May 17, 2022
The South Platte River – The Super Pool & Cattle Crossing Run.
Flows: 184 cfs.
Water Temp: DNM.
Water clarity: Crystal clear.
Air Temp: low 50sF @ 8:30a – high 60sF @ 4p.
Hatches: Light midge 8:30a to 12N. A few caddis in the air starting in the early afternoon.
Flies: #18 Puterbaugh Caddis, #18 Beadhead Pheasant Tail, #24 Barr Emerger BWO, #10 Pat’s Rubber Leg, #18 Flashback Pheasant Tail, #22 Chocolate Thunder, #24 Parachute BWO, #24 Sparkle Dun, #18 Guides Choice Hare’s Ear, #24 Top Secret Midge, #18 Grey Beadhead Baetis Emerger, #18 Baetis Emerger, #24 Grey Mercury RS2.
Top producers: Flashback Pheasant Tail, Chocolate Thunder, Grey Beadhead Baetis Emerger, Baetis Emerger.
Looking downstream into the Canyon from the Super Pool.
In his book, Fly Fishing Guide to the South Platte River, Pat Dorsey does a great job of laying out all the fishing holes in Cheesman Canyon. There is also a map of them on the Gill Trail just at the drop off into the Family Hole. The Family Hole and the Fence Hole are the last two holes in the Canyon before the river flows downstream into the Wigwam Club’s private water.
From the drop off to the Family Hole, the Gill Trail leads upstream all the way to the Cheesman Dam. From the trail you can drop down into the various fishing spots. At times the trail is high up in the canyon and even with Pat’s detailed description of the fishing spots and the map on the trail – I find it hard to locate all of them.
Walking along the Gill Trail.
Based on these two resources and judging by the time it took us to hike along the trail – I’m pretty sure we ended up at the Super Pool. This pool is located a little over a mile from the map on the Gill Trail and it took us about 45 minutes to hike there. Forty-five minutes to hike a little over a mile sounds like a slow walk. And I guess it is, but the trail dips and climbs again along the canyon and it’s not the easiest to traverse. Plus we stopped on occasion to look into the river for open spots and to identify the holes.
The Super Pool is as Pat describes it – “a huge boulder jam just below the Blitz Pool”. The “boulders” are huge. Huge like 12’ to 15’ high and just as big around. The boulders and substrate (exposed granite) actually form one large plunge pool and some smaller pools and seams. During low flows there is a sandbar that is exposed - forming a very small island. In higher flows it is totally covered but is shallow enough to provide a spot that enables you to fish the plunge pool, and a smaller pool and seam, after wading into the river from the trail side of the river. The smaller pool and seam are just off the trail side, but they fish much better from the vantage point on the sandbar.
You have to be very careful fishing in this hole and the others in the Canyon. The sandbar mentioned above is formed by a bunch of small, granular pieces of granite that have eroded off the canyon wall sliding down into the river. You’ll find a lot of areas where these small pieces of granite stack up forming a sandbar like structure, and they drop off in a lot of places very quickly into deep holes. Especially around the many huge “boulders” that lie in the river.
Brian with one of his rainbows. The boulder jam at the top of the pool in the background.
Believe me. I know this from experience. A while back I was fishing the Super Pool and was standing on a mound of the small pieces of granite and moved slightly – about a half step – to my left in order to get a better cast. The next thing I knew I was sliding down the side of the mound heading into a deep hole. Imagine trying to run up the side of the steep drop off. The loose granules of granite giving way on each step as water is fighting you and pushing you further into the deep drop off.
I made it out – obviously – but it took considerable effort. And some actual swimming!
We didn’t really intend to fish this spot. We had another place in mind – the Jamboree Hole. One thing I’ve found is that when you hike further into the canyon, you have to be flexible. As we experienced this day, when you get to a certain hole it may be already taken. Then you go to the next. If it’s taken, then the next.
The Gill Trail heading back up and further into the canyon from the Super Pool.
That’s basically how we ended up in the Super Hole. It was the first one open. But it’s not a bad option – not at all. As we came up to the hole I could see trout lined up in the near side pool – just as the last time I fished it. I pointed them out to Brian. These trout are extremely skittish. You have to be very stealthy as you approach the river or the fish will bolt.
As he usually is, Brian was first in. He began covering the pool from the riverbank as I continued to get my gear together. I wasn’t even done when he had his first fish on. He got it at the top of the pool. It was a beautiful rainbow and looked to be in the 18” range. A nice catch!
Rainbows spawning on a redd.
He had the fish about two feet from the net when it suddenly broke off. Ugh! Even though, it was a great start and I was very encouraged. I was thinking that we’d be slaying trout all day! It didn’t end up that way but we did alright.
As Brian was looking into the pool he noticed that the fish at the back end of it were actually spawning. Dang it. That took about six to eight fish out of the equation. We couldn’t fish to them. Best to leave them alone and let them do their thing.
The only way to get to the sandbar that was now exposed to fish the deep plunge pool was to wade through the small pool. I felt bad that we kept interrupting the spawning fish as we waded back and forth to get another rod, etc. But there was no way around it.
