March 21, 2023
The South Platte River – Confluence Park.
Flows: 236 cfs.
Water Temp: DNM.
Water clarity: Clear with a lot of dark moss on the river bottom making hard to sight fish.
Air Temp: Low 45F @ 10a – high in the mid-60sF @ 2p.
Hatches: Midge: Throughout of the day.
Flies: #12 Crane Fly Larva, #18 Pheasant Tail, #22 Black Rojo Midge, #22 Top Secret Midge, #22 Barr Emerger, #22 Purple Sparkle Midge.
Top producers: Barr Emerger, Purple Midge, Pheasant Tail.
We were looking for something easy. Maybe a half day just to get out on the river.
Downtown Denver fit the bill.
We’ve been hearing about fishing the South Platte in Denver and had talked about trying it – but haven’t. That was until the other day.
The guys I talked to at the fly shops said it’s best to fish at Confluence Park which is right behind the REI store. The fish here are not supposed to be picky. They like big, ugly flies – is what I was told. There are some big ones too. Released into the river from the hatchery after they no long could produce either eggs or milt.
Brian's 1st fish of the day.
Brian Kenney.
When talking about fly fishing – you hear 10 to 2 as it refers to numbers on a clock and your casting motion. Start at 10 – bring your arm straight back to 2 and abruptly stop. Wait till your line is loaded – then move your arm forward to 10 and abruptly stop. Your line should shoot out of your rod with your flies behind it until they reach your intended target, where they swing gently in front of the line and land nicely on the water.
When I called Brian I said I was looking for a half day on the river - 10a to 2p – and suggested that we finally try the South Platte in Denver. He was up for that and we headed to downtown Denver, arriving at the parking lot near REI about 10a.
After gearing up we headed down to the river to explore our options. Right behind REI is the confluence of Cherry Creek and the South Platte River. This area has been improved and now is a park where people come to enjoy various river activities.
One of them being fly fishing.
There is a paved walking/bike path along both sides of the river and there are a lot of people out and about. Runners, bikers, walkers, moms with strollers, dog walkers, dogs playing in the water, and people just sitting along the shore taking in the river scene and sun.
A place to people watch – or fly fish if you’re so inclined. There were a few other anglers out when Brian and I arrived. The confluence of Cherry Creek and the South Platte forms a nice pool and tailout. It looked like the perfect spot to start. There are concrete steps that lead down to the river and you can see into the pool from that vantage point. I thought I saw a few trout in the middle of it, but as it turned out they were rocks on the bottom.
We started there covering it completely before moving downstream. There are some flat spots – low and clear – with sandy bottoms in between a few structures that create small waterfalls, riffles, and pools. We didn’t see any fish in the flat parts of the river and couldn’t see very well into the other areas. There was some very dark moss on the rocks on the bottom of the river and it just looked black even though the water was clear.
Brian's 2nd catch - a 17" fatty.
Brain Kenney.
Once past Confluence Park there are thick willows along the river and we noticed a bunch of the bigger, fuzzy midges hatching throughout the day. As we walked the river, Brian on one side, me on the other we casted our flies to a few spots that we though should hold fish. As I approached a walking bridge just downstream of the confluence I spotted a few nice looking trout in front and to the side of the near side bridge abutment that created a little pool. Below the bridge was a water fall.
I was kinda hamstrung where I was. There wasn’t a lot of room for me to get into position and the fish would probably bolt if I lifted my rod to cast. The water was slow and very clear in front of the pool and I watched for a while. They were definitely feeding and protecting their territory, one trout chasing another out – and getting back into position.
My cast would be upstream of them into the wind and I wasn’t sure how much weight I would need. Once I was able to get into position, I casted upstream and as my flies floated toward the fish they got caught up on some rocks just in front of them. After making several adjustment I finally got my flies into the zone. But the fish were not interested. In fact in some instances, they moved away from my flies - not toward them! After spending a good part of an hour with no takers, I determined that the water was running too slow and clear - allowing those picky trout to inspect my offering before declining.
