[Best_Wordpress_Gallery id=”104″ gal_title=”Nov.20/21 thanksgiving monday”]
Hi there my friends!
Getting right to the current South Platte River conditions, let’s take a look at the flows. Below the dam at Cheesman, were at 49.6 (cfs), with Decker’s and Trumbull at approximately 55-60(cfs). Clarity is improving, but with the low levels you’re bound to be cleaning your flies quite often! Space on the river has been plentiful, as the first season snow kept a few people away, allowing for some excellent choices of prime holes to fish over the last couple of days. With that being said, when I did fish, I spent the last two days fishing from Nighthawk to Decker’s. Sight fishing at times, running nymph rigs through faster, shallower water at others, I was able to catch several fish in each location with just a few tosses of my selected set-up. Using my standard of late, the three-fly nymph rig, with an attractor egg, followed with a rainbow warrior, trailing a BWO-emerger, I did well. On the dry side of things, it wasn’t so simple yesterday, but this evening was my best out of the last two on the dry flies, as I was able to catch about 6 fish on two different set-ups. The first deal that worked was the single, size #22 parachute, thrown upstream and diagonal to some sipping fish on a bubble line, and the other successful dry combination was the BWO, with another bug, a small grey rs-2, trailing about 14 inches behind the BWO. Another couple of smaller bugs worth mentioning that have been working well for me have been the red and black zebra midge, bead-headed rojo midge, and the purple juju. All of these flies and more can be found at Flies & Lies, stop in and stock up on their full selection. Another bug that I hadn’t used in a week or two was the Chocolate Thunder. Unfortunately, the only one that I had I ended up swimming away with the big brown that bro me off! Well, that’s it for the update my friends. Hoping to head out tomorrow to do some fishing downstream, near the Platte River Campground. For more information about all the campgrounds in our area, visit http://www.reserveamerica.com. Today’s picture gallery is a few from the last couple of days, plus some very special shots of a new friend and young biologist in the making, Evelyn! The two of us were on a science mission today to turn over some rocks and identify what’s in the river. Hopefully by tomorrow we’ll have them all identified and we’ll share our results! In the meantime, enjoy the pictures!
Dec. 3, 2016 Decker’s fishing report and update
fishing report[Best_Wordpress_Gallery id=”105″ gal_title=”dec.3 2016 Snow and midges flows around 70″]
Seasons Greetings my Friends!
Welcome back to my river conditions update and fishing report! If you’re reading my blog for the first time, welcome! I’ll be returning the comment section to the blog in the near future, until then, please feel free to email me direct at chefchris@livedeckerscolorado.com. We’re going on about our 13 day of our current flow around 70 (cfs) through Decker’s/Trumbull, with 64 (cfs) just below the dam at Cheesman. Water temps are quite chilly, as I took a reading of 39 this morning in Trumbull. The clarity has improved, but because the flows are low and nymphing is the technique of choice these days, be prepared to clean your bugs pretty regularly. I’ve done some fishing the last two days and have had pretty good success on the small midges and a few fish were taken on a dry, with an emerger about 14 inches behind. As I’ve noticed in the past, when a cold front accompanied with snow settles in the valley, the fish tend to really go after the grey colored bugs! With this in mind, the RS-2 was the bug of choice on Friday, as my initial efforts with the olive and the black bead head proved unappealing to the fish! Continuing with focusing on the faster, shallower runs, we caught most fish in less than a foot and a half of water. There were a couple of fish that were taken off of a shelf and in a deeper pool, but only after making an adjustment to the strike indicator and adding additional weight. With the pretty frigid temperatures in the morning, there’s no hurry to rush out and get cold quick! Focus on the spots that are getting sun, as the fish are generally more active in these areas. Two more days of average temperatures before the big cool down, so be sure to dress for the wind and the cold! Looking for a cabin for the evening or the weekend? Stop in and see Bob or Phyllis at the Decker’s Country Store, or visit them at http://www.southplatterivercabins.com. That’s all for now my friends! If you don’t see me on the river, stop in to Zoka’s Restaurant in Pine Grove, and say hello! Have a great evening!
Chris
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Dec. 01 2016 Fishing Report Decker’s
Fishing Conditions, fishing reportGreetings my friends!
It’s been another cold morning here in Decker’s, but the sun is shining and it’s starting to warm up! Flows remain below 100 (cfs), with 62.5 below the dam and flows through Decker’s/Trumbull are around 70. The fishing has been pretty good for the last two days, as I have covered some water from Bridge Crossing, upstream to the Lone Rock Campground area. With the cooler temperatures, I’ve been sticking mostly to shallower, sun-lit water where the fish have been more active and feeding on smaller midges. I have thrown the occasional streamer, the Olive Wooley-Bugger, to be specific, with good success in the drop offs and deeper pools. Most the fish picked up with the streamer were caught at the end of the dead drift, with just a few jigs of the bug. Other’s were caught as soon as the bug hit the water! Some of the midges that worked over the last few days for me were the red zebra, Mercury Black-Beauty, and the WD-40(olive). Heading into the weekend, we’re expecting a front to come through tomorrow, dropping the daytime high on Friday to 32 degrees. The weekend looks good with plenty of sunshine and temperatures in the upper 40’s. Heading out in just a few to do some nymphing! Below are few pictures of some of bugs that have been working for me. That’s all for today my friends! More to come soon!
