February 9, 2021
Flows: 76 cfs
Water Temp: DNR
Water clarity: Crystal clear
Air Temp: 33 @ 8:30a, 41 @ 5p.
Hatches: Sparse midges – 9a to mid-afternoon
Moon Phase:
Flies: #18 Guides Choice Hare’s Ear, #18 Prince Nymph, #20 Mercury Flashback Black Beauty, #24 Mercury Midge, #22 Zebra JuJumidge,, #24 Grey WD40, #20 & #22 Chocolate Thunder, #18 BH Pheasant Tail, #24 Top Secret Midge, #24 Black Bling Midge.
Top producers: #20 Top Secret Midge, Pheasant Tail, Black Bling Midge.
A cold start of the day.
We had a weird weather pattern in Colorado this week. There was a line of cold weather that sat to the east of I25 with warmer weather to the west. The result was warmer weather in the foothills and mountains to the southwest of Denver – including Deckers. The forecast was actually for a high of 49F there on Tuesday – enough to entice Brian and I to give it a try. We were ready for a change of pace – and we couldn’t pass it up.
As I was driving toward the mountain pass, I took note of the temperature before heading into the mountains – it was 12F. Then I checked it again when I reached the summit of the mountain pass and it was 24F. Wow – not sure I’ve ever run into this before but I was liking it. And when I reached Deckers at about 8:45a it was 33F. Still chilly but a lot warmer than 12F!
It was windy in the morning though – which made it colder. Gloves, warm hat, and Gortex jacket cold! The wind bothered my casting more than the cold though and it added to my morning woes. More on that later.
Our plan was to meet at the Bend Hole – then work our way downstream to Ray’s Run and the Bridge Hole. We used this plan last time we were there and it served us well. Plus it’s sunny along that part of the river – a huge factor in our decision. The sun not only keeps us warm, but also warms up the water and makes it easier to see into it. A lot of plusses!
As I was driving up the dirt road that follows the river and leads to the YMCA Camp, I spotted Brian in the river at the top of Ray’s Run and stopped for a quick chat. He had been fishing for about an hour by that time and said that the Bend Hole was dry. I really like the spot he was in – but at that time it was still in the shadow of the canyon wall. So I told him I would give the Bend Hole another try and then move his way.
It was surprising that the Bend Hole was still open as I drove by. But as I was getting my gear on and getting everything together in the parking area – a couple of guys walked passed me toward it. I was certain that they would hit that spot before I got there – but they didn’t. When I walked over, they were just downstream and the hole was wide open. I was happy to see that. Spotting fish feeding in it made me even happier!
I was thinking I’d take a few out of here and then head down to meet up with Brian. That turned out to be wishful thinking! I’m very familiar with the Bend Hole and I approached it carefully - I didn't want to not spook any fish that feed that may be in the shallow water near the edge. And that is where I spotted them.
Getting a good drift to them proved more difficult than usual – due to the WIND! What made it so difficult was it was swirling. On one cast I would compensate and aim further right of my target so my flies would land more to my left. Then on my next cast I would do the same but the wind would change mid-cast and take it even further right. And at times it would blow right at me causing the flies to land too close to where the fish were and spook them. So it was pretty much a cast – and a cuss word for most of the morning. The exception was that I’d get a good cast and my flies where I wanted them.
It was frustrating. And adding to it, the fish were very selective. They ignored my flies when I got a drift on point. So I did the usual changing depth and weight. When that didn’t work I changed the size of my flies or went to entirely different flies. I finally got a fish to hit – and then I proceeded to lose him. More cuss words!
It was getting close to noon and I’d been fishing the hole for about 3 hours now. This is way more time that I’d give to a hole that wasn’t really producing – but I could see the fish and they were feeding – and I was bound and determined to catch them. Damn it!
I took one more walk upstream before breaking for lunch and I spotted a nice rainbow in the shallow, faster water. He was definitely feeding and he was in water I like. The faster water gives the fish less time to decide whether to take a fly – artificial or real – than in slower water. That’s why I like it. Anyway after about 3 casts to this one, he was on. And he was much bigger than I thought. But he came to the surface and gave a good head shake and spit the hook. More cuss words.
That’s how my morning ended. Just after losing that fish, Brian walked up and we decided to break for lunch. I needed the break. Brian had a little more success – having landed two brownies. But the going was slow. We chatted about why and concluded that this is Deckers - and the fish see lots of fishermen and lots of flies. They’re easily spooked and sometimes very selective on what they hit. And today was one of those days.
