[Best_Wordpress_Gallery id=”77″ gal_title=”october 16, 2016 99 cfs”]

Hello!

Another windy day up here on the South Platte River my friends! We had sustained winds today at about 14 mph, with some gusts approaching 50 or 60 mph!  Unable to resist the rising fish out my back yard,  I went out at about 9:30 this morning to try my luck on some sippers, but they were rather picky and not really that interested in what I had to offer! What a difference one day can make up here folks! Yesterday, it was non-stop rising action on dries and dry-dropper rigs, today it was a completely different story. First of all, we’ve seen another drop in the flow which has got the fish relocating to cooler and faster moving water. The faster water is more oxygenated, and if the fish are feeding, you’ll most likely have more success in the riffle. This doesn’t mean that you can’t catch fish in slow moving or still water, but you’ll certainly have more fun when you find out where the fish are feeding in the water column.   Currently, we are sitting a 99 (cfs) here in Trumbull, with a measly flow of 70 below the Cheesman Dam.  Looking at a high temperature of 67 for tomorrow, mostly sunny with winds blowing 10-20 mph. With the decreased flows and lower water levels, their is obviously less water to fish in the immediate Decker’s area, so be sure to take a ride downstream and fish some of the wonderful spots along Hwy.67 towards Sedalia. Today’s gallery is made up of just a few shots to show you the low flow! Hope you enjoy!  That’s all for today folks! Until next time, have a great evening and I hope to see you on the river soon!

Chris

[Best_Wordpress_Gallery id=”76″ gal_title=”October 16, 2016 119 cfs”]

Hi Gang!

It doesn’t get much better when you can spot fish rising all day long and get em’ on dries!  We’ll get more to today’s fun in just a few, but here’s the latest on the conditions. We’ve seen a big drop in the flow over the last four days, with two decreases in the amount of water being let out of Cheesman Dam. If you are interested in learning more about the dam and it’s current history, here’s a link http://www.denverwater.org/Recreation/Cheesman/ Right now in Trumbull, we’ve got 118(cfs) and just 99(cfs)below the dam.  As a result of the lower flows, and strictly from my observations and success over the last week, the fish have changed locations a bit, moved out of some of the shallow areas, as some of the sand/rock bars are  now exposed to the surface, and have moved into the more oxygenated, faster water or the deeper pools with cooler water.  The dry fly hatches have been THICK! BWO’s, midges, even some caddislfies are flying about all day! We’ve had some wind to deal with, pretty gusty at times, but the fishing has been just too good to let that get in the way! This morning I started out fishing with a single BWO and picked up three nice browns, then played around with a nymph rig that had a San Juan Worm, followed with Copper John-size 18, trailing a grey Rs-2, picking up two more nice fish, both Rainbow’s.

Tomorrow weather looks alright, with sunny skies and warm temperatures, but we’re expecting winds at 14 mph. Keep in mind their are spots along the river that block the wind, so don’t let a little 40 mph gust stop you from catching that Trophy-Trout!  After fishing a few hours this morning,  I decided  to go on a 3 hour hike between fishing excursions to get some pictures of the river, so that I could show you what 118(cfs)  looks like in Decker’s. In addition to the shots I took of the stretch of river around the Decker’s/Trumbull area, I took the good light I just happened to stumble upon, and snapped a few pictures of the little fishy’s sipping bugs off the surface.  Fall is truly a great time to be on the South Platte River, Decker’s.  It’s a great place to view wildlife, such as Mule Deer, Elk, fox, coyote, black bear, bobcat, mountain lion and a variety of waterfowl. Soon, the Bald Eagles will return from their summer grounds and return to the valley for the winter. So, why not book a guided fly-fishing trip and a cozy cabin for a night or two in our beautiful, riverside community? Check out http://www.southplatterivercabins.com or visit http://www.flies-n-lies.com for all the information about the cabin rentals available in Decker’s/Trumbull. That’s all for now folks! Have a great evening and I hope to see you back here tomorrow with another update and hopefully some good fish stories!  Take Care!

Chris

 

[Best_Wordpress_Gallery id=”75″ gal_title=”oct.15, 2016 flows dropped to 119″]

Slow the Flow!

