[Best_Wordpress_Gallery id=”135″ gal_title=”March 20, flow bump from 90 to 160″]
Good Evening and Welcome to Spring!
Hey folks, welcome back to the most up to date report on the South Platte, Decker’s! We’ve got lots to talk about this evening. Since my last update, their have been quite a few changes in our conditions. Let’s start with the weather. For the last five days or so, it’s been pretty darn hot! Temperatures in the valley have reached the low 70’s, dramatically increasing our fire danger! Please be sure to check out the Daily Fire Update, located at the top of this page. Rain and snow mix will be moving in on Thursday, but temperatures will be in the upper 60’s/low 70’s, with partly cloudy skies. Ok, with the weather done, let’s talk about how it’s all going to affect the fish and what I’m anticipating. First, we saw an increase in the flow yesterday, then again today, putting us here in Trumbull/Decker’s at 160 (cfs). This has done a few things to the current river and fishing situation. With this significant increase in flow, we’ve seen a big increase in the amount of moss that’s been released from the rocks and the river bottom. This doesn’t do much to the fish, but it can become a pain in the butt at times. With the increase in the flow the fish most definitely were hanging down deeper. I spent the first ten minutes this morning throwing the exact same rig that was on my pole last night when I came in from fishing. With today’s increase, my two-split shot weight was not getting my flies down where the fish were hanging out. This always happens when we see such a large jump in the flow. No problem, I simply added two more split shots, tossed my set once into a bubble line, and just like that I was hooked up on a nice 15 inch brown! I’m no pro by no means, but I can’t stress enough the importance of adding enough weight to your flies. I spent lots of time tying on new bugs, moving away from feeding fish, and even switching from nymphing to dry-fly fishing for no reason! So, don’t be afraid of adding those splits! For the last four days, I’ve been getting out on the river at about 8:30 or 9 o’clock. Each morning, except for today, I mostly fished dry flies, catching lots of fish on a small Adams, along with a BWO, and I even trailed a purple juju baetis that floated just below the surface, which ended up taking quite a few fish. After the morning hatch of small midges and bwo’s, it was back to nymphing. Again, with the flow increase, today’s top bugs of choice, which proved effective, were the black Slump Buster, Cranefly, and Pat’s Rubber legs. All the fish that were caught on this bug, were larger than 15 inches! As I moved around the river today, covering a few runs that have been previously un-fishable for the last few months, I tried a variety of midges and emergers, catching fish with the grey Rs-2 and the yellow Barr’s Emerger. As we get further into spring and closer to the run-off season, there are a few things I would like to mention, some pertaining to safety, others referring to etiquette. First, I would like to remind everyone about the FIRE danger. Please refrain from smoking (anything) when you are on the river bank, as the willows and river grasses are extremely dry and flammable. Second, please park in designated areas only! Anywhere you find a brown sign with the letter “P” you can park for free. If you see a “fee area” that’s exactly what it means! You must pay the fee to park, or you will receive a pretty hefty fine. Please do no use private driveways, mailbox banks, or any other non-public access open spaces to park your car while fishing. Most private areas are clearly marked, so please be respectful to those property owners. That’s all for today folks! Today’s gallery is from the last week or so from around the house! Have a great evening and I hope to see you on the river soon.
Chris
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April 7, 2017 Fishing Report-Decker’s, Colorado
Cabin Rentals, camping, Fishing Conditions, fishing report[Best_Wordpress_Gallery id=”137″ gal_title=”April 7, 2017 10 hour fish day 7 day absence”]
Good Evening Everyone!
