Uninspired

June 1, 2022

The South Platte River at Deckers – Mark’s Run to Between the Islands Run.

A mountain scene before dropping down to the South Platte River at Nighthawk.

Flows: 126 cfs.

Water Temp: 48F.

Water clarity: Crystal clear.

Air Temp: low 39F @ 9a – high 62sF @ 4p.

Hatches: Very light midge 9a to 12N. A few caddis in the air starting around noon. Sparse BWO 1p to 3p.

Flies: #18 Psycho Prince Nymph, #20 Mercury Pheasant Tail, #22 Mercury Flashback Black Beauty, #20 Bead Head Pheasant Tail, #8 Amy’s Ant, #24 Olive Jujubee Midge, #18 Guide’s Choice Hare’s Ear, #22 Parachute BWO, #24 Sparkle Dun, #18 Elk Hair Caddis, #24 Grey Sparkle Wing RS2.

Top producers: Black Beauty, Sparkle Wing RS2, Guide’s Choice Hare’s Ear.

I was going solo this week and wasn’t sure where I wanted to go. 11 Mile Canyon, Deckers – maybe hike into Cheesman. Anywhere else that I could try?

Deckers was last on the list. I just couldn’t get excited about heading there. I was actually dreading the crowds of fishermen who were most likely going to be there. Cheesman was ruled out because of the low flows. I didn’t want to expend all the energy to hike into it to fish in subpar conditions. And I really didn’t want to drive all the way to 11 Mile.

So I landed on Deckers.

Driving along RT 67 on the way to Deckers.

The day before I was thinking: At least go down to the river and have a look. Maybe end the day early. Just check it out. Trying to talk myself into it. I really didn’t have anything else to do – so why not?

Watching the weather forecast that night before lifted my spirits. It was supposed to be a rainy, snow spitting, cold day. Perfect fishing weather --- at least in my book.

I began to visualize standing in the river casting dry flies to rising trout. The way it used to be. Out in the elements. No one on the water except me – and the trout.

Snow dusting the grass in the meadows and trees.

My start was a little later than planned – 30 minutes late. I wanted to get on the water by 8:30a thinking I could get the back half of the morning midge hatch. As I drove into the mountains my spirits were lifted even further. It reminded me of past springtime journeys to the river. The road was wet from the night rain and as I got higher into the mountains there was snow on the grass and lightly covering the trees. The clouds were low, hugging the higher mountain tops with mist below.

A beautiful scene.

It was misty higher up - just after crossing Devil's Head pass.

My first stop was the Bridge Crossing Run. If I spotted fish there I would fish it in the morning – then head over to the Deckers Resort area looking for fish rising to the afternoon BWO or caddis hatch. It was 9a when I parked and walked onto the bridge and looked into the run. No fish. I scanned the river back and forth a few more times to make sure. No fish.

Change of plans.

I decided to head to Mark’s Run. There are several spots in that area and maybe I could snag one. My thoughts at the moment were that my late start may come back to haunt me. I’d have to take whatever was open – if in fact there was anything open.

My first and biggest fish - at 16" - of the day.

The sun was beginning to peek through the clouds as I drove on. It was clearing. There would be no more rain or snow. I was thinking this wasn’t good.

The parking lots were full as I drove through Trumbull. No surprises there. And there was a smattering of fishermen along the river from there into the Deckers Resort. But as I crossed onto the YMCA road I could only see one fisherman. He was in Fishermen’s Run. No one else all the way to the Bend Hole. And when I got there - there was no one there either or all the way into the Lone Rock Campground Run.

As I came over the hill leading to Mark’s Run and the last part of public water in Deckers I had a pleasant surprise. The whole place was open! Not a single fisherman in sight. I had my pick – anywhere I wanted.

My second fish of the day - also 16" and tied for the biggest of the day. That's a Guide's Choice Hare's Ear that she took.

I parked at Mark’s Run.

The first place I explored was the top of the run. Earlier in the year we found fish there consistently. But lately, with the low flows algae and moss have grown and the fish seemed to have gone elsewhere – as was the case on this day.

You’ll be surprised at how often you will find fish close to shore in the middle of the run. I’ve seen a lot of fishermen wade in without looking and stomp right past them. I’ve caught some nice size trout – brownies and rainbows – in the 18” range no more than 3 feet offshore in that spot.

After spotting no trout at the top of the run I began to walk downstream – peering into the shallow water as I did. And there they were in the middle of the run, The rainbows are still spawning and there were 4 or 5 big ones on or near a redd and there were a several above the redd. A lot of them were smaller but there was at least one nice size rainbow among them.

One of the many 13" to 14" rainbows that I caught.

The water they were laying in is only about 8” to 10” deep. I had two rods with me, one set up as a standard nymph rig and the other setup as a Hopper/Dropper. I chose the Hopper/Dropper and changed my target fly to a #22 Mercury Flashback Black Beauty. Above it was a #18 Guide’s Choice Hare’s Ear (which provided the only weight to my rig) followed by a #20 Mercury Pheasant Tail.

After a few drifts a got the bigger rainbow to take. He hit the Black Beauty and after a brief fight I had her in the net. A 16” female rainbow and a great start to the day.

In the net just before releasing this rainbow back into the river.

I didn’t really watch where she went after releasing her, and after getting all my stuff back in order I went back to where I was before. And there was another 16” or so rainbow there – in about the same place.

