March 1, 2022
South Platte River at Deckers – Marks Run to the Mini-canyon & the Lone Rock Campground.
Flows: 133 cfs.
Water Temp: 46F @ 1:30p.
Water clarity: Very clear – with sections of moss.
Air Temp: 34F @ 8:30a - 56F @ 4p.
Hatches: Sparse midge 10a to end of day. Scant BWO 1p to 3:30p.
Flies: #12 Chubby Chernobyl, #20 Pheasant Tail, #18 Red Pig Sticker, #24 Top Secret Midge, #22 Mercury Black Beauty, #24 Barr Emerger, #24 Purple Jujubee Midge, #18 Copper John, 22 Chocolate Thunder, #24 Sparkle Wing RS2, #22 Parachute BWO, #24 Sparkle Dun BWO.
Top producers: Pheasant Tail, Barr Emerger.
A view of from my lunch spot.
It was a blustery day in May. I can’t be certain of the date – but it was right around Mother’s Day. I can’t remember the year either. It's been awhile, thirty or so years ago. Yeah – quite a while ago!
I was in Deckers and it was snowing. A heavy, wet spring snow. There wasn’t anyone else on the river that day. The place was eerily quiet– the way a snowstorm can make it.
And the fish were rising. A BWO hatch was in full progress. Rain and snowstorms have that kind of an effect on the hatch. When you hear of the Mother’s Day Hatch – you automatically think of caddis. But these were BWOs coming off.
I’m pretty sure that I was fishing at what we now call Fishermen’s Run. Just up from the bridge that crosses Horse Creek near the Deckers Resort. There was a large boulder in the river that created seams - one to either side of it - as the water streamed by it.
There was a line of about eight brownies coming to the surface on the near-side seam. They were sipping the BWOs as they floated by on the surface. I stood there for a bit watching them. Then I tied on some sort of adult BWO – it’s been so long ago I can’t remember the exact pattern. At the time I didn’t have a fly rod. Rather I had my spin casting rod and used a bubble as a float with my tippet tied to a swivel above it. At the time it was the closest thing I could get to fly fishing.
After tying my flies on, I casted only a couple of feet in front of me then let the flies drift into the seam of water where the brownies were sipping the flies. They were actually in a line – one after another. And they ate my fly ---- one after the other. It got to the point that my hands were getting so cold from releasing them – that I was thinking of taking a break. But it was too much fun to quit. I was amazed at the success I was having - it couldn’t get much easier!
Then I spotted a really colorful rainbow rising to the adult BWOs in the far-side seam behind the large boulder. Tired of catching the brownies – I started to drift my flies to the other seam where the rainbow was. After about three or four drifts he took my fly and I soon had a beautiful South Platte River rainbow in my net. I remember the distinctive coloration. The coloration which I've come to know as specific to the South Platte River rainbows.
Satisfied --- and cold, I called it a day. I was only there about three hours or so, but that was enough. After packing my stuff in the car I drove a short distance to the Resort and had a couple of beers and warmed up.
This memory is seared into my brain and defines fishing for me. The way it’s supposed to be. This was before the Haymen Fire fouled the fishery and the crowds of fishermen that now frequent the South Platte River in Deckers.
My 1st fish of the day. Caught in the Between the Islands Run on a #20 Pheasant Tail.
Fast forward thirty years and it’s much different now. The river has since recovered from the negative effects that the Haymen Fire had on it. But no matter the day of the week - or the weather conditions – you will most likely run into a fisherman in almost every hole along this famed stretch of river. With the pressure, the fish are more skittish and I often find myself fishing in spots that have just been covered by another angler or in a less advantageous spot. In the winter that usually means one in the shadows.
That was what I encountered on my trip this week. I chose Deckers because it’s close, the weather was forecasted to in the low 60s, and it’s still a scenic and beautiful place to fish. And there is always a chance at catching several of those beautiful South Platte River rainbows. Also, the ride back and forth is equally scenic and relaxing compared to freeway driving.
Mark’s Run was where I wanted to start the day. I picked this section of the river because it’s in the sun and there are other nice holes and runs along this quarter to half-mile stretch of river. And Mark’s Run has produced in our last outings here. Specifically the top of the run. And that’s where I was targeting.
When I parked the car at the top of the hill I could see two guys fishing the run. But after I got geared up they had left it and were now chatting at their car. That was fortuitous and I moved into the run. The top of it – right where I was planning to start the day.
The water levels were on the low side and I couldn’t spot any fish – but covered the run non the less. With the lower water level I started out with my Hopper/Dropper which works well in low, riffled water. There was no one home this time though so I waded further into the river to fish the far bank. There is a trough that runs in front of the downed tree on the other bank. Fish usually hang out there. But not today.
Another look at the 15" rainbow with its distinctive South Platte River coloration.
As I was covering the trough, one of the guys came out and began to cover the middle of the run. Soon after the other guy came out and began to fish up close toward me. With nothing going on, I decided to leave. I wanted to check the Road Hole just upstream from where I was. As I was leaving the guy closest to me said he caught a couple of fish earlier. They were small guys.
As I walked along the road I peered into the various pockets and pools that make up the Road Hole and didn’t see any fish. So I decided that I’d walk down to see if the Mini-canyon was open. There is a small hole just before the Mini-canyon that I like to fish and I was planning to hit that spot on the way.
As I walked up I saw a guy just leaving the small hole and he was now wading toward the Mini-canyon. Just great! That guy had just fished one of my spots and was now going to take another one. Ugh!