Great to be back reporting to you, after an epic seven days of fishing! Let’s get you up to speed, the flow’s through Decker’s/Trumbull are currently at 125 (cfs), 118 below Cheesman Dam. The weather is absolutely beautiful and the fishing is on fire, NOT THE FOREST! Please be sure to check the “Current Fire Status” link, located above this blog. Since the last snowfall, the clarity of the river has improved dramatically and it’s running gin clear in most places along the South Platte. The fish have been in full feeding mode for the last few days, with conditions almost perfect for great day on the river. With the Blue-winged Olives and midges coming off at all times during the day, you have to be prepared with a second rod, or be quick with the tying, because the hatch has been there, but extremely unpredictable when it goes off! Most of my fishing over the last ten days has been in the Trumbull area, but I’ve also been working several areas along the river, from the Lone Rock Camp Ground area, downriver to the confluence. With the great weather and excellent fishing, combined with all the growth of the front range communities, we’ve seen an increase in the amount of Angler’s present! So, if you’re expecting to have the river to yourself, you may want to consider fishing one of the other less populated rivers along the front range. Thinking of spending some time in the valley? If you’re planning an overnight stay or just want to hang out for the day, visit the “THINGS TO DO” page, along with the “SERVICES” page, to book your accommodations or even a guided fishing trip! Getting back to the fishing, I’ve had the most success with the grey RS-2. Hands down, this bug has probably caught more than 100 fish over the last ten days! Most of the time I was using a three fly nymph rig, with a yellow/brown Pat’s Rubber Legs and trailing two of those grey RS-2’s. Adjusting the weight and the strike indicator was pretty much all the adjustments I had to make, aside from the occasional “lost bug” mostly due to the trout destroying them after about catching 10 fish! It seems as if the bigger fish that we have been catching have been feeding on shelves, riffles, and faster moving water. Not to say that I haven’t had the 17 rainbow destroy a Adams on a 6x tippet in still to slow moving water, but we’ve really been seeing the big boys taking the “meat” like the Pat’s and leeches in the faster moving water. On the midge and nymph end of things, we’ve been using a couple of bugs such as the Chocolate Thunder, juju baetis, mercury black beauty, red zebra, olive and grey WD-40’s, and the Disco midge. When the fish are feeding that aggressively on the surface, they’ll pretty much hit on any emerger just below the surface. Without naming names, there’s a certain local I know that refuses to use the “Rainbow Warrior”. When I asked him why he doesn’t approve of such a productive bug, he simply responded with, ” it’s a dis-honor to the trout to present that bug in front of them” Made me laugh, shoot me a message if you think you may know who it may be! I mention this because the Rainbow Warrior could’t miss for about an hour straight yesterday! Looking ahead to the weekend, the weather continues to look good with a mix of sunshine and clouds over the next two days. Only a 10% chance of rain on Saturday night, with high temps in the low 60’s for both Saturday and Sunday. That’s all I’ve got for today my friends. Hope you enjoy the picture gallery and few shots from our latest adventures! Stay tuned as I embark on my next journey and head to the Cheesman Canyon, to begin a new job, do a little cooking, and spend the summer fishing the beautiful South Platte River! Hope to see you on the river soon!
Chris
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March 27, 2017 Decker’s Fishing Update
Fishing Conditions, fishing report[Best_Wordpress_Gallery id=”136″ gal_title=”march 27 2017 up to 160 back to 83 4 days”]
Good Evening!
Hello Folks, back with another update on the fishing here in Decker’s! Lot’s of changes taking place, as we head into April. In the last week we’ve seen two bumps in the flow, finally saw some moisture in the form of some snow, and the fishing has been pretty darn fabulous for a couple of weeks! The weather for the week ahead looks pretty dreary, with rain and snow showers forecast for tomorrow, with another system moving in for the weekend. Flows currently through Decker’s are at about 85 (cfs), with 83 (cfs) below Cheesman Dam. After the two flow bumps we saw before the weekend, things have settled back down and the clarity has improved. We are starting to see the return of the BWO’S, with hatches coming off in the morning and the evenings, hopefully we’ll see this for a couple of more weeks. Been picking up lots of fish with a double-fly rig of a size 20 olive, trailing a gnat or even another blue-wing. While nymphing, my lead bug has been mostly a Pat’s Rubber legs or a black Slump Buster. Yes, the Slump Buster is typically thrown by itself as a small streamer, but I’ve been pulling some pretty big browns on this bug when using it as my indicator bug. Other indicator bugs that have pulled fish have been stone flies, leeches, and crane flies. The two bugs on the bottom getting in done for me lately have been the grey and tan RS-2, olive and grey WD-40, rojo midge, barr’s emerger, blue and purple juju midge, disco midge, black zebra, chocolate thunder, and red tube midge. With the good weather and great fishing conditions, the Decker’s area has been pretty crowded. Keep in mind that there is plenty of good fishing downstream from the Decker’s Resort. Just follow Platte River Road for the 12 miles down to the confluence of the middle and north forks of the South Platte. The fish downstream are just as hungry and don’t see as much pressure as the fish near the resort and bridge area. Just park anywhere you see a brown “P” sign, being sure to respect private property and driveways. If you are just visiting Decker’s for the day and don’t have your gear, don’t panic! The good folks at FLIES AND LIES have got everything you need for a day on the South Platte River! Waders, boots, fishing license, and all the gear can be rented for the day, including a cozy cabin on the river! Check them out at http://www.flies-n-lies.com for more information on prices and availability! That’s all for now my friends! Hope to see you out there on the river soon!