Chris
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Nov.29 2016 Decker’s Fishing Update
fishing reportHey Folks!
Sorry about the absence, been busy with the holiday and XMAS tree cutting! We’ll just leave it at that, ok? Alrighty then, here we are with the current conditions. With continual flows under 100 through Decker’s and Trumbull and excellent clarity, I’ve been doing some sight nyphing, both in shallow and deeper runs. The crowds have been small, the bwo’s are still coming off throughout the day, and the weather looks pretty decent, except for some wind, until Friday. The fishing has been productive, focusing on the smaller bugs and fishing mostly faster water. Before the wind starts to kick up, I’m going to head out now and fish! I’ll be back later with the full bug selection that hopefully catches the fish. Meanwhile, if you’re considering a trip to Decker’s area, or if you already have been here, be sure to stop in and see the guys at Flies and Lies to “hook” you up with everything you’ll need for a great day on the South Platte! Catch ya later my friends! Going to get the big one!
Chris
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Nov.25 2016 Decker’s fishing and events update
Fishing Conditions, fishing reportHappy Thanksiving Weekend!
No time to waste my friends, so let’s get to the Decker’s update! After the week or so of fl0ws in the upper 40’s, we’ve had a minor increase and we are now back at 62.5 (cfs) below the Dam, with a flow of 89 (cfs) posted for Trumbull. Flows through Decker’s are in the 65-70 range. Fishing continues to be pretty good, with BWO’S coming off throughout the day. Busy with friends and family over the holiday, I haven’t found much time to get out and fish myself, but I have been watching the fish from the banks and observing the rise, as it seems to be occurring almost religiously from about 11:00-3:00! If you’re up for fishing the dry-flies, be sure to cover lots of water and look for rising fish sipping on the BWO-duns that have been literally blanketing the surface. On the nymphing side of things, I’ve been working the faster riffles and drop-off runs with good success on the red zebra, miracle midge, chocolate thunder, and a black, bead-headed rojo-midge. It’s pretty chilly up here right now, currently 24, as I write this at 8:30 in the morning! Warming up today, with plenty of sunshine and average temps in the mid 50’s. If you are need of flies, gear, guidance, or just some general information about the local fishing in Decker’s, be sure to stop in and see the folks at FLIES AND LIES or visit them at http://www.flies-n-lies.com. Also, a note for those that are cutting XMAS Trees in the Pike National Forest today, here is the link to all the current information. Visit http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/psicc/passes-permits/forestproducts/?cid=fseprd519650 That’s all for today my friends! Until next time, have a great holiday weekend and I hope to see you on the river soon!
Chris
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Nov. 20 & 21, 2016 Decker’s Fishing Update
Fishing Conditions, fishing report[Best_Wordpress_Gallery id=”104″ gal_title=”Nov.20/21 thanksgiving monday”]
Hi there my friends!
Getting right to the current South Platte River conditions, let’s take a look at the flows. Below the dam at Cheesman, were at 49.6 (cfs), with Decker’s and Trumbull at approximately 55-60(cfs). Clarity is improving, but with the low levels you’re bound to be cleaning your flies quite often! Space on the river has been plentiful, as the first season snow kept a few people away, allowing for some excellent choices of prime holes to fish over the last couple of days. With that being said, when I did fish, I spent the last two days fishing from Nighthawk to Decker’s. Sight fishing at times, running nymph rigs through faster, shallower water at others, I was able to catch several fish in each location with just a few tosses of my selected set-up. Using my standard of late, the three-fly nymph rig, with an attractor egg, followed with a rainbow warrior, trailing a BWO-emerger, I did well. On the dry side of things, it wasn’t so simple yesterday, but this evening was my best out of the last two on the dry flies, as I was able to catch about 6 fish on two different set-ups. The first deal that worked was the single, size #22 parachute, thrown upstream and diagonal to some sipping fish on a bubble line, and the other successful dry combination was the BWO, with another bug, a small grey rs-2, trailing about 14 inches behind the BWO. Another couple of smaller bugs worth mentioning that have been working well for me have been the red and black zebra midge, bead-headed rojo midge, and the purple juju. All of these flies and more can be found at Flies & Lies, stop in and stock up on their full selection. Another bug that I hadn’t used in a week or two was the Chocolate Thunder. Unfortunately, the only one that I had I ended up swimming away with the big brown that bro me off! Well, that’s it for the update my friends. Hoping to head out tomorrow to do some fishing downstream, near the Platte River Campground. For more information about all the campgrounds in our area, visit http://www.reserveamerica.com. Today’s picture gallery is a few from the last couple of days, plus some very special shots of a new friend and young biologist in the making, Evelyn! The two of us were on a science mission today to turn over some rocks and identify what’s in the river. Hopefully by tomorrow we’ll have them all identified and we’ll share our results! In the meantime, enjoy the pictures!
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