And he did. The sun shines at the top of the Mini-canyon and it’s a good fishing spot. By the time I got there – that’s where he was. So I continued on further into the canyon – where it’s in the shade --- and cold! Despite the shade and cold, the middle and far end of the canyon are good spots to fish too. And I’ve caught my share of fish – sizable ones – there in the past.
In the winter the shade renders it icy along the granite wall as it descends into the water on this side of the river. On this day not only was there icy spots - it was snow covered too. I’d have to be very careful. I probably shouldn’t have even gone there – but I did.
My extra rod and pack laying in the snow in the Mini-canyon.
The shadows made it hard – if not impossible – to see into the water. Without being able to so site fish, I covered the spots that have produced in the past. Determining the depth of the fish was tough though. It was more or less a guess. So I started out fishing deep and gradually adjusted my depth by removing weight and adjusting my indicator to fish higher in the column.
After giving it about an hour I decided to head further downstream to the Eddie Pool which sits just below the Mini-canyon. To get there I’d have to climb up the granite walls that were now covered in snow. Someone else had gone before me and made steps in the snow – so I followed those footprints. I probably shouldn’t have gone there either – but I did.
As I got higher up on the canyon wall I could see into the Eddie Pool and it didn’t look promising. It was getting toward lunch and I thought I’d head back to the car, eat lunch and regroup. But as I began to retrace my steps I realized it was way more treacherous going down than up! I had a choice. I could go up and over the canyon wall – or go back the way I came.
Going up and over the canyon wall is the way to go in good weather. Even then there is a part where water drains down from above and over time it created a steep, slippery trough. And that’s without any snow or ice on it! It was now probably snow covered and icy and if I slipped on that I’d slide all the way down into the river below. No way I was going there!
So I went back the way I’d come. Going down the canyon wall on my rear-end! After finally traversing my way back out of the canyon I asked myself “was that worth risking just to catch a trout or two?” The answer was obvious. I would be looking for easier spots to access after lunch.
A 19" rainbow caught in the Between the Islands Run on a #24 Barr Emerger.
My car was parked at the top of the hill overlooking the Between the Islands Run. The sun was shining, and I soaked it up as I ate. It was a beautiful setting and relaxing. As I ate, I watched a couple of guys fish the Between the Islands Run.
As I was finishing my lunch the guys who were fishing the run below walked out and hiked up to their car which was parked next to mine. We chatted a bit and one of the guys said he had caught a couple of fish. One in the Between the Islands Run and the other in the Mini-canyon. Got them on a #22 Black Beauty. They said they were headed elsewhere.
My initial plan was to drive down to the Lone Rock Campground and fish there after lunch. But with the Between the Islands Run now open – and now settled down - I decided to take the short hike down the hill from my car and check it out.
I cautiously approached the run. A lot of times the fish will be in near the bank and they are easily spooked. As I came up to the river I could see a few fish in the pockets of slow water. Getting your flies to them is tricky. There are boulders strewn all over the place in this run – creating various pockets behind them. The fish sit in those pockets and feed. It’s hard to get your flies in the right zone so they float into the pockets. If you’re too close the flies float into the wrong pocket – too far and they are pulled out into the faster water.
I started out fishing my Hopper/Dropper set up. The fish were about midway up in the column so I took off my Copper John that I was using for my Dropper and replaced it with a Mercury Pheasant Tail. After several casts I noticed one fish rising to eat adult flies. My Hopper was a Chubby Chernobyl and on one of my drifts the fish followed it – but didn’t take. Instead he hit the Pheasant Tail and with that I netted a beautiful 15” rainbow. One of those distinctively colored South Platte rainbows.
Not much later I would get a 19” rainbow out of one of the pockets. He took the Barr Emerger and quickly headed downstream toward where a small waterfall drains into the Island Pool below. Not wanting to lose him and my flies, I tightened my drag. This worked and after a good fight I had him in the net.
I spent another half-hour to an hour covering this run. With no more action I decided to head down to the Lone Rock Campground Run. I wanted to fish the middle and the top of it. My thought was that I’d find fish in the shallow, riffled water now that it was later in the day and warming up.
Releasing the 19" rainbow.
As I crossed the river there was a guy in the middle of the run but the top of it was open. When I approached the other side of the river another fisherman was now wading into the top of the run - where I was heading. So I moved further upstream. As I approached the river my footfalls spooked a fish – and I was walking lightly! I saw him move further out into the middle of the river. Now spooked it was no use trying to catch him.
After a bit the middle of the run opened up and I waded down to fish it. At first I couldn’t spot any fish – but as I waded out into the river I spotted a couple. There is a trough about knee deep and they were in it feeding. Perfect!
I was targeting a nice size rainbow. It was now late in the day I was thinking “if I could just get this fish – it would be a good way to end the day”. But he wasn’t interested in my offerings. At the end of one of my drifts, I was lifting my rod to recast and a fish hit. With these types of hits I usually don’t get a good hook set, but I did this time. It looked like a nice brownie.
He quickly came to the surface with a bunch of head shakes. So I lifted my rod to keep his head out of the water and was bringing him to my net. Then he was able to get his head back under the water and was making a hard run. It was then that I realized that I hadn’t readjusted my drag from the last fish I caught. Uh oh!
In that split second as I reached to loosen my drag the fish broke off! Darn it. That would have been a good end to a very challenging day.
That’s Deckers today.
A very challenging place to fish ---- on many levels. But it’s manageable and still worthwhile, even with the crowds. And it’s a special place for me. I’ll never forget that day – some thirty years ago. One of my fondest fishing memories.
I’m hoping – maybe against hope – that I’ll be able to experience it again someday in Deckers.
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