[ngg src=”galleries” ids=”15″ display=”basic_thumbnail”]Good Morning All!
Man that’s difficult! Waking into Cheesman Canyon and only taking my camera! Time restraints keeping me from fishing, but if I were you, I’d be in the Canyon! This approaching front has got the fish fired up! Just took a nice little walk with the dog and spoke with three Anglers that already had between 3-8 in the net! Small midges, leeches, eggs, and worms as attractor bugs! 6x & 7x Tippet. Conditions are perfect right now, calmest winds of the week, temps only pushing 30, but it’s warm in the sun! Flows remain at 59 cfs. below the dam, with about 60-65 cfs. through Decker’s and Trumbull. Oh! Here’s a bit of information I’d like to share! If you get here and realize you’ve forgotten something crucial to your fishing day, don’t fret! Flies and Lies, located in the Decker’s Resort, at 8570. S.Hwy.67, has everything you’ll need and then some. They have recently added a large amount of new gear, flies, and much more to their store! As far as the fishing this past week, it was pretty fantastic fi you could deal with the wind. With the increase in temperatures, we saw a great portion of the lower river, areas from nighthawk and up to the “WIRE”, freed of a large portion of ice, opening up mores area to fish. These sections of the river are usually great places to fish the first couple of days after a melt-off , With the absence of Anglers and the abundance of food being released from the melting ice. the fish tend to be active in these sections of the river. Flow all week, as they have been for several now, are between 59 cfs. in the Canyon, with 60-70 cfs. through Decker’s and Trumbull. Most of my focus, as you would expect or not, has been in the Canyon. Having access to this World Famous stretch of tail-water at my fingertips, is truly a blessing. To be able to walk out the door and be fishing the Canyon in 5 minutes or less, is truly a blessing. I’m grateful for the opportunity to call Cheesman Canyon, “the back yard.” Earlier in the week we woke up each day with winds that were howling by 8 or 9, with 15-30 mph wind gusts, providing a serious challenge to both fishing and comfort! This pattern continued through Friday, with periods of overcast and sun. Spending quite a bit of time between the Ice Box and Cow’s Crossing, I’ve covered quite a bit of water this past week. Passing up on the somewhat active fish in near the fence hole and family hole, I tried to focus on the faster moving water, with deeper runs and pocket pools, those with a decent flow. Making a couple of runs above and below rocks or medium size boulders has also proven quite effective,with the addition of a little nymping mud to my rig, in order to get me down faster in the shorter, deeper runs. The other major change I’ve made this winter, has been my recent effort to consistently use flies in the size #24-#30 range! Yes, size #30! A friend of mine gave me a few of these a few weeks ago, and it’s been a game changer for me in the Canyon. He’s ties a a couple of the g0-to Canyon bugs, such as the Top Secret midge, three colors of RS-2’s
, a zebra midge
, and one or two of his own originals, which I must find a way to obtain! Really, all I have to do is ask, he’s that nice of a guy! Anyway, my top bug, or what you regularly hear called the, “attractor bug” has mostly been leech or egg variation, with the addition of the San Juan Worm or even a small Stone-Fly nymph
. Specifically, the Pine-Squirrel Leech
, has caught equal amounts of fish, as the bottom two flies. The next couple of days look like they are going to be spent indoors, as a front is heading our way, with some fresh snow to the Foothills and Front Range. So, with that being said, I’ll end this until next week. Be sure to check out the daily posts on our Facebook page associated with the website. It’s conveniently named livedeckerscolorado.com. Here, each day you’ll find a picture of the current weather conditions, river flows, and a snapshot of the current fishing scene, in Cheesman Canyon and Decker’s! That’s all for now folks, hope to see you out there on the river soon!
Chef Chris
Run-Off and some quick moving water!
fishing reportHey Folks!
In just under 24 hours, we’ve seen a considerable jump in flows, on the South Platte. Currently, we’re up to 586cfs. in Decker’s and the Canyon. Got out there myself yesterday, just prior to the last flow bump, and saw considerable action with Black/Tan Pat’s Rubber Legs. Today, more of the same! Throw that meat! Worms, Scuds, leeches, and the Woolley bugger! Get the full fishing report from our friends at www.flycastusa.com.
Chris
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May 9, 2019 Spring has Arrived!
fishing report[ngg src=”galleries” ids=”17″ display=”basic_thumbnail”]Hello Folks!
