South Platte River – Deckers (Mark’s Run to the Between the Islands Run.)
September 13, 2023
Flows: 143 cfs.
Moon Phase: Waning Crescent (6% illumination).
Water Temp: 52F @ 1:30p.
Water clarity: Crystal clear.
Air Temp: 44F @ 8a – 60F @ 4p.
Hatches: Tricos: Sparse 8:45a – 10a. Caddis: Here and there in the afternoon. PMD: 12N – 3:30p. Heavier after 1p.
Spawning: None observed – no redds seen.
Flies: #10 Chubby Chernobyl, #18 Guide’s Choice Hare’s Ear, #20 Flashback Black Beauty, #22 Mercury Baetis, #22 PMD Barr Emerger, #16 PMD Pheasant Tail, #24 Grey RS-2, #18 Parachute Adams, #22 BWO Sparkle Dun.
Top producers: PMD Pheasant Tail, Flashback Black Beauty, Barr Emerger PMD.
The pocket water in the Between the Islands Run.
Deckers wasn’t my first choice.
11 Mile Canyon was. I was thinking about the Secret Hole and rising fish taking Tricos off the surface in the morning at the Road Hole. Big rainbows, browns, and maybe a Snake River Cut.
But I was worried about the weather.
There were heavy thunderstorms in the forecast. Soaking rain is what they were calling it. I don’t mind fishing in the rain. In fact I usually welcome it. The rain – or even snow – storms seem to initiate hatches. Some of the most prolific hatches that I’ve encountered were just before – or during – a rain or snow storm. But this storm was supposed to be an all-day event – with thunderstorms periodically mixed in. I didn’t want to drive two hours and then get blown off the water, cutting my day short. So I decided to go to Deckers. It’s only one hour away and if I had to cut the day short it wouldn’t be so bad.
They were messing with the flows at Deckers. That’s why I wasn’t so enthusiastic about going there. That and the crowds. I couldn’t do anything about the flows, but I thought that maybe the storms would keep the fair-weather fishermen home. And maybe – just maybe – the clouds and rain would produce a nice hatch and I could get some rising trout on dries.
The bottom of the Between the Islands Run. (All the submerged boulders provide little pockets where the trout hide in.)
My plan was formulated as I drove over the mountains toward Deckers. My first stop would be the Bridge Crossing Run. If it was open I would start there. It’s not a big stretch of river and maybe I’d get a few on dries then upstream to the Between the Islands Run. The last time I fished that run I had a lot of fun taking rising fish in the pocket water – I was actually thinking of going straight there and passing up on the Bridge Crossing Run. Then in the afternoon - depending on how things were going – I could head down to Fishermen’s Run and get some nice rainbows and browns in the troughs.
As I approached the bridge that spans the Bridge Crossing Run I could see a couple of cars parked there. Well that was now off the table. Undaunted, I headed to the Between the Islands Run – hoping that it would be open. As I continued on into Deckers I could see that all the prime water was occupied. Then along the YMCA road – same thing except for the Rock Garden. That was the only stretch of water that was open. I made a mental note of that as a possible option.
After passing the Campground Hole – again occupied - I continued on and was really discouraged when I found the Between the Islands Run was taken. Mark’s Run was too. The only spots open on that side of the hill was the Road Hole and a small stretch of water between the islands and upstream to Mark’s Run.
This 14" rainbow was my1st fish of the day.
I decided to park at Mark’s Run. I’d fish that small section of open water between the islands. As I was gearing up, I watched the guy fishing it. Before I was done, he had one in the net and was fighting another one. That was encouraging.
Once ready, I headed to the run between the islands. There are lots of little pockets there and I was hoping to find a few trout hiding out in them.
The sky was grey and overcast. Looked like it could start raining at any moment. I was expecting nice hatches but there was only a few small baetis in the air. Looked like tiny Tricos and I didn’t see any midges. These bugs weren’t following script!
Over the last several days the flows were dropped from 300 cfs to 150 cfs. That’s a big drop and the water was now running low, slow, and clear - crystal clear. Not the best conditions.
I started out with my HCD setup with my Chubby as the Hopper – a #18 Guide’s Choice Hare’s Ear as my Dropper followed by a #20 Mercury Flashback Black Beauty and a #22 Mercury Baetis. I found that the water was too low and slow for this rig. The Guide’s Choice was too heavy, and my flies kept getting hung up on the rocks.