Hey there Folks!  Surprisingly enough, the flow has been dropped yet again! As I was out back fishing this evening, I thought that the level looked a little low for the 207 flow we had earlier in the day. Sure enough, came in and took a look at the USGS numbers, and we are at a meager 119(cfs) The fishing has been great for the last couple of days. The mornings have been excellent for early dry-fly action, and the nymphing has been on fire throughout the day.  I started out this morning with a two-fly, dry fly rig, consisting of a Parachute Adams, trailing a BWO, size#22.  I immediately caught three browns that were rising near a granite wall, then caught a couple of rainbows that were feeding in the seem, between the main river flow and an eddy. The lower flows are going to allow for some good sight fishing tomorrow, not to mention the warm temperatures that are sure to bring on a hatch or two throughout the mid-morning hours. Their were a few more Angler’s up here today than usual, but don’t let that deter you from some of the best fall fishing on the South Platte River. Today’s picture gallery has an interesting mix! If you weren’t aware, I’m in the process of trying to shed 100 pounds. Since October of 2015, I have now lost a total of  72 pounds, with another 28 to lose! I will periodically post pictures of some of the dishes that I create that will ultimately end up being a cookbook that is currently in the works! The two insane tubers are friends of mine that decided today was the day to float the South Platte! That’s all for now my friends! I’ll be back tomorrow with a report from the section of river along the Platte River Campground. Until then, have a great rest of your weekend, and I’ll hopefully see you on the river soon!

Chris

[Best_Wordpress_Gallery id=”74″ gal_title=”October 15, 2016 good day again spawning browns”]

Wow!

That’s all I can say about the fishing action today! But, let’s first take a look at the current conditions, here on the South Platte River, Decker’s Colorado. We’ve seen two drops in the flow over the last three days. Right now in Trumbull, we’ve got a flow of 179cfs! Down quite a bit since just the other day’s flow of over 300! The weather is great, and the fishing tomorrow should be fantastic! The weather looks great for the weekend, and the fish have really been active the last few days. Today was pretty much a repeat of yesterday, but the dry-fly action wasn’t as strong.  I got out on the river at about noon, but my buddy had already netted about a dozen fish prior to my arrival. The bug of the day today was the brown RS-2, trailing behind a Stone Fly and Copper John.  Switching back between the nyphing pole and dry-fly rig proved to be the key in getting on the rise as it occurred, while regularly pulling fish with the nymph rig between the hatches. Most fish we caught today were caught with the aforementioned nymph rig, but I did manage to take one nice brown trout on the BWO.  With the weather forecast looking as it does, expect a few more people on the river then usual, but head downstream for a little more room. Today’s picture gallery is a collection of shots from today. That’s all for now folks! Hope to see you on the river this weekend.

Chris

[Best_Wordpress_Gallery id=”73″ gal_title=”October 14 nice brown on dry flies”]

ALL DAY DRY FLY!

Hello Folks! Lot’s of fun out there today, with the bugs in the air, on the water, and most importantly, fish on the HOOK! The 50cfs drop in flow yesterday, combined with the warm temperatures and lots of sunshine, the bugs were coming off left and right! As a result, I fished from about 1:30pm, until 6pm, with nothing but a Parachute Adams, Blue-Winged-Olive,  and a couple of Sparkle Duns. All of which were size #22.  With one break for lunch and a round of tug of war with our dog Bailey, I hooked into ten fish during that period! Most fish were in the 12-14″ range, but I did pull a few big browns closer to the banks, that were in the 16-18″ range. Currently in Trumbull, the flow is at 268cfs, with 262cfs, below Cheesman Dam. The weather looks great for the weekend, with temps in the upper 60’s and low 70’s. Look for lots of pressure in the immediate area around Decker’s and upstream on Ycamp Road (75), but be sure to take advantage of the less crowded stretches of river, the variety of conditions, and the less pressured fish of the lower river. A great place to begin your day is to go downstream the 11 miles from Decker’s, all the way to the end of the paved road, and fish your way back to Decker’s.  Park anywhere you see a brown sign with a white “P” There are also many day use areas along the Platte River road that require a small fee, but do offer restrooms and picnic tables. More tomorrow after a morning of cycling! That’s all for now my friends. Today’s gallery is a few shots from around Decker’s and Trumbull, along with one of the Brown Trout I caught today. Until next time, have a great evening and I hope to see you on the river soon.

Chris