We’re Back! Livedeckerscolorado.com has been upgraded and rebranded! We are pleased to announce our new Brand, DiscoverDeckers.com! We have been working extremely hard this winter, fostering new relationships with several Non-Profit Organizations, U.S Forest Service, and the Colorado Parks & Wildlife. All designed to bring you the information you need to have a safe and memorable experience in Decker’s, and the South Platte River Valley. If it’s the World Class fly-fishing on the South Platte, or the numerous rock climbing opportunities that brought you to our valley, look no further! We have partnered with FlyCastusa.com to bring you the most consistent fishing reports on the internet! Just click on the “Fishing Reports” tab, and you’ll have a side by side view of both Cheesman Canyon, and Decker’s fishing reports! If fishing isn’t your thing, check out our “Rock Climbing” and “Mountain Biking sections, courtesy of REI.
As a resident of the great state of Colorado for over 20 years, and experiencing the largest wildfire in Colorado history, the Hayman Fire, I felt the need to use this platform to educate and inform the campers, hikers, rock climbers, and anyone else that’s recreating in the area that may be considering starting a fire in the forest, to check the current “Fire Conditions”, by clicking on the tab next to Fishing Reports. As we go forward with this project, we hope that you, the reader, will share our website with others, so that we can protect and preserve this most wonderful of places, for another 100 years! Well, that’s all for now folks! Hope to see you out there on the river soon!
Chef Chris
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Latest Conditions & Fishing Report for Cheesman Canyon-February 17, 2019
Fishing Conditions, fishing report, hiking, lifestyle and fitness, South Platte News[ngg src=”galleries” ids=”15″ display=”basic_thumbnail”]Good Morning All!
Man that’s difficult! Waking into Cheesman Canyon and only taking my camera! Time restraints keeping me from fishing, but if I were you, I’d be in the Canyon! This approaching front has got the fish fired up! Just took a nice little walk with the dog and spoke with three Anglers that already had between 3-8 in the net! Small midges, leeches, eggs, and worms as attractor bugs! 6x & 7x Tippet. Conditions are perfect right now, calmest winds of the week, temps only pushing 30, but it’s warm in the sun! Flows remain at 59 cfs. below the dam, with about 60-65 cfs. through Decker’s and Trumbull. Oh! Here’s a bit of information I’d like to share! If you get here and realize you’ve forgotten something crucial to your fishing day, don’t fret! Flies and Lies, located in the Decker’s Resort, at 8570. S.Hwy.67, has everything you’ll need and then some. They have recently added a large amount of new gear, flies, and much more to their store! As far as the fishing this past week, it was pretty fantastic fi you could deal with the wind. With the increase in temperatures, we saw a great portion of the lower river, areas from nighthawk and up to the “WIRE”, freed of a large portion of ice, opening up mores area to fish. These sections of the river are usually great places to fish the first couple of days after a melt-off , With the absence of Anglers and the abundance of food being released from the melting ice. the fish tend to be active in these sections of the river. Flow all week, as they have been for several now, are between 59 cfs. in the Canyon, with 60-70 cfs. through Decker’s and Trumbull. Most of my focus, as you would expect or not, has been in the Canyon. Having access to this World Famous stretch of tail-water at my fingertips, is truly a blessing. To be able to walk out the door and be fishing the Canyon in 5 minutes or less, is truly a blessing. I’m grateful for the opportunity to call Cheesman Canyon, “the back yard.” Earlier in the week we woke up each day with winds that were howling by 8 or 9, with 15-30 mph wind gusts, providing a serious challenge to both fishing and comfort! This pattern continued through Friday, with periods of overcast and sun. Spending quite a bit of time between the Ice Box and Cow’s Crossing, I’ve covered quite a bit of water this past week. Passing up on the somewhat active fish in near the fence hole and family hole, I tried to focus on the faster moving water, with deeper runs and pocket pools, those with a decent flow. Making a couple of runs above and below rocks or medium size boulders has also proven quite effective,with the addition of a little nymping mud to my rig, in order to get me down faster in the shorter, deeper runs. The other major change I’ve made this winter, has been my recent effort to consistently use flies in the size #24-#30 range! Yes, size #30! A friend of mine gave me a few of these a few weeks ago, and it’s been a game changer for me in the Canyon. He’s ties a a couple of the g0-to Canyon bugs, such as the Top Secret midge, three colors of RS-2’s
, a zebra midge
, and one or two of his own originals, which I must find a way to obtain! Really, all I have to do is ask, he’s that nice of a guy! Anyway, my top bug, or what you regularly hear called the, “attractor bug” has mostly been leech or egg variation, with the addition of the San Juan Worm or even a small Stone-Fly nymph
. Specifically, the Pine-Squirrel Leech
, has caught equal amounts of fish, as the bottom two flies. The next couple of days look like they are going to be spent indoors, as a front is heading our way, with some fresh snow to the Foothills and Front Range. So, with that being said, I’ll end this until next week. Be sure to check out the daily posts on our Facebook page associated with the website. It’s conveniently named livedeckerscolorado.com. Here, each day you’ll find a picture of the current weather conditions, river flows, and a snapshot of the current fishing scene, in Cheesman Canyon and Decker’s! That’s all for now folks, hope to see you out there on the river soon!