Baetis and few midges from the stomach of one of Brian's fish. We have found that the fish in Deckers feed a lot on baetis.
After lunch we began to walk down the road toward the Bridge Hole. As we walked along the road we kept looking into the river to see if we could spot any fish. The expectation to see fish from the road is realistic – as you commonly can. Especially once you’re familiar with the typical lies and feeding lanes. But we didn’t see any.
We climbed down the bank at the middle of Ray’s Run and scouted that area before going further downstream to the Fishermen’s Run and the Bridge Hole. Brian took up a spot in the Fishermen’s Run and I walked down a little farther into the top of the Bridge Hole. I was on the path along the south side of the river and could see fish in the hole. A couple of them were huge! But the way they were feeding and the way the water was flowing at the time, I thought it would be better to fish it from the other side. So I climbed up the river bank and walked along the road and over the bridge to the north side of the river.
By this time Brian had moved into that area too and he had just netted a 12” brownie when I got there. I took it as a good sign - and it was. After a bit I had a nice one on and had him tied up nicely. In fact, I felt very confident that I’d bring my 1st fish of the day to the net. But as the saying goes – don’t count your chicken before they hatch. After a good fight and having the fish pretty close to where I could net him – he broke free. All I could do was laugh and shake my head!
But soon after I had another one on – and I got this one to the net. Even though it was on the smaller side – a 13” cutbow – I showed him off in the net to Brian. Amen. But it was still slow going. After fishing that area for about 3 hours, Brian was ready to call it a day. It was about 3:15p and I didn’t get my quota yet – so I was staying.
My 1st catch of the day - a 13" Cutbow.
After a bit I moved downstream toward the bridge. I saw a fish feeding in the slow water near the bank when I walked over the bridge earlier and I wanted to see if he was still there. This is a spot where fish hang out a lot, but they’re hard to get. When I walked over he was still there. I just stood there for awhile watching him feed trying to get a read on his feeding pattern.
My plan was to cast into the river directly across from me and let my flies float downstream – then stop them so they would float toward the bank and up in the column. I was trying to get my flies right in front of his nose. Not an easy task.
But it worked. After several tries I had him on. Like the one I had on in the Bend Hole – this one was much bigger than I thought he was. I was a good fight and I finally had him in the net. A beautiful 20” male rainbow – he hit my lead fly, a Beadhead Pheasant Tail. I didn’t actually get to measure him accurately because I couldn’t pick him up with one hand.
First I had to get the fly removed so I could pick him up and measure him against my net. As I was doing that, he was thrashing around and proceeded to get tangled on my bottom flies. Once I got my Pheasant Tail out of his mouth, I had to get him untangled from my other flies. He continued to thrash about and the Pheasant Tail fly got hooked into my finger. This was not good.
At this point I had a hook stuck in my finger and the fish was now out of the net on a boulder that I was using to work from on the side of the river- still tangled on my bottom flies. My immediate thought was I better get that hook out of my finger before the fish flops into the water. If that didn’t happen – I was in for some serious pain!
As he was flopping around, I was somehow able to get the hook out of my finger – and at the same time the fish was able to free himself. And he fell into the river and swam away. Holy Mackerel – that was fitting for my day. Finally landed a nice fish – but he got me hooked on my own fly and was able to jump back into the water before I could get a picture!
In the afternoon at the Bridge Hole and the confluence of Horse Creek.
After a bit I decided I’d had enough and headed back up the road toward the car. By that time I had the whole place to myself as all the other fishermen had left. As before I kept looking into the river as I walked along the road. Now – with the place deserted – the fish had moved into feeding lanes and I could spot them. At the first few spots, I just observed them as it was a hike down a snow covered and icy embankment to get to them. I wasn’t up for that.
Then I spotted a few in a place that wasn’t too hard to get to. So I decided why not – I’m here and they are right there feeding. It would be a good way to end the day. Catch a few rainbows before I left. Well that turned into another 1 ½ hours - and no fish.
It was now getting dark and I was hungry. So I finally called it a day. Not what I was hoping for – but this is Deckers after all. At times it will make you scratch your head and wonder what just happened. Other times it’s as much fun as you’ll ever have on a river fishing.
It’s always calling.
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