Was that the same fish I just released? I wasn’t sure and thought I’d drift some flies by it and see what happens. Surely if that is the one I just released, she wouldn’t hit another fly so quickly – would she? After two drifts the rainbow hit. This time taking the Guide’s Choice Hare’s Ear.

Was it the same fish? I’m still not sure. What I am sure of is that I had two 16” trout in the net – and I’d only been on the water for about ½ hour. Yes – it was a nice start to the day. What I didn’t realize at the time was that these two rainbows would be the largest catch of the day for me.

A rainbow in the shallow water on a redd.

There were a lot of 13” to 14” rainbows in the river. I’m guessing they were two years old and they seemed to be all over the place. As I was going after the 16” rainbows – one of the smaller trout took one of my flies and ran. Straight out into the deeper water – and fast. He broke off and I was surprised at how fast that fish swam.

I would end up catching more than a handful of them. And they fought like hell. Taking line out, jumping clear out of the water – several times - as I fought them to the net. They were fun to catch!

At one point I was looking for a brownie – a big one! I usually find them at the end of the run out in the pockets and in the troughs near the other bank. I was casting into the troughs and one hit. This time I had my nymph rig – my 6-weight which is the heaviest rig I have – and line just started streaming out of my reel. I finally had one of those brownies. Or so I thought.

Looking into the Upper Island. Wild flowers and willows starting to bloom and leaf out.

The fish stayed low and I finally got control of him. As I was bringing him in – slowing coaxing him toward the net – he ran and jumped clear of the water. To my surprise it wasn’t the 17” brownie I envisioned. No he was another 14” rainbow. Fought like hell.

I’d fish various spots along Mark’s Run throughout the morning. No other fishermen arrived – none in sight. What a morning! It was after lunch when I decided to give the run one more try before heading downstream when another guy showed up. He watched me for a bit and as I waded out of the river he asked if I saw any fish rising. I said no and wished him well – then headed downstream toward the Lower Island.

That’s where I was hoping to find some fish rising. It took me a while to get there though. As I was walking along the road I spotted a big rainbow along the roadside shore. I walked down the road a bit further – then waded across the river and came back up on the other side. The rainbow was still there in shallow water tight to the bank.

Looking upstream from the roadside of the river across from the Upper Island.

On one of my drifts – as my flies drifted into his zone – I saw him open his mouth or move slightly. I can’t remember what exactly made me set the hook – but I did – and had him hooked up. He immediately began to violently shake his head which was out of the water. I could see that he took my Black Beauty and I still had him on when all the headshaking stopped. Then suddenly – my line went slack and he was gone. I’m not sure what happened. I think it was just one of those things – small hooks, big fish….

But that was fun. One of my favorite things to do when fishing - stalking them. Even though I’d much rather have that guy in my net – it was an enjoyable 15 minutes or so.

I then moved upstream a bit – 30 feet or so – into the faster water. I spotted a fish in it. After casting to him several times with no takes, I made an adjustment to my weight. Adding some to my Hopper/Dropper setup. On my first drift after making that adjustment a rainbow’s head appeared out of the water to inspect my Hopper. In fact, I’m quite sure he was about to take it. But he startled me and I set the hook to quickly. Missed him.

A male rainbow after releasing him.

On one of my subsequent drifts thought the fast water – I was watching where I thought the fish that I spotted earlier was. I do it often. Watch the fish – look to see if my flies are floating on target to him. Look back at the fish – then back at my flies. As I was looking at where the fish was I felt something pull my line. Startled again, I set the hook and a rainbow came flying out of the water. I swear he was head high, then he spit the fly and was gone. Oh – man! Another missed opportunity.

After that I finally made my way to the Lower Island. And yes the fish were rising there.

Perfect!

Another rainbow in the net!

Even though some of the fish were rising – I started out fishing my nymph rig. I could see fish up in the column and casted to them. After getting a few of the rainbows – again in the 13” range – I decided to go to dry flies.

I redid my 6-weight - tying on a #22 Parachute BWO followed by a #24 Sparkle Dun. These fish were picky. I had some interest but I wasn’t hooking them up. I couldn’t see any flies in the air and I wasn’t sure what they were eating. After a bit I was thinking that they must be midges - it was about that time of day. As I was getting ready to change my flies to them I spotted a couple of BWOs flying overhead. Oh. That answers it. They’re BWOs.

I kept my flies as is since they imitated BWOs. I also noticed that some of the fish were feeding off the surface and some of the fish were feeding just below the surface. Attempting to try to get either of them, I added a #24 Grey Sparkle Wing RS2 as a “dropper”. The “dropper” is tied about 6” behind the last fly and is intended to float in the film just below the surface. It imitates an emerging baetis.

Releasing a rainbow out of my net.

I was having problems following my flies in the foam on the water. This posed a couple of problems. One, I at times I couldn’t tell if I had a good drift. And two, I couldn’t see my flies disappear under the water when I fish hit my dropper. Or I’d miss a fly taking one of my dries. I missed a few this way – well maybe more than a few - but not all of them. Surprisingly, all the fish I caught hit the dropper.

As I walked to my car I noticed that the guy who came up to me on Mark’s Run was now gone. Again, I had the whole place to myself.

Uninspired? Yes, I was.

One of the 14" rainbows I got just above the Lower Island on a Sparkle Wing RS2 Dropper.

That was before I drove into the mountains and before I found myself alone, fishing on the river in Deckers --- like it used to be.

And as I found out on this day - it still can be.