a success. I experimented with different approaches and eventually found a double dry combination that was reasonably effective. Catching trout on dry flies in late October is a positive in my book. The fish count lagged, but once I solved the riddle, the fish were fine quality trout. Future outings in 2024, however, will probably take place on tailwaters. It was amazing how much the action slowed between my last outing on October 15 and today.

Fish Landed: 5

South Boulder Creek – 10/22/2024

Time: 11:00AM – 3:45PM

Location: Below Gross Reservoir

South Boulder Creek 10/22/2024 Photo Album

After a tough weekend battling a cold relapse, I found some solace in the fact that the weather wasn’t all that inviting for fishing either—cold and wet. But by the time Monday rolled around, unseasonably warm weather made its way into Colorado, presenting an opportunity I couldn’t pass up. With the sun shining again, I set out for a much-needed day on the water.

Typical Pocket in the Morning

Another Great Spot in the Morning

The first stream that I reviewed was South Boulder Creek below Gross Reservoir, and I was relieved to see flows at 82 CFS—a much-needed improvement after weeks of meager trickles around 6.7 CFS. However, a scare came early Tuesday morning, when I noticed a spike to 97 CFS. Thankfully, by the time I checked again, flows had returned to 82 CFS, holding steady as I prepared to head out. Oddly enough, when I returned home later that day, I found the flows had dropped to 65 CFS, while I was on the creek, which is nearly perfect for me. It turned out to be an ideal day to hit the water.

Right Area Next to the Bank Was Typical of Very Productive Water

Stunning Colors

I arrived at the trailhead around 10:00 AM, greeted by a brisk 56-degree temperature and a stiff breeze. For the hike in, I wore my usual fishing shirt layered over a short-sleeve undershirt, but packed an extra long-sleeve Under Armour layer just in case. The air was cool, but comfortable enough that I never felt the need for a clothing change. By 11:00 AM, I reached my starting point along the creek and rigged up with my favorite fall setup: a peacock Hippie Stomper trailing an ultra zug bug and salvation nymph.

Wide Productive Section

Feisty Rainbow

The morning session proved to be steady, although the wind and the shade made things feel colder than expected. The combination of light sweat and the breeze led me to put on my raincoat for some added warmth. Despite the chilly start, I landed four fish by the time I broke for lunch at noon—three small browns and one small rainbow trout. Although none of the fish were large, they were a good start to what would become a fruitful day.

After lunch, the fishing picked up. I continued upstream, sticking with the dry/dropper setup that had brought success earlier. By mid-afternoon, the fish count rose to sixteen. The catch was evenly distributed: eight fish smashed the Hippie Stomper, while the ultra zug bug and salvation nymph each accounted for four fish. Interestingly, the ultra zug bug started strong but seemed to lose effectiveness as the day wore on, with the salvation nymph picking up the slack.

Long by Tuesday Standards

Center Slick Looks Prime

Upon reaching sixteen, I decided to change tactics and switched to a double dry fly setup. I kept the Hippie Stomper as the lead, but added a size 14 light gray deer hair caddis on a twelve-inch dropper. The move paid off. The afternoon saw another seven fish come to hand, with half falling for the Stomper and the others grabbing the caddis. Toward the end of the day, I swapped out the size 14 caddis for a size 18, which proved just as effective.

Another Nice Spot Along the Bank

Throughout the day, I noticed an abundance of refusals on the Hippie Stomper—enough to prompt the shift to a double dry setup. Despite the occasional refusals, the overall catch rate using double dries remained steady, and I was pleased with the action.

Near the End of the Day Jewel

Most of the trout landed were on the smaller side, with the largest coming in around eleven inches. Brown trout outnumbered rainbow trout by a two-to-one margin, and the most productive water tended to be the tails of long pockets, riffles, and slower-moving pools near the bank. I was surprised several times by fish emerging from shallow lies, where I wouldn’t have expected to find them.

Probed Both Sides of the Pyramid Rock on Right

All told, I landed twenty-three trout—admittedly small, but each a vibrant testament to the beauty of fall fishing in the foothills of the Rockies. More than half of the trout came to the surface on dry flies, and dry fly action in late October is always a welcome treat. The relatively smaller size of the browns might be a result of their spawning activity, although I didn’t observe any active spawners. With cooler weather on the horizon, future outings will depend on Mother Nature, but I’ll be keeping my gear ready for the next window of opportunity.

Stay tuned for more fishing adventures as 2024 unfolds!

Fish Landed: 23