May 17, 2017 Fishing Update!
[Best_Wordpress_Gallery id=”143″ gal_title=”May 17, 2017 cheesman reporting 99 cfs”]
Good evening Folks!
Well, I’m all settled in at my new job and new residence, so lets get right back to the reporting! If you have been a regular follower of my fishing blog, you would know that I have been doing much of my reporting for the last year from the Decker’s main bridge area, along with the last 6 month or so, mainly on the lower Decker’s/Trumbull sections of the river, at “Hole in the Wall” With a new Chef position in the area and my current residence allowing me easy access to the World Famous, Gold Medal waters of Cheesman Canyon, I’ll be spending the next 6 to 9 months focusing on this section of the South Platte River. For those of you who are not familiar with the Canyon, let’s spend a few moments discussing the wonderful tail-water fishery the Canyon represents. Cheesman Canyon is a tail-water fishery ,meaning the river is dammed, with the river flow being controlled by hydraulic gates, and regulated by the Denver Water Board. This is done to account for the use of millions of gallons of water each day, by the millions of Front Range residents throughout the Denver Metro and surrounding communities. Cheesman Reservoir is one of the most technical rivers in the state to fish, and can be quite difficult to put fish in the net. However, with a little bit of knowledge and a good presentation, it can also be one of the most rewarding. Home to some rather large trout, Rainbow and Brown trout reaching sizes of 20+ inches are common. In addition to the world class fishing, this stretch of river is known for its abundance of wildlife and true Rocky Mountain beauty. Don’t be surprised if you happen to see in one day, Mule Deer, Elk, Moose, Bear, Mountain Lion, Eagles, and much more! well. With that being said, I’ll still continue to provide the daily numbers, bug report, and results from Decker’s area, but will be mostly fishing the canyon on a daily basis. Cool, with that out of the way, let’s get to the reporting! I’ve spent the last two weeks fishing the canyon daily, with pretty good success, but let’s first get you up to speed with what’s going on with the river. Currently, flows from the dam are at 101 (cfs), with a similar flow through Decker’s and Trumbull, excellent clarity, and a water temperature of 41. Most of the time in the last two weeks I’ve been nymphing throughout the day, but we’re still seeing quite a bit of blue-winged olives, some caddis, and emergers all day long! so be prepared and have your dries and Rs-2’s ready! As I’ve transitioned from fishing the Trumbull area daily to fishing the canyon, I’ve been focusing on my depth and presentation above all else! If there is one thing I’ve picked up on the most, I’ve learned to adjust my strike indicator and amount of weight, before changing my flies. In addition to these two critical items, my approach to the fish has also improved, as I’ve learned the value of a stealthy approach to the fish. The fish in the canyon seem to be a little spookier and tend to like the pocket pools you’ll find throughout the flats. Working with the usual flies, I’ve had relatively good success with the rojo midge, disco midge, jujubee (blue,purple, and black), the chocolate thunder, and the ever reliable RS-2! On the emerging end of things, I’ve been catching several fish with a Barr’s emerger and the caddis nymph! With time not being on my side the last two weeks, I’ve been fishing mostly just up from the club, through the Family Pool, then up about a 1/2 mile. As we are starting to see fish paired up and spawning in the flats, I will spend most of my time in the next week or two, further upstream toward the dam. That’s all for today my friends! Hope you enjoy today’s picture gallery, as it represents the last two weeks in the canyon, Decker’s, and Trumbull! Since relocating to the Canyon, I’ve already met several really cool people along the river and I look forward to meeting as many of you as possible, as I head into the second season of recording life as I live it, here in the beautiful South Platte River Valley, Decker’s Colorado! Until next time, have a blessed day!
Chris