Chef Chris
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February 12, 2019 Fishing Update-Cheesman Canyon & Decker’s
Fishing Conditions, fishing reportSorry, been away from the river for a few days, got a Mom that’s not doing so well. However, before saying “so long” as I left the east coast, we decided not to say “good bye.” She told me that I should never stop living and loving each day. She also told me to always follow my dreams. So, here’s how I’m seeing things after a couple days on the South Platte. Flows below Cheesman remain at 59 cfs. Through Decker’s & Trumbull, we’ve got about the same! Don’t let that “Below Brush Creek”’gauging station report fool ya! That thing is consistently 12-15 cfs. OFF!, I must say, it’s been a pretty good couple of days, all in the Canyon! Success came with a variety of bugs! The size #24, black beauty, #24 Rainbow Warrior, #16 micro-leech (Brown), Size#24 Red Rojo-Midge, and a size #30, YES #30, Top Secret midge. Also, most of my time was spent well above the Ice Box and Family Pools. Target the actively feeding fish in the deeper runs and fish that are hanging out on shelves and drop-offs. That’s all for now folks! Hope to see you out there on the river soon!
Chef Chris
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January 16, 2019 Cheesman Canyon Fishing Update
Fishing Conditions, fishing report, hiking, Rules and Regulations[ngg src=”galleries” ids=”13″ display=”basic_thumbnail”]Hey Folks!
Finally getting back to good health and regular fishing! Here’s the latest on Cheesman Canyon, simply from my perspective! In the last five or six days, flows have remained around 60 cfs. below the dam, with about 65 cfs through Decker’s. As usual this time of year, the clarity of the South Platte is excellent, with river temperatures in the upper 30’s to low 40’s. Outside temperatures in the mornings have been frigid folks! Make sure you layer up when fishing the Canyon, as the sun moves quick and your in the shade more than the sun! The lows in the morning are hovering around 0 at best! Best time to fish the Canyon is from about 11am-3pm, giving yourself plenty of time to hike the Gill trail, which currently is snow/slush packed, and can be slippery! Spending most of my time between the Emerald Pool and Family Hole, I was able to both nymph and dry fly fish for some fish that always seem to be sipping around the Ice box. These fish are not easy at all! The most success I’ve had in the last few weeks has come from finding fish that were feeding and working them until I figured out what they were keyed in on! Light tippet and stealth approach as been my focus, along with getting my bugs down where the fish are eating. As the water temperature cools and the metabolism of the fish slows, a perfect drift is what it takes to get these fish to take! Looking ahead to the rest of the week, we’re looking at a high 0f 52 tomorrow, with a cold front coming in late Thursday, which could bring some snow to the Decker’s area. On the information side of things, I would like to point out that as I’ve been driving around the popular areas to fish in the Decker’s area, I’ve noticed quite a bit of illegal, and frankly, DANGEROUS PARKING! Please, my fellow Anglers and outdoor enthusiast, ONLY park in the areas along highways 67 and the YMCA road, in designated areas! These are pretty clear folks! Anywhere you see a brown sign, with the letter “P” along the pullouts on these roads, that’s where you park! NOT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD! Perhaps this is ignorance or just plain stupidity, but if you see a car that’s parked illegally, snap a picture of the plates and send it to the Douglas county or Jefferson County Sheriff’s departments. As a resident of the area and part-time road cyclist, this is a practice that is going to get people killed! That’s it for today folks! Hope to see you out there on the river soon!
Chris
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