Time: 1:45PM – 3:30PM

Location: Clear Creek Canyon

Clear Creek 09/21/2024 Photo Album

Saturday marked the sixth day of my ongoing battle with a cold, and although I wasn’t fully recovered, I felt well enough to squeeze in a short fishing trip. A storm watch was in effect for the Denver area starting at 3:00PM, but I hoped to sneak in some action, before the weather took a nasty turn.

Clear Creek Canyon was my chosen destination, mainly due to its close proximity. Upon arrival, the conditions were rather pleasant—temperatures hovered in the upper sixties, sunshine bathed the creek, and, perhaps most importantly, there was no wind. Quite the contrast to what was forecasted later in the day. However, by the time I called it quits at 3:30, the wind had picked up, the sky was ominously gray, and the temperature had begun its rapid descent.

For this outing, I opted for my trusty Sage four weight rod. I started with a classic combination: a peacock hippie stomper and a size 14 light gray deer hair caddis. The first half hour was frustrating—one small brown trout, barely long enough to count, and a whopping nine refusals. Swapping the caddis for a smaller size 16 version didn’t change the story much. The trout in Clear Creek, while small, are certainly selective.

Productive Spot

Determined to crack the code, I switched tactics. Off came the stomper and caddis, and I tied on a Jake’s gulp beetle. The result? Silence. Not even a nibble. I moved on to a parachute gray hopper paired with a beadhead hares ear nymph. Again, nothing. It was getting to the point, where I missed the earlier refusals—they at least confirmed the presence of fish.

Best of the Day

With time running out, I decided to go back to basics. I tied on a single size 16 olive body deer hair caddis, and finally, I found some success. The fish count rose from one to five. Though the trout were small, and I had to cover a lengthy stretch of water, I was glad to finally experience a bit of action.

By the time I finished, the sky had darkened, and the wind was howling. I was more than ready to climb into the warmth of my car and head home. Clear Creek remains something of a puzzle, when it comes to local fly fishing.

Fish Landed: 5