[Best_Wordpress_Gallery id=”116″ gal_title=”Dec.30 Christmas week 2016″]
Hey folks!
Welcome back from the Christmas break! Been real busy on the river and catching lots of BIG FISH!! Let’s get you updated on the current river conditions and then we’ll dive into the good stuff! The flow has been fluctuating since Christmas, when we saw a drop in the flow, with a second drop on the 28th. Currently, below the Cheesman Dam, we’ve got 58 (cfs) and about 65 through Decker’s/Trumbull. Water temperature is right at 41, with good clarity and not much moss to deal with over the last four or five days. As far as the weather goes, it’s been a little windy, cold in the mornings, but with plenty of sunshine and moderate high temperatures for the day ranging from 30-50 degrees by mid-afternoon. Looking ahead to the weekend, we’ve got warmer temperatures for today, upwards to 50, then dropping to the low 40’s for the rest of the weekend. Now! What do we do with all of this information? Read on!
Ok, after living on the South Platte River, here in Decker’s/Trumbull for almost three years now, I’ve started to pick up on a few things that have actually been present the entire time, I just wasn’t paying attention! Let’s start with the most simple of topics, “what are the fish eating” There are several hatch charts available for both the state of Colorado, and more specifically, the South Platte River Basin, but most Anglers simply pass up the obvious resource available to them, their own small net and some basic “bug knowledge.” After taking an Etymology course via http://thecatchandthehatch.com , the ability to recognize and identify what’s in the river has become instrumental in my newfound success! I highly recommend taking this course, as you will greatly improve your knowledge of the basic fly groups and be able to easily identify what the trout are eating wherever you may be fishing. Next on my epiphany list has been the ability to locate “where the fish are feeding.” This has been mostly trial and error with the approach being, how far off the bottom are the fish feeding, and where are my flies? Making adjustments to the strike indicator, adding additional weight, or simply paying a little more attention to the weight of the upper two bugs on my rig has contributed greatly to my success, especially with bigger fish! Every angler knows that tide, water temperature, light level and moon phase can affect our fishing success, but there’s another factor that often goes overlooked. Although barometric pressure can’t be predicted as accurately as the other elements just mentioned, it has a major influence on fish behavior. I found a pretty neat article about this, you can read it here by following the link https://weather.com/sports-recreation/fishing/news/fishing-barometer-20120328. Now, with all that being said, I’ll let you know what’s been working for us lately! Hands down, the RS-2, WD-40, Mercury Flash Back Midge, and jujubee Midges have been just killing it! Yesterday, we also had good success with the Lightning Bug Midge, and my buddy Ike’s favorite, and what he likes to call, “the Red-Headed Step Child” We’ve had 20-30 fish days for the last four or five outings, with some fish exceeding 22 inches! Yesterday, the brown trout seemed to be the aggressors, but we did pick up several large Rainbow and Cut-Bow Trout as well! Fishing the shelves, deeper pools and run-offs with heavier nymph rigs have proven to be highly successful all day long! The fish haven’t really been getting active until about 10:30/11 each morning, but when they’ve turned on, the action has been hot! The areas around the Decker’s resort area have seen a little more pressure these last two days, and today will probably be more of the same with all the new gear received for Christmas! Remember! there’s plenty of good fishing downstream from Decker’s! That’s all for now folks! Lot’s of great pictures in today’s picture gallery, so be sure to check them out! Just a reminder, be sure to check out The Fly Fishing Show, being held at the Denver Merchandise Mart on January 6-8! Here’s the link,http://flyfishingshow.com/denver-co/.
Have a great day!
Chris
January 8, 2017 Frozen Fishing Report
Fishing Conditions, fishing report[Best_Wordpress_Gallery id=”119″ gal_title=”January 8, ice flows and 65 cfs”]
Howdy Folks!
Welcome to the frozen tundra, otherwise know as Decker’s! It’s been a river of ice the last few days, but sun’s finally warming things up and the big thaw has begun! Due to my current rib injury, I’m not able to fish right now, so I’m mostly observing things and watching the wildlife these days! That doesn’t meant that what I’ve got to say is less important, it’s just a little different than what your used to getting from me! Alright then, the current flow through Decker’s/Trumbull is about 60-65 (cfs). Please keep in mind that if you are getting the flow reading off of the USGS website, this monitoring stations has been giving all kinds of wacky readings! most likely due to the ice built up around the sensors. I promise you, it’s not flowing at 1,750 cfs, as the station was indicating the other day. Typically, aside from run-off season and heavy periods of precipitation, Decker’s/Trumbull flows are usually about 10-15 cfs above the reading just below Cheesman Dam. With that being said, I’ve been sticking to a standard three-fly nymph rig, with either an egg or San Juan worm, following the two smaller midges. Prior to my rib injury I was having great success with the juju(black, red, blue)bead-headed Rojo midge and mercury flashback midge. And please, if your going to put one fly on your line when your up here, make it the grey RS-2! The next couple of days look to be in the mid 40’s with partly cloudy skies and a bit breezy! Look for that grey RS-2 or WD-40 to be on fire! All of these bugs and more can be found right in Decker’s at Flies and Lies, open daily from 8am-3pm. Visit them at http://www.flies-n-lies.com for more information on Cabin rentals and guided trips! These guys area experts on the South Platte and you won’t be disappointed with your decision to book a full or half day trip! Today’s gallery will highlight the ice flows and show you a little bit of what’s happening up here right now! Until next time, have a great day and I hope to see you on the river soon!