Chris
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Fishing Report-Decker’s, CO March 20, 2017
fishing report[Best_Wordpress_Gallery id=”135″ gal_title=”March 20, flow bump from 90 to 160″]
Good Evening and Welcome to Spring!
Hey folks, welcome back to the most up to date report on the South Platte, Decker’s! We’ve got lots to talk about this evening. Since my last update, their have been quite a few changes in our conditions. Let’s start with the weather. For the last five days or so, it’s been pretty darn hot! Temperatures in the valley have reached the low 70’s, dramatically increasing our fire danger! Please be sure to check out the Daily Fire Update, located at the top of this page. Rain and snow mix will be moving in on Thursday, but temperatures will be in the upper 60’s/low 70’s, with partly cloudy skies. Ok, with the weather done, let’s talk about how it’s all going to affect the fish and what I’m anticipating. First, we saw an increase in the flow yesterday, then again today, putting us here in Trumbull/Decker’s at 160 (cfs). This has done a few things to the current river and fishing situation. With this significant increase in flow, we’ve seen a big increase in the amount of moss that’s been released from the rocks and the river bottom. This doesn’t do much to the fish, but it can become a pain in the butt at times. With the increase in the flow the fish most definitely were hanging down deeper. I spent the first ten minutes this morning throwing the exact same rig that was on my pole last night when I came in from fishing. With today’s increase, my two-split shot weight was not getting my flies down where the fish were hanging out. This always happens when we see such a large jump in the flow. No problem, I simply added two more split shots, tossed my set once into a bubble line, and just like that I was hooked up on a nice 15 inch brown! I’m no pro by no means, but I can’t stress enough the importance of adding enough weight to your flies. I spent lots of time tying on new bugs, moving away from feeding fish, and even switching from nymphing to dry-fly fishing for no reason! So, don’t be afraid of adding those splits! For the last four days, I’ve been getting out on the river at about 8:30 or 9 o’clock. Each morning, except for today, I mostly fished dry flies, catching lots of fish on a small Adams, along with a BWO, and I even trailed a purple juju baetis that floated just below the surface, which ended up taking quite a few fish. After the morning hatch of small midges and bwo’s, it was back to nymphing. Again, with the flow increase, today’s top bugs of choice, which proved effective, were the black Slump Buster, Cranefly, and Pat’s Rubber legs. All the fish that were caught on this bug, were larger than 15 inches! As I moved around the river today, covering a few runs that have been previously un-fishable for the last few months, I tried a variety of midges and emergers, catching fish with the grey Rs-2 and the yellow Barr’s Emerger. As we get further into spring and closer to the run-off season, there are a few things I would like to mention, some pertaining to safety, others referring to etiquette. First, I would like to remind everyone about the FIRE danger. Please refrain from smoking (anything) when you are on the river bank, as the willows and river grasses are extremely dry and flammable. Second, please park in designated areas only! Anywhere you find a brown sign with the letter “P” you can park for free. If you see a “fee area” that’s exactly what it means! You must pay the fee to park, or you will receive a pretty hefty fine. Please do no use private driveways, mailbox banks, or any other non-public access open spaces to park your car while fishing. Most private areas are clearly marked, so please be respectful to those property owners. That’s all for today folks! Today’s gallery is from the last week or so from around the house! Have a great evening and I hope to see you on the river soon.
Chris
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March 15, 2017 Fishing Report, Decker’s Colorado
camping, Fishing Conditions, fishing reportHey Everyone!
