May 13, 2021
Deckers (Between the Islands to Lone Rock Campground)
Flows: 88 cfs.
Water Temp: DNM
Water clarity: A bit off color - ~6'
Air Temp: 38 @ 9:15a, 70 @ 4p.
Hatches: Midge – 9:30a to 11a. BWO – 11:30a. Still hatching when I left at 4p.
Solitude. Looking upstream from the middle of the Lone Rock Campground Run.
It turned out to be a quiet day on the river even though it didn’t start out that way. When I got down to Platte River Road – which parallels the river for about 10 miles from Nighthawk to Deckers - at about 9a, there were fishermen all along the river. And when I crossed CO 67 and onto the YMCA Camp road – there were fishermen in almost every hole and run from the bridge all the way to the Cable Hole.
My plan was to start at Mark’s Run - if it was open - and work downstream. If it wasn’t open then I’d start in Horseshoe Bend and work that part of the river. When I got to the top of the hill that overlooks the last 1/2 mile of public water, I could see someone in Mark’s Run. There was also someone in the Lower Island Run and the Mini-Canyon. The Between the Islands Run was open – so that’s where I planned to start.
The river flowing into the Lower Island Run.
Once I got my gear together and started down the path to the islands I noticed that the guy in the Mini-Canyon had left. So I figured I’d start there. I had the whole stretch in the canyon to myself. With the lows flows my plan was to fish a Hopper/Copper/Dropper rig. I could add weight or go without it to target fish in different water columns.
To my surprise I only spotted one fish in the run. He was near the cliff and I spooked him when I walked up. No other fish were in sight. Very unusual for this section of the river. The water was off color a bit – but if they were in their usual spots I would have been able to see them. So I fished the run covering the typical feeding lanes. After covering it several times - making weight adjustments as I went - with no takers, I moved on.
1st fish of the day. A 17" brownie.
My next target was the run below the lower island and just before the mini-canyon. I was thinking a brownie may be hanging out there. And sure enough there was! After a few drifts into the run I had a nice 17” brownie in the net. He hit the Top Secret Midge. I didn’t think there would be another one in the run – but I tried a few more times just for kicks before moving on.
The Between the Islands Run was still open so I moved into it. I was thinking the fish would be in the fast water just beyond the rocks. As I waded into the river I spotted a rainbow in the rocks. He was in one of the pockets feeding. The water is slow between the rocks in this part of the run and it’s tricky to get your drift into their feeding lane. But after several tries I hooked up the rainbow. He was also 17” and hit the Top Secret Midge.
A 17" rainbow taken in the pocket water near the bank.
While I was busy trying to get that rainbow, there were a couple of guys just upstream from me and they were hooking up a few fish in the riffles. After releasing the rainbow, I spotted a couple more in a pocket behind one of the rocks. After spending quite a while trying to get them to hit with no action, I decided to move on. The other guys had moved further upstream, so I tried a few drifts where they had been. I didn’t see any fish and didn't have any takers either.
It was now time for a late lunch. So I walked up to the car to eat. While eating, I formulated my afternoon plan. It was going to take a good bit of walking and some hiking – but I figured what the heck?
The trail that leads over the mountain and into the back of the Horseshoe Run
When I finished eating I headed up the hill and walked along the road to the Lone Tree Campground. I wanted to start at the middle part of the run and then either head to the lower or upper part. As I scouted the middle part there were no fish in sight. So I headed downstream to the lower part of the run. where it parallels the road. Again I couldn’t spot any fish but covered the north side of the run just to see. But no takers.
So I moved upstream. I was back at the middle part of the Lone Rock Campground – but moved a bit upstream where there is a small pool along the opposite bank. I still couldn’t see any fish but I told myself that this place had to hold some fish. I began to fish the hole on the side nearest to me – you never know there may be a fish in there. But there wasn’t. So I worked my into the hole until I was casting into the riffles that lead into it near the far bank.
The middle of the Lone Rock Campground Run.
To my surprise a fish came up and hit my Hopper. I was totally unprepared for that! Needless to say I missed him. Then a few drifts later, another one hit it. I missed that one too. Ugh. I kept casting into the riffles before they flowed into the pool – covering the near side all the way back to the far side. Then BANG. My Hopper disappeared. Fish on. It was another 17” rainbow who took a #20 Black Flashback RS2.
As I continued to fish the pool – a few fish started to rise to the surface to feed on adult BWOs that were hatching. It was about 2p and the place was now deserted. I could see all the way to the bend where the river turns toward the Mini-Canyon – and there were no fishermen the whole way. It was beautiful. I had the whole place to myself. The only sounds were the flowing water, birds singing, and the wind now and then.
Caught this rainbow in the pool at the middle of the Lone Rock Campground Run.
With the fish rising I rigged up my dry fly rod with a Puterbaugh Caddis and a Sparkle Dun. Surprisingly, I only had one hit and missed him. He was on the other side of the river – in the foam just past a faster seam – and was rising pretty regularly. Then something happened and the fish stopped rising. There were still a few that looked like they were feeding just below the surface – but not really rising. One was in that foam on the other side.
This 17" rainbow took the Black Flashback RS2.
With the rising slowing down considerably, I went back to my HCD rig. On the first cast into the pool I had a rainbow hit my Stalcup Beatis. This one was - 16” – and feisty. After releasing him I covered the pool again – but didn’t get any takers. And that one fish was still feeding in the foam on the other side of the river.
Releasing one of my rainbows.
I thought, what the heck – I’ll try my HCD and see if that works. It did. After only a couple of casts I got him to take. Hitting my Black Flashback RS2. It wasn’t a big rainbow – about 14” – but after trying to get him for some time, it felt good to finally land him.
After that I decided to move upstream. There was a lot of open water and I wanted to get more familiar with it as I’ve only fished this part of the river a couple of times. There are riffles, runs, and some deep and long pockets behind boulders, and some pools all along the river up to the Sleeping Indian Pool. A lot of “fishy” spots. There were also a bunch of redds – and to my surprise, there were still some rainbows spawning.
Another rainbow heading back into the water.
I spotted one rainbow feeding along a seam. He looked to be about in the 20” range and he stood out in the water because of some type of injury he must have had earlier. It looked like wounds along his back – and they were now scared white. That’s what stood out in the water. Otherwise, he seemed like a healthy trout moving about the run eating.
I casted my flies to him a couple of times. On one of my drifts – one of my flies caught the bottom near him, and he spooked and moved downstream. I spotted a few more fish feeding just below an active redd. They are fair game and I tried for them. Then the wounded trout showed up nearby and I began to cast my flies to him and was finally able to fool him. He hit my Olive/Black Rubber Leg Copper John. The first fish I was able to catch on that fly. The fish was 19” and I was a little leery of touching him where he was injured. But I soon figured out that it was just scar tissue – so it didn’t freak me out too bad.
This 19" rainbow had some scar tissue on his back from an earlier injury.
It was getting late and I had a hike – up a mountainside – ahead of me to get back to the car. So I scouted the river as I waded upstream to where the trail over the mountain begins. I’m planning to spend some more time in this area. It’s remote and there are a lot of holding areas and feeding lanes along the ½ mile or so stretch of the river.
The only negative is that it’s requires a pretty strenuous hike to get in and out.
Maybe that’s why it’s quiet back here.
Comments