Time: 11:00AM – 4:30PM
Location: Eleven Mile Canyon
South Platte River 09/06/2016 Photo Album
After a rough day on Clear Creek I was anxious to test my theory that tailwaters are the answer during the doldrum period that typically lasts from the middle of August through the first week of September. My watch displayed 11AM as I dipped my wading boots in the South Platte River, and although the dashboard registered a chilly 50 degrees during my drive, the sun warmed the air nicely, as I now ventured into the cold tailwater. The afternoon was a different story, as an abundance of clouds blocked the sun and prevented the temperature from getting beyond the seventies. The gray clouds never yielded rain, but strong gusts of wind made casting a challenge between 3 and 4:30.
The other variable of concern to a fisherman was the stream flow. Prior to my trip I checked the DWR web site, and the graph depicted a horizontal line holding steady at 182 cfs. I was concerned that this was a bit high, but when I approached the river, it was obvious that the level was quite manageable. I was easily able to move around, although I remained along the bank that bordered the fisherman path for the entire day. The fish seemed to love the cold moderately high flows, as they could spread out, but they also benefited from the protection associated with additional depth. I likewise appreciated the additional volume of water, as it allowed me to approach my target areas closer than is typical for low end of summer conditions.
182 CFS Looks Great
I began my quest for fish with a Charlie boy hopper and a beadhead hares ear, and these offerings failed to interest any fish in the first couple juicy pockets. I began to fear a slow day, so I quickly adjusted and added a salvation nymph below the hares ear. In addition I exchanged the Charlie boy for a pool toy to provide the additional buoyancy necessary to support two size 16 beadhead nymphs. The move paid off, and as the dry/dropper drifted in a deep slot next to a large boulder, the hopper dipped, and I executed a swift hook set.
The hook point penetrated the lip of a hungry fish, and it immediately streaked away from me into heavier current, as I allowed line to rip from my reel. Unbeknownst to me, however, the fly line wrapped around the butt of my rod, and I observed the sickening sight of my line drifting in the current, as the escape artist dove into the main current with my salvation nymph in its mouth.
An Early Rainbow or Cutbow Trout
After some healthy grieving I hooked a second fish, but it eluded my fly as well. Finally number three was a charm, and I landed a ten inch brown to initiate my fish count for the day, and it continued to climb until I broke for lunch with thirteen fish in the netted column. The water covered in the morning session was outstanding with plenty of pockets, deep runs and narrow slots. The fish loved this structure, and I reaped the benefits. Four fish found my net from one particularly productive area, and this included two thirteen inch rainbows. These would ultimately be two of the best fish landed on Tuesday, September 6.
Ready to Release
Lunch View
After lunch I lost a second salvation nymph when I was in the process of releasing a fish that was attached to the upper fly, the hares ear nymph. Not wishing to deplete my salvation supply further, I replaced it with a copper john, and the fish did not seem to mind the change. I did observe, however, that the fish favored the hares ear more in the afternoon, than was the case in the morning session.
Beautiful Pattern
At another juncture in the afternoon I broke off the copper john, and since I spotted a sparse emergence of blue winged olives, I decided to test a soft hackle emerger in place of the copper john. It was a decent idea, but I discovered that all my catches, while the soft hackle was on my line, emanated from the pool toy or hares ear. This observation caused me to remove the soft hackle emerger, and I replaced it with a salvation nymph; but rather than risk one that I tied in a size 16, I knotted on a size 14 that I purchased at the Conejos River Angler. The trout seemed to relish the larger size.
Spots Galore
Perhaps because of the gusty wind, the pool toy hopper produced more fish in the afternoon than was the case in the morning. I estimated that the pool toy accounted for five of the forty fish landed, but I also had quite a few long distance releases on fish that chomped the top fly.
My Kind of Water
Thirsty Deer
It was another amazing day on the South Platte River. I skipped the large pools and searched for the sections that offered pockets, slots, deep runs and moderate riffles; and these areas did not let me down. I love fishing dry/dropper in this manner, when I can approach fairly close and make quick short casts to likely spots and move at a rapid pace. It seemed that nearly every location that looked promising delivered a fish, and I reveled in the fast action and the electric anticipation of responsive fish. Of the forty fish landed, 32 were browns, and the remainder were rainbows with perhaps a cutbow or two in that mix. Based on my success on September 6, I suspect another 2016 trip may be on the calendar.
Fish Landed: 40