Flows: 332 cfs.
Water Temp: 48F @ 9.
Water clarity: ~ 4’
Air Temp: 58 @ 9a – 83 @ 4:30p.
Hatches: Midges 9a- 11a, PMDs 1p-4p, and spotty caddis late morning on.
I went solo this week and decided to fish the South Platte at Deckers. I was a little gun shy from last weeks experience with the increased flows in the middle of the day. So I checked the flows along the entire drainage for the most part of last week. Initially, 11 Mile Canyon seemed to be the most stable – but then the flows out of Cheeseman Reservoir stabilized at about 330 cfs. So I crossed my fingers and went for Deckers.
It ended up a good choice. I arrived at the resort area about 8:45a and there was a lot of open water from the Bridge Hole to the Bend Hole. With that, my plan was to start out at the Bend Hole and work my way toward the Bridge Hole. I was surprised that the Bend Hole was open, as it is one of the most productive holes in the Deckers area.
As I was walking from the parking area there was a pretty good midge hatch taking place. So I decided to start out with a midge setup. My 1st fly was a #16 Hare’s Ear – not really a midge imitation, but I wanted to hedge my bet, so to speak. I followed that with a #22 Mercury Flashback Black Beauty and a #20 Disco Midge.
It was pretty surprising, but I didn’t see any fish in the Bend Hole and I didn’t get any hits. This is the second time that I’ve hit this hole with no results. Maybe things have changed? Anyway I moved on downstream – checking the various holes and seams where I’ve found fish before. It led me to a part of the river that is called the Rock Garden.
Walking toward the Rock Garden. It's pretty rugged in Deckers with lots of boulders and cliffs.
As you can guess the Rock Garden is filled with large boulders that form pockets and seams – classic holding areas where fish like to hang out and feed. As I was looking into one of the pockets, I thought I spotted a fish – but wasn’t sure. It was out about mid-stream and it could have been a rock, but I thought as long as I’m here I should hit every pocket along the way. So I did.
After about 4 casts – I got my flies right where I wanted them and bang! I had about a 15” rainbow on. After a brief fight and a couple leaps out of the water – my line went slack. Ugh! After retrieving my line, I found that the fish had hit my Black Beauty and then the tippet proceeded to break. Wow – that doesn’t usually happen on fresh tippet. The only thing that I can think of was the fish must of taken my line over some rocks and frayed the line.
I tied on another #22 Mercury Flashback Black Beauty and changed the trailing fly to a #20 Black Sparkle Wing RS2. Then thinking that maybe there was another fish or two in the pocket – I covered it and one near it. But didn’t see any and didn’t get any hits. So I moved on.
The next spot was one where I usually spot fish. There is a small pocket that is formed from boulders that are laid out across the stream. It’s a small area with a huge boulder up against the south bank at the tail end of it. I usually see the fish near the large boulder in the pocket and in the seam where it meets the faster water. As I looked in – sure enough, there was a nice rainbow hanging out.
The pocket I fish is to the left (upstream) of the boulder. This area is the tail-end of the Rock Garden.
I climbed down into the water near the huge boulder and fished the seam. After a few cast, I saw a fish rise just a bit farther out into the faster water. So I adjusted my cast and bang! I had on a nice 14” or so brownie. I know that because he jumped out of the water pretty much right in front of me. Then he was gone! I was thinking “what is going on?”. When I retrieved my line I noticed that the knot had given out at the Black Beauty. Jeez – that burns me up!!
1st fish of the day - a 15" female rainbow.
I ended up hooking up a couple more fish in this spot – with one spitting the hook and the other was the nice rainbow - a 17 incher - I had spotted. It took the Black Beauty.
Moving downstream it seemed that all of a sudden there were fishermen all over the place. How did that happen? I was now at the end of the Rock Garden and at the head-end of Ray’s Run on the south side of the river. There weren’t many spaces to get into. As I was checking the river, I noticed what looked like a deep hole near the bank with a couple of large submerged tree trunks. At the same spot there was a tree overhanging the hole and it looked like a good spot for some trout to hang out in.
My cast was upstream and around or under the tree. It was a great looking spot – with riffles feeding into the hole. I was sure there would be fish – and I was right! After 5 minutes I had an indication of a hit and I set the hook. It felt like I had a snag – it was just bam – then nothing. Then the fish started to run. It was a hefty one for sure – most likely a brownie. He just bull dogged me across the river then downstream. It had taken out a lot of line and I had to move downstream with him if I was to land this one.
It wasn’t easy to get downstream as I had to walk over a lot of big, uneven rocks, under another overhanging tree, and other debris along the bank. But I made it to almost where he was – but just then he spit the hook. Oh Man!
So I huffed my way back upstream to the hole and began to work it again. A little later I had on another big one. This guy ran straight upstream and broke my line. Boy oh boy – this was irritating me!!
It was now time for lunch – and I needed a break! As I was walking up to the car, I formed my plan for the afternoon. I would walk upstream to the Lone Rock Campground Hole and work from there up to the Horseshoe Bend.
So after lunch I set out for the Lone Rock Campground. There were 3 fishermen along the run – which was discouraging – but I kept on the lookout to see if I could spot any fish. I did see one – and it was at a place where I could fish for it without interfering with the other fishermen. But after a few minutes, it was apparent that I must of spooked the fish.
So I vacated the spot and began to walk toward the Horseshoe Bend. There was another 2 fishermen near the end of the run and 3 up at the head of it. So I adjusted my plan.
I got back in the car and drove down to the Resort. Figuring that I could fish the Between the Bridges Run, the Bridge Hole, Hebrew’s Best, or Ray’s Run. Whichever was open. It ended up that all of it was!
a 15" brownie taken at Hebrew's Best on a #20 Pheasant Tail PMD.
I started out walking along the south side of the river at the Bridge Hole – with the intent of going to Hebrew’s Best. I didn’t get anything in the Bend Hole – and as I walked up to Hebrew’s Best, I spotted a couple of nice fish in the deeper run at the end of it. They were feeding in clear water that looked to be about 4’.
A 17" rainbow taken with the #20 Pheasant Tail PMD.
They weren’t hitting what I had to offer, so changed up my flies. I kept the Hare’s Ear on and tied a #20 Pheasant Tail PMD following it with a #20 Barr Emerger PMD. I wasn’t real sure on what to use at that time as there wasn’t any appearance of a hatch and I wasn’t sure that PMDs were still active. But I figured I’d give them a try.
Another 17" brownie taken from Hebrew's Best.
Lucky me. Just after tying them on – I noticed some adult PMDs in the air! The fish did too.
Here's a 16" male brownie. Another one on the #20 Pheasant Tail.
I ended up spending the rest of the afternoon there. After alternately adjusting my weight (ended up with a #2 split shot) and depth (7' of leader in the water) - I got into them. They all hit the Pheasant Tail – except for one brownie who took the Hare’s Ear.
A 16" brightly colored male rainbow.
That one was a no doubter. At the time, there were a few fish in sight about 6' from the bank and I was attempting to cast to them. As my flies were drifting into the target area – I was watching those fish to see if I detected any movement when the flies arrived. Just then my line took off. It was the brownie taking the Hare’s Ear and running. When I netted him – he had a mouth full of worms!! Never seen anything like it.
Kind of gross! A 17" brownie with a mouth full of worms and the Hare's Ear on the right.
Here's a better picture of him.
It was a lot of fun. I had the whole place to myself and a bunch of fish in the net. They ranged in size from 15” to 17” – with one 19” brownie. The 19 incher was the last of the day – and a good way to finish.
The last one of the day - a 19" male brownie.
Yes – welcome back Deckers!!
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