While I was fishing above the bridge, Brian was below it fishing the deep pool created by the waterfall and the tailout below it. A fishy looking spot if I’ve ever seen one.
My plan was to join him and fish it from my side of the river. That was after I finished my lunch.
My 1st and only catch of the day. Pheasant Tail in his lip.
Once I got down below the bridge I casted into the tailout below the pool. Brian was just a bit upstream of me at the end of the pool. Neither of had caught a fish yet. As I fished this spot I looked further downstream and there was another riffle, run, pool that looked inviting. Whenever I fish new water that seems to happen to me. There’s always a spot that looks better than where I’m at. Sort of the grass is always green type of thing.
I was planning to head there next but then changed my mind as I was picking up to leave the run I was in. I thought about those fish in the pool above the bridge and thought a dry/dropper rig would do the trick. I had to give it a try – so I went back upstream and casted my dry/dropper set up. Nothing. Not even a sniff. It was a bit disheartening. There are very few times when I spot trout feeding that I can’t fool them – and this was one of them.
After banging my head yet again for I don’t know how long – but too long – I picked up and headed to that spot I saw downstream of Brian. In the meantime, I saw Brian land a 14" rainbow in the tailout we were both fishing earlier. Finally one of us had a fish in the net! It took Brian’s #22 Barr Emerger. He continued to fish that area as I walked past him to the riffles below.
There had to be a fish in this spot - just had to be. But there wasn’t. Before Brian had caught that first fish, he joked that he thought the river was dead! It clearly wasn’t – but there were not a lot of fish in it presently that’s for sure. Brian came down to join me and we fished it for a while longer before deciding to head back up to the confluence.
When we got there I headed to a pool that looked fishy in Cherry Creek just before it emptied into the South Platte. Brian picked the tailout on the South Platte below the confluence. The spot I picked was a pool below a small damn. It got shallow very quickly and I thought the only place a fish would be was in the deeper pocket just below the damn. That’s where I casted my flies – but had no luck.
Meanwhile, Brian landed another trout in the tailout. It was a nice 17” rainbow who took a Purple Sparkle Midge. I have to ask Brian about that fly. I’d like to see the pattern since I’m not familiar with it. He may have improvised and created it from scratch.
Speaking of Brian and fly tying – he is now a professional tier! Yep – he got in touch with a guy who created some pattern and sells it. He needed some help tying his flies and selected Brian and a couple of other tiers once they completed a trial. Brian passed the mustard and is now tying some 500 flies for this guy – and being paid to do so!
Back to the river and Brian has a couple in the net and I have none. In fact, I haven't even had a hit all day. Dam it! As Brian fished the tailout, I explored the area. Further up Cherry Creek didn’t look promising and neither did further upstream on the South Platte. When I came back down to where Brian was, he said he had another fish on but it broke off right before the net. For a while he thought it was the same one he caught earlier.
It was that time and we were pulling up stakes. I mentioned that I wanted to try a spot on the other side of the river before we left. Once we waded across the river that spot didn’t look inviting to me and I was ready to call it a day. Before I could say anything, Brian pointed out another spot that he thought I was wanting to try. Pocket water on the north side of the faster water flowing into the pool.
It did look inviting so I casted my flies into it. First cast I got hung up on one of the large boulders. Second cast – BANG! Fish on – FINALLY. It was a fighter. A strong swimmer. Stronger than I expected and was pulling out line. I was determined to not let this guy break off – but there were a few times before I netted him that I thought he would.
Once in the net it was a nice 17” rainbow who took my #18 Pheasant Tail. After releasing him and taking the requisite pictures – we were really ready to go.
We ran into a couple of guys from the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Division and chatted with them about the river. They said there are various species of fish in the water besides trout - bass, suckers, perch, and even walleye. That’s pretty interesting. They also said they run into a lot of fishermen further downstream near the stadium and it seems like a good spot. We may try that next time.
Me with my fish - his nose slightly scarred.
Brian Kenney.
Not a bad day. This river may not be my favorite – but it’s not a bad place to spend a half day.
A place to get on the river – 10 to 2.
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