Chris
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Jan.4 2017 Decker’s Fishing Update
Fishing Conditions, fishing report[Best_Wordpress_Gallery id=”118″ gal_title=”Jan 4 storm rolling in 73 cfs midges midges”]
Welcome Back Friends!
The mercury is falling fast, along with the snowflakes! Good evening everyone and welcome to the latest update on the current conditions here in Decker’s and Trumbull. Flows remain the same for the seventh day, with flows around 73 (cfs) through Decker’s/Trumbull. River temperature is at 41, and the clarity is good! However, with the low levels and going deep anyway, you’re bound to be cleaning your bugs throughout the day. Snow is starting to come down a little heavier now and it’s looking like we’re in for about a foot of fresh powder here in the valley. Combined with accumulating snow, we’re also going to see sub zero temperatures overnight, so act accordingly! As I mentioned in my last blog, I’m out of fishing commission for just a bit longer, as I heal from some bruised ribs! I’m sure many of you will be attending the Fly Fishing Show, be safe as the weather does not look good for travel! For more information on this event, please visit http://flyfishingshow.com/denver-co/. Not many new fish pictures to share today, but there are a few shots of the Lone Rock Campground area of the river, along with some nice shots of Pikes Peak, with the storm rolling in! That’s all for now folks. Have a great evening and I hope to see you on the river soon.
Chris
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January 1, 2016 Eagles and Fishing
Fishing Conditions, fishing report[Best_Wordpress_Gallery id=”117″ gal_title=”Jan 1 2017 eagles and flows at 75″]
Happy New Year Everyone!
Good evening and here we go with the update! South Platte’s flowing through Decker’s/Trumbull this evening at about 75 (cfs). Water temperature is at 41 degrees, with good clarity and not much moss to deal with at all. With a drop in the flow the other day, things have changed yet again. With the deeper pools filling up with fish, but from what I’ve noticed, the bigger fish seem to hang around the bottom. This doesn’t mean that you won’t get one to take your midge or nymph in the middle of the water column, or even off the surface for that matter, but I’ve had much better success by going deep and keeping my flies both closer together and closer to the bottom! Warm temperatures today and the holiday brought out the Anglers on the South Platte today, but believe me, the businesses in the Decker’s Resort Mall surely appreciate your patronage, especially during the off-season. With that being said, don’t forget that both FLIES AND LIES http://www.flies-n-lies.com and the DECKER’S COUNTRY STORE http://www.southplatterivercabins.com have daily and weekly cabins available year round! Please visit each website for cabin descriptions and rates.
One of the joys of fishing in the Decker’s area day after day, season after season, has to be the accumulated knowledge of the fish behavior as it relates to weather and the river flow. Since, in my opinion, these are the two factors that affect the fish the most on a day to day basis, I have been paying considerable attention to documenting both the weather and flow for the last 7 months. It’s not that I’ve gone and figured out something extraordinary or solved any great mystery, I’ve just made a few notes of some repeated fish behavior when the weather was changing, applied that knowledge to the imitation food source I was providing, a.k.a “my bugs” and where I was presenting this fine offering to the trout. Flow increases tend to send the fish down towards the bottom and also to the banks when the flow increase is due to things like heavy rain, spring run-off, feeder creek activity and so forth. Reason being I believe, is that when the run-off and spring rains release worms and other yummy organisms from the river bank, the trout hang close to the source of the food. River flow also will change how the current will flow through a particular section of the river. For example, when the flow through the section of river behind my house is above about 120 (cfs), the swirling eddy on the backside of the river doesn’t typically come into play and won’t affect your drift through the strike zone. However, when the flow drops below 120 (cfs) that very eddy may gain the ability to capture your drifting strike indicator with force field like strength, causing an unnatural drift that is sure to blow your cover! It’s little things like this that have improved my fishing. Simply by observing what information the river is offering me for free in plain sight, combined with a little bit of basic Etymology, you too can become a better fly-fisher-person in just a short period of time. A great course that I highly recommend can be found THE CATCH AND THE HATCH http://www.thecatchandthehatch.com. I hope some of these tips and observations that I’m sharing with you help you in your quest to catch more fish! Remember though, I’m only here to provide you a little insight as to what works for me! I am truly blessed to live in such a beautiful place we call the South Platte River Valley, Decker’s, Colorado!