Back from my annual trip to South Florida for MLB Spring Training 2017! Funny, the high temperature here today in Decker’s was actually about 10 degrees warmer than Clearwater Beach, Florida the last two days I was there! More on the upcoming weather a little later, but let’s talk about the river a little bit. Flows below the Cheesman dam remain unchanged at 90.2 (cfs), with about the same through Decker’s and Trumbull. Clarity seems to be a little bit off, as I took a walk this afternoon upstream from the Decker’s Resort towards Lone Rock Campground, and notice that the faster moving water was a bit cloudier since I left on Friday of last week. Tomorrow is looking like another warm day, with mostly sunny skies and high temperature of 67 expected for Decker’s! Just a heads up folks, with all the warm weather a great fishing, there have been an increased amount of Anglers around the Decker’s and Trumbull areas. Please be careful driving, put the cell phone away, IT DOESN’T WORK! We’ve already seen two near fatal accidents this early in the season, and if the weather remains dry, look for increased traffic through the South Platte River Valley. Please use caution along river road, as this route is commonly used not only by myself and others as a cycling route, but there is heavy foot traffic, as well as wildlife along the roadside. After tomorrow’s outing, I’ll have a complete update on the bugs that are getting it done, plus an update on the conditions, to include the latest on the Jefferson County Burn Ban. Please check the daily fire update located at the beginning of the blog page, if you’re planning a trip to the Decker’s area to camp, as you will not be allowed to have a camp fire! I’ll be spending most of Thursday morning out on the river early, as I’m expecting an early dry-fly hatch of midges, as the temperatures are rising quickly when the sun comes over the range! That’s all for now my friends! Hope to see you on the river soon!
Chris
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March 11, 2017 Fishing Report, Decker’s, Colorado
Fishing Conditions, fishing report[Best_Wordpress_Gallery id=”134″ gal_title=”March 11, 2017 Sitting in TAMPA airport”]
Good Morning!
Holy Spring my friends! Snowiest month of the year, MY BUTT! Feels like an early spring for sure my friends! Alright! before I update you on what’s going on with the fish, let’s talk a little about the current conditions and the upcoming weekend, shall we? Today looks pretty good my friends, with partly sunny skies and a high of 54! Good news here people, the 60 and 70 mile per hour wind gusts days are behind us, at least for a couple of days that is! High temperatures for the upcoming week are looking pretty normal, with highs in the mid to upper 50’s for today and tomorrow, with a high of 64 on Monday! It’s looking pretty dry for the next ten days, with minimal precipitation forecast for the South Platte Valley. Ok, now for the river update! Flows remain unchanged since the bump last week. Currently, below Cheesman Dam, we’re at 90 (cfs), with a slightly higher flow through Decker’s and Trumbull, coming in this morning at 95 (cfs). Clarity is fantastic, “Gin” clear from the Canyon to the confluence. Water temperatures have been consistently 39-41 degrees in Trumbull/Decker’s. Ok, with all of that out of the way, let’s talk a little bit about what’s happening with the fish! Mother nature is certainly hard at work this time of year, as we have seen the early return of the BWO hatch, along with several nice morning hatches of midges that have really been turning the fish on early the last couple of days. Wednesday through Friday this week, I was in the river no later than 8:30 each morning, as the dry-fly action was non-stop from about 8:30-noon! Tossing a double-dry rig, made up of a single BWO, trailing a variety of emergers, we caught fish after fish, as the water has been a flurry of activity during these prolific early spring hatches! Not to worry, when the hatch subsides, it’s back to highly productive nymphing, with fish being taken with a variety of smaller midges and some baetis patterns! Up top, it’s been the San Juan Worm, Pat’s rubber legs, leech patterns, and I even took a nice cut-bow on a yellow egg pattern. Some of my favorites that have been doing the trick lately on my bottom bug have been the Chocolate Thunder, orange(fire) midge, Mercury Black-Beauty, olive and grey WD-40, Sparkle wing RS-2, Miracle Midge, and a clear bead head Rojo Midge. This is what I’ve got for today my friends! Looking into the weekend, it’s most likely going to be pretty crowded around the Decker’s Resort area and upstream towards Lone Rock Campground. With that being said, skip the crowds and get some solitude! Plenty of fantastic opportunities to try your luck downstream on some fish that don’t see as much pressure as the fish around Decker’s and the more popular areas! Honestly folks, follow the guides, they consistently will take clients downstream vs. the Decker’s Resort and upstream areas. Speaking of guides! If you’re new to the sport, or like me, and just want to break some bad habits, book a trip today with FLIES AND LIES, http://www.flies-n-lies.com. Whether you’re up for a full or half-day trip, these guys will get you on the fish! They are fun, knowledgeable, and professionals at the sport of fly-fishing! Also, if you’re interested in renting some gear for a day out on the river by yourself or with some friends, they’ve got you covered with a great line of rental gear and equipment for a day on the South Platte River, Decker’s, Colorado. Have a great day my friends and I hope to see you out there on the river soon!
Chris
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