April 27, 2022
The South Platte River in Cheesman Canyon – The Family Hole.
A view up the Canyon from the Family Hole.
Flows: 232 cfs.
Water Temp: 50F @ 8:30a.
Water clarity: Very clear.
Air Temp: 33F @ 8:30a – 55F @ 4p.
Hatches: Light midge 8:30a to 12N. Then heavy at about 2p. BWOs 12N to 4p (when we left). Caddis here and there in the PM.
Flies: #18 Red Midge Larva, #22 Mercury Black Beauty, #10 Egg Sucking Leech, #24 Miracle Midge, #18 Red Copper John, #24 Top Secret Midge, #24 Grey Sparkle Wing RS2, #20 Mercury Pheasant Tail, #20 Bead Head Pheasant Tail, #20 Sparkle Dun BWO, #22 Parachute BWO, #22 Flashback Pheasant Tail.
Top producers: Mercury Black Beauty, Sparkle Dun, Parachute BWO, Flashback Pheasant Tail.
It’s Springtime. Some nice days – some not so nice.
We’ve been waiting and watching for the right conditions for the past month or so. Not too cold in the morning. No snow. Or wind.
For me, I’d often think about this trip as I did my cardio workouts. I felt it the last time in and out. Breathing hard, heart pounding, legs feeling like jelly as I climbed the canyon wall back to the trailhead and car.
Am I getting in better shape? Would it be easier next time?
I was hoping so. The place in mind is special.
A plump female rainbow. She took Brian's Flashback Pheasant Tail.
Brian Kenney.
The Canyon.
For fly fishermen in the Front Range of Colorado – there is only one Canyon.
Cheesman Canyon.
It’s special.
The Canyon cuts through granite walls in a rugged pine forest. You have to hike in along the Gill Trail about 1 mile to the closest fishing hole. That would be the Family Hole. The one I picked. Since it’s the closest spot – it’s also the easiest to get to. I wanted to start out with that one first to see how it went. The other reason – it’s one hell of a good spot to catch nice rainbows, cutbows, and brownies!
The top of the Family Hole.
Some people don’t realize it but the Cheesman Dam was built in 1905 and at the time was the highest arch dam in the world. In the 1970s it was designated as a National Civil Engineering Landmark. When it was built - there were no roads leading into it. Still aren’t. It’s not the easiest place to get to. Maybe that’s why it’s so special.
The Gill Trail – named after a local landowner and original owner of the Wigwam Club – is about 3.5 miles from the trailhead to the dam. The farther you hike in the less crowded it becomes. This is mountain stream fishing at it’s best. You can find solitude in the wilderness and beautiful trout in the various holes, pools, and runs. The Family Hole and the ones nearby get more traffic. You can’t have everything! But it seems there is always room and the fishing can be fantastic.
This Blue Wing Olive (BWO) landed on Brian's shirt. They started to hatch at about noon.
It was last Wednesday - the day we picked. We decided to pack all our gear in – so after strapping on the backpacks we hiked the 1 mile or so into the forest. The elevation at the trailhead is about 6,200’ and in our estimation – we gained about 600’ in elevation along the trail before it drops down to the river. The drop down – going in – is very steep. And it seems that it’s even steeper when you hike back out!
The day started off hot for Brian. He had a few fish on in quick order. I was sitting on a boulder with my back to the river as I tied on my initial flies when I heard the familiar sound of a fish splashing, fighting to get free. And sure enough, Brian had his first fish in the net.
Brian got this beauty early in the day in the Family Hole.
Brian Kenney.
That was encouraging!
Sight fishing is the order of the day in the Canyon. The water is generally crystal clear and you can spot trout holding in the deep seams, pools, runs, and tailouts. When I finally got my rig in order and walked to the water’s edge – I could see fish lined up at the top of the run.
Getting them to hit was another story. The fish in the Canyon are notoriously picky and they are easily spooked. I must have casted a hundred times into that run before I finally got one of them to hit. It was a fat rainbow and she took my #22 Mercury Flashback Black Beauty and proceeded to put up a fight to remember. It was just before lunch when I netted her.
My 1st of the day - a plump female.
Meanwhile, Brian had already netted a handful of fish. They were all hitting his #20 Flashback Pheasant Tail. As I sat streamside and ate lunch, he said “This is going to be like last week. You’ll slay them in the afternoon”. I wasn’t so sure of that.
The BWOs were beginning to hatch as I ate and I retied my rig accordingly before heading back out into the river. My Sparkle Wing RS2 – a grey #24 – was my target fly. And sure enough – I got a couple of those ultra-picky trout to take it. But I missed both!
Another one of Brian's rainbows.
Brian Kenney.
As I did in the morning – I worked upstream to where a small waterfall flows into a rocky patch of river and then back down. I could see fish in some of the pockets and seams along the way – but they were just as picky as the trout I fished to back downstream at the head of the run. On this particular day they seemed to be even more picky than normal. And they were spooked easily. Seeing your indicator was enough to send them packing.
Interestingly, I spotted rainbows actively spawning. Each river seems to have it’s own timetable for the rhythms of life. The rainbows are done spawning just downstream in the Deckers area. Fishing during a spawn always seems to be more difficult. The fish – rainbows in this case – have their minds on that instead of eating! Or so it seems.
One of my brownies fooled by the Sparkle Dun.
There was a spot on the other side of the river that I was eying during lunch. It was a small seam created by some boulders near the opposite shore that looked promising. After coming back downstream from one of my treks – I decided to head that way. After crossing the river I walked along the shore peering into the river to see if I could spot any fish. There was a deep trough where I spotted a big rainbow. It looked like it was in the 20”+ range.
As I was casting my flies to him, Brian called out from the other side of the river to get my attention. He said there were a bunch of fish rising just downstream of his spot. Since the big rainbow didn’t seem interested in my offerings – I pulled up stakes and headed Brian’s way.
This cutbow also took the Sparkle Dun.
My dry fly rig was already set up from last week. I had my trusty Sparkle Dun and a Parachute BWO tied on. When I got to the river’s edge it began to rain and there were fish rising all over the place. Wow! They were splashy rises too. I mentioned to Brian that maybe they were hitting on caddis. But it ended up they weren’t. They were hitting on BWOs.
It would rain on and off for the next hour or so and the wind was gusting at times. Sometimes very gusty! So casting was difficult at times, but the rain sparked a nice BWO and midge hatch. They were both in the air and on the water – and the trout were feasting on them.
Brian got this brownie on his Flashback Pheasant Tail.
Brian Kenney.
One took my Sparkle Dun on my first cast. It was a nice size brownie – but I missed him. I wouldn’t miss too many more though. Brian’s prediction rang true. It was an afternoon to remember. Both rainbows and brownies – all but one taking the Sparkle Dun. They ranged in size from 15” to 18” – and it was a ton of fun!
The rising stopped a bit after the rain did. Even though – I was able to get a few more fish in the net. Watching a fish rise – then take your fly – setting the hook and feeling the tug on the line. I don’t know if there is anything better. All I can say is it’s an exciting experience!
Another brownie who took the Sparkle Dun.
As we began our hike back to the car we were already talking about coming back. Maybe try another spot – one a little farther in.
Releasing an 18" brownie.
The Canyon.
Nothing quite like it.
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