Going forward for the next week or so, I’m going to try and focus more on the organisms and food sources currently present in the South Platte, along with blogging on the local wildlife that I will share in today’s picture gallery. I personally won’t be fishing for a week or two, as I have recently injured my ribs in a fall I took the other day! Today’s gallery has pictures of fresh eggs released by a cut-bow I caught the other day, local wildlife, including a majestic Bald Eagle I captured this morning as it was watching from high above! There are also a few great pictures of fish we’ve caught in the last week, and just some shots from life here in the valley. That’s all for now folks, hope to see you out there on the river soon and please help keep our river clean by picking up your trash when you leave!
Have a great New Year!
Chris
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Dec. 30, 2016 Decker’s fishing Report
fishing report[Best_Wordpress_Gallery id=”116″ gal_title=”Dec.30 Christmas week 2016″]
Hey folks!
Welcome back from the Christmas break! Been real busy on the river and catching lots of BIG FISH!! Let’s get you updated on the current river conditions and then we’ll dive into the good stuff! The flow has been fluctuating since Christmas, when we saw a drop in the flow, with a second drop on the 28th. Currently, below the Cheesman Dam, we’ve got 58 (cfs) and about 65 through Decker’s/Trumbull. Water temperature is right at 41, with good clarity and not much moss to deal with over the last four or five days. As far as the weather goes, it’s been a little windy, cold in the mornings, but with plenty of sunshine and moderate high temperatures for the day ranging from 30-50 degrees by mid-afternoon. Looking ahead to the weekend, we’ve got warmer temperatures for today, upwards to 50, then dropping to the low 40’s for the rest of the weekend. Now! What do we do with all of this information? Read on!
Ok, after living on the South Platte River, here in Decker’s/Trumbull for almost three years now, I’ve started to pick up on a few things that have actually been present the entire time, I just wasn’t paying attention! Let’s start with the most simple of topics, “what are the fish eating” There are several hatch charts available for both the state of Colorado, and more specifically, the South Platte River Basin, but most Anglers simply pass up the obvious resource available to them, their own small net and some basic “bug knowledge.” After taking an Etymology course via http://thecatchandthehatch.com , the ability to recognize and identify what’s in the river has become instrumental in my newfound success! I highly recommend taking this course, as you will greatly improve your knowledge of the basic fly groups and be able to easily identify what the trout are eating wherever you may be fishing. Next on my epiphany list has been the ability to locate “where the fish are feeding.” This has been mostly trial and error with the approach being, how far off the bottom are the fish feeding, and where are my flies? Making adjustments to the strike indicator, adding additional weight, or simply paying a little more attention to the weight of the upper two bugs on my rig has contributed greatly to my success, especially with bigger fish! Every angler knows that tide, water temperature, light level and moon phase can affect our fishing success, but there’s another factor that often goes overlooked. Although barometric pressure can’t be predicted as accurately as the other elements just mentioned, it has a major influence on fish behavior. I found a pretty neat article about this, you can read it here by following the link https://weather.com/sports-recreation/fishing/news/fishing-barometer-20120328. Now, with all that being said, I’ll let you know what’s been working for us lately! Hands down, the RS-2, WD-40, Mercury Flash Back Midge, and jujubee Midges have been just killing it! Yesterday, we also had good success with the Lightning Bug Midge, and my buddy Ike’s favorite, and what he likes to call, “the Red-Headed Step Child” We’ve had 20-30 fish days for the last four or five outings, with some fish exceeding 22 inches! Yesterday, the brown trout seemed to be the aggressors, but we did pick up several large Rainbow and Cut-Bow Trout as well! Fishing the shelves, deeper pools and run-offs with heavier nymph rigs have proven to be highly successful all day long! The fish haven’t really been getting active until about 10:30/11 each morning, but when they’ve turned on, the action has been hot! The areas around the Decker’s resort area have seen a little more pressure these last two days, and today will probably be more of the same with all the new gear received for Christmas! Remember! there’s plenty of good fishing downstream from Decker’s! That’s all for now folks! Lot’s of great pictures in today’s picture gallery, so be sure to check them out! Just a reminder, be sure to check out The Fly Fishing Show, being held at the Denver Merchandise Mart on January 6-8! Here’s the link,http://flyfishingshow.com/denver-co/.
Have a great day!
Chris
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December 25, 2016 Christmas Day!
fishing reportMerry Christmas Everyone!
Good Evening! I hope all of you are enjoying your day! If you’re coming up to fish the South Platte, we’ve seen a drop in the flow, with current flows of 70(cfs) below the dam at Cheesman, with about 85 through Decker’s/Trumbull. I’ll be back tomorrow with a fresh fishing report, river conditions update, and new picture gallery! I hope all of you have a very merry Christmas and happy new year!
Chris
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