I got this one in the foam line at the Between the Islands Run.
And there were no fish in sight.
I felt kinda hemmed in and I was a bit discouraged. I needed to find some faster, deeper water.
I continued upstream toward the big rock hoping that the faster water there would hold some trout. But as far as I could see, there was none to be found. But I couldn’t see clearly into the entire run and covered it just in case. But there were no takers.
When I finished covering the run, I noticed that the guy in Mark’s Run had left and it was now open. So I moved into it, starting on the downstream side of it. It’s changed a bit since the flood. The structure on the north side of the river mostly. The bottom of that side of the river is now a sandbar made up of the small granite rubble. There are still nice troughs in the middle of the river though.
I did see some trout but in the slow, clear water they were very easily spooked. Even my casting motion scared off a few of them. Wanting faster water, I moved to the head of the run where there are riffles that feed into small pockets and pools, before flowing through the throughs midriver.
A rainbow in the net
I started on the south side of the river - river right – and moved further into the river after covering each small pocket and pool. Then I spotted a trout feeding in one of them. I was able to get my flies in front of him on about the third cast and he took the Black Beauty.
Finally - a fish on!
As I was fighting him my thought was “get this guy to the net. It may be one of those days”. And I did. It was a 14” rainbow. Not the biggest fish – but he did give me a good fight and I was glad to have some action.
After releasing the rainbow, I continued to cover the riffles all the way to the other side of the river. Then I moved down stream covering the rest of Mark’s Run one more time. I could see a few fish in the troughs – midriver, but they weren’t interested in my offering.
I got a lot of nice rainbows like this one in a small pocket in the Between the Islands Run.
Thinking that my flies were too low, I changed to a Dry/Dropper rig. I tied on a #18 Parachute Adams followed by a Grey RS-2 and covered the middle of the run again, but there were no takers.
It was one of those days where I just wasn’t feeling it. I had to get out of the funk.
I found out my struggles would get worse before things got better!
I need reading glassed to see the small tippet, flies and split shot, and to tie my knots. When I was making one of my changes I noticed that my glasses had broke and one of the lens had fallen out. No worries though, I had a spare. Yep – I was prepared for that – and was able to tie on my new flies.
After making those changes and covering Mark’s Run one more time, I moved into the riffles above the Big Rock. I could see trout feeding in the riffles and small pockets. One of the changes I made earlier was to put a split shot on my Dry/Dropper. I needed the extra weight in order to get my flies down in the troughs. Now in the riffles it was too heavy - even in the faster, riffled water I couldn’t get a good, clean drift.
The distinctive markings of this brownies fins gave him away in the pocket water.
I needed to take off the split shot. But when I reached for my glasses they were gone. I either dropped them somewhere or they fell out of my bag. Either way they were gone. Where – I don’t know. But without them I couldn’t continue. It was impossible to see my stuff. I didn’t prepare for that!
It was a little before noon and I had two options – maybe three. One – call it a day and go home. Two – go down to Flies and Lies - the fly shop at the Resort – to see if they had glasses for sale. Three – if they didn’t I could drive down to Woodland Park where there are two more fly shops. But it’s about an hour away – so really not an option.
Luckily, Flies and Lies had some. They weren’t ideal, the kind that clip onto the brim of your hat. I couldn’t try them before buying because of the packaging and I got a pair that were too strong. But I could use them to see what I was doing.
They would do in a pinch. And I was in a pinch!
Releasing a rainbow.
As I drove down to Flies and Lies I checked the river to see what was open. There was a guy in Ray’s Run and Fishermen’s Run, and a couple of guys upstream of them. Nothing was really open. So I headed back to Between the Islands Run hoping it was now open.
As I approached the parking area above Between the Islands Run I guy and his dog were just getting out of the car. I wasn’t sure if he was heading to the run or not and I continued on to the parking lot at Mark’s Run. I gathered my stuff and headed to the Between the Islands Run. But low and behold the guy was in the run with his dog.
Dang it. I just missed it.
I began to fish above the run. The same place I started the day. Before going in I changed my Guide’s Choice Hare’s Ear to a #16 PMD Pheasant Tail. The Pheasant Tail is lighter which should help my flies to float higher in the water column and avoid snagging on the rocks in the slow water. And I was anticipating a PMD hatch.