A rainbow I netted at the bottom of the Super Pool.
After Brian’s first hookup things got a little slow. At times we both were covering the plunge pool – one on each side of it. Then I would work the back end of it and a small seam near yet another huge boulder. Brian was having success getting fish on but for some strange reason the kept breaking off. I, on the other hand was not getting even a hit.
Then I finally had one on – and what else – it broke off. What the heck?
I started out fishing the shallow water below where the spawning fish were. It was a small seam just to river right (the right side of the river looking upstream) of the sandbar. I had rigged up a Dry/Dropper setup thinking that would work. It didn’t and I changed to a standard nymph rig and after a few changes to my flies and what seemed like continual changes to my weight and depth I finally brought my first fish to net.
This 13" rainbow fought much bigger than he was.
It hit a #18 Flashback Pheasant Tail which would be the hot fly of the day for me. It was a smallish rainbow – a little over 13 inches. It fought like a much bigger fish though. We found that the trout in this section seemed to be healthier and a lot stronger than the ones we caught in the canyon further downstream. Probably because they get less pressure.
I would catch a few more fish as Brian continued to hookup fish that would break off. It was after noon and the midge hatch – which was sparse in the morning – was dying down. As Brian was getting ready to take a break for lunch he hooked up and netted his first fish of the day. With that, he continued to fish instead of breaking for lunch and then very quickly had two more fish!
I’ve fished in the canyon for a number of years and have found that further into it the fishing holes are distinctly separated. In order to get from one to another one, you have to either climb back up to the trail or climb around huge boulders, downed trees, or some other obstacle. And you have to lug your backpack and other miscellaneous gear with you. This wasn’t much of an issue when I was younger. For one thing, I didn’t pack anything in with me then and the climbing wasn’t that strenuous. It is now! And I prefer to pack my stuff in. Bottom line – once I get to a spot deep in the canyon I tend to stay in that spot most of the day.
Releasing a rainbow into the shallow water near the sandbar.
Just after eating his lunch Brian asked if I wanted to head downstream. You can guess the answer to that –--- I suggested that we stay a bit longer!
It was a partly cloudy day and at about 1p we could see dark clouds and hear thunder. I was expecting a nice BWO hatch but it never materialized. We may have seen a few in the air but that was it. There must have been some emerging though as we did see a few noses coming out of the water. It was enough for me to change back to my dry fly set up. It seemed that I soon as I did – the rising stopped. Jeez!
The rest of the day was spent nymphing. We weren’t hooking them up regularly but we did get several more into the net. A lot of accomplished fishermen – i.e. experts – say that the fish in the canyon have PHDs. Meaning they are well educated, very savvy and smart. They seem to be very selective too. You have to have the right fly, perfectly presented before they will hit it.
Looking into the Super Pool with the sandbar in the middle. The plunge pool and boulder jam are to the right just out of the picture.
Brian had one of them. The fish he got in the afternoon were hitting a #18 grey, bead head baetis emerger. It had the look of an RS2. Brain said that he didn’t tie that one but after its success he was going to tie up a bunch this week!
I found similar success with a #18 Flashback Pheasant Tail. I got all my fish on it except for one. That exception hit a #22 Chocolate Thunder.
At one point I was working that small seam at the end of the hole in front of the of the huge boulder. There it forces the flow around it and forms an eddy. I could see fish in the eddy feeding and was trying for them. As my flies drifted toward the eddy I was watching the fish more than my indicator. A bad habit of mine.
A nice 17" rainbow in the net.
As I was watching the fish I noticed – almost subconsciously – that my indicator wasn’t floating toward the eddy as it was supposed to be. It finally got my full attention. Since it wasn’t floating as it should have been I set the hook and had a nice 17” rainbow hooked up. It wasn’t easy landing this bad boy. He would take me to both sides of the boulder trying to break free. I was worried about the line fraying and breaking on the boulder and was also very cautious of wading too close to it. Finally, after a real struggle I had him in the net.
As this one, most of the fish we caught were in the 17” range and all were rainbows. Except for two brownies that Brain netted. And as mentioned earlier – they all were in great physical shape and fought much bigger than they were.
We allotted ourselves a little extra time to hike out of the canyon when we decided to leave the Super Pool. Instead of changing we gathered our packs and hiked a short distance to the Cattle Crossing area. It was open and we gave it a try. I only saw one rainbow. It was upstream in the flat water. There a lot of submerged boulders – smaller ones – in this run creating nice pocket water. But the water is very slow and the fish have a lot of time to inspect your offering. And they are “shy” as they say, meaning they are very aware of indicators and leaders and bolt at the slightest give away.
Another 17" rainbow. She - like most of the others - took the Pheasant Tail.
After exploring the area and covering several of the runs, pockets, and pools we decided to officially call it a day. Changing out of our waders, boots, and packs streamside we packed our gear for the hike out. The hike out is mostly uphill and I found it strenuous but not overly. It felt like a good workout.
Another day in the Canyon – matching wits with some of the “smartest” fish you will ever encounter.
A healthy, beautifully colored rainbow.
That’s what keeps drawing us back.
Comments