I got most of the rainbows on PMD imitations.
I was getting much better drifts now – but I couldn’t spot any fish. As I was moving downstream – the guy and his dog started moving upstream. We met at the top of the pocket water where I was wanting to fish all day. I asked him if he minded if I fished that spot and he obliged.
His dog wasn’t very friendly and was growling at me as I passed. I’m a dog lover and stopped to meet her. I had my hand out facing down so she could smell me – and as she approached, she kept growling. Jeez – I was thinking that’s all I need is to get bit by a dog today! With the way my day was going that would be fitting. But she didn’t bite me. Instead, she rubbed her snout on my hand – and I’m pretty sure she was still growling as she did!
The things that you encounter on the river!
I was now in the pocket water and It wasn’t long that I had a fish on. I got him in the foam along the seam where fast water met slow water. This one was another rainbow about 15”. He took the PMD Pheasant Tail. The PMD hatch was just kicking into gear.
Another rainbow with the Between the Islands Run in the background.
The slower pocket water – closer to shore where I normally target – didn’t look too promising in the low water. After releasing the rainbow I began to work upstream still targeting the foam line. When I got to one of the pockets I thought to myself “I’ve caught some nice fish right there in that little pocket”. The glare of the sun was such that I couldn’t see into the water from that angle, but I casted into the pocket just because.
As my flies were floating into the zone I felt something hit my hand. Looking down I realized that my reel had come loose in the seat of the rod. I got it just in time before it fell off and began to retighten it. Just as I got it tight, I felt something else. The tug of a fish!
It was in that small pocket and just smacked my PMD Pheasant Tail and ran into the fast water, streaming line out of my reel as it went. Now in the faster water it began to performed some nice aerial leaps. Clear out of the water. What a sight! It was a nice rainbow and provided a challenging fight but I got him to net. A nice 17” rainbow. Even though that wasn’t textbook – it was fun – and I was now totally out of my funk.
After releasing him I hit that small pocket again. I still couldn’t see into it but thought I may as well try it again. And again I had a rainbow hit and run. Same thing. He was out in the fast water jumping clear and I got a good look at him. I thought it was the same fish until I got him to net. He too hit the PMD Pheasant Tail and was the same size but the first one had a distinctive mark on his lip. This one didn’t.
Here is the brownie sitting in a pockets after I released him.
Still not able to see into the pocket water, I decided to give it another try. Why not? Same thing! I couldn’t believe it. I didn’t think that small pocket could hold so many fish. And nice ones at that. But it did. This one was a 16” rainbow and it took my #20 PMD Barr Emerger. I had put that fly on after the first two took the PMD Pheasant Tail.
The sun glare had let up or maybe I was now at a different angle, but I could finally see into pocket water and there was yet another trout still sitting in that little pocket. I could make out the bright marking on his fins. Must be a brownie. As I tried for him another rainbow hit out of the blue. I didn’t even see that one. Carbon copy of the others. 17”. He took the PMD Barr Emerger.
This was making up for my struggles in the morning.
After several more tries I finally got the brownie. He was a nice one – 17”. He had taken the Flashback Black Beauty.
Another look at the brownie.
Now the little pocket was empty, and my focus was back on the foam line where I’d get a couple more rainbows. They were hitting the PMD Pheasant Tail and Barr Emerger PMD. They were fun to catch and like the ones I got in the pocket, they put on quite an aerial display.
There were now more PMDs in the air and on the water, and the trout were rising to them. This was enough for me to switch to dry flies. What I was hoping for all day. I still had my #18 Parachute Adams tied on and followed it with a #20 Sparkle Dun. I had several lookers – but they broke off before hitting. And I had a couple of hits – and just missed the set. To quick!
The rising soon stopped. Suddenly – as often happens.
It was now about 3:30 and I decided to call it a day.
Looking downstream from the parking area at Mark's Run. The top island sitting in the middle of the river.
Weather wise, it turned out to be a really nice day on the river. The soaking rain didn’t materialize, though it did start raining as I was gearing down and it continued until I crossed over the mountains. I guess it started late, but I wasn’t complaining.
As for the fishing, it was a real struggle in the morning, it seemed like everything was a bit off. But the afternoon -that was fun - and it more than made up for all those struggles.
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