South Platte River-CO Oct.11-17th

[Acristickid]

Well, the South Platte was awesome.

The South Platte is like several different rivers in one.
It has three bottom release dams in the section that we fished.

From Spinney Mountain Res. thru "Miracle Mile" (we needed a miracle) into Eleven Mile Res where it is released into Eleven Mile canyon then many more miles into Cheesman (no e) Res. then released into Cheesman Canyon (Gold Medal waters C&R) and into Deckers area (fly and lure only, minimum 16') and then another 50 miles to Denver.

Spinney-
The fishing was awesome except in the "Miracle Mile" area- due to lack of the fish running out of the lake. Both HUGE Browns and Kokanee salmon run out of the lake at this time of the year but not they day we were there. few olives- caught 3 dinks

Cheesman Canyon-
BOMB. BOMB. The is where I can without a doubt say the I caught 20 inch trout. 2 were 20+ both rainbows

Cheesman requires a fairly steep 20 minute hike to reach the river. Totally worth it. The jawdropping scenery and serenity was alone awesome let alone mixed with awesome fishing for huge trout. Olives.

Eleven Mile Canyon- AWESOME! Great fishing and great scenery. One day it was 72 and sunny the next day it was 27 and snowing. Great fishing! midges and Olives

Deckers area is the closet town to Cheesman and offers it great fishing right on along the road. Olives!

The fly of the trip was the RS-2! I used it 95% of the time. Both beaded and not, size#18-22. Flies and Lies in Deckers was helpful- Danny there is a trip.

Lost a bet- I had to wear clown wig near Deckers bridge.

Look for rock climber above my head in one of the shots.

 

[albatross]

Wow. Makes me want to go back. I recognize some of the views from Spinney and 11 mile. I see you caught a brown in 11 mile, I caught over 20 fish the day I was in 11 mile -- all rainbows.

From your report I think I missed the boat. I should have fished Cheesman, but I was sucked in by all the hype over the Spinney area.

Did you fish a 5 weight most of those areas?

 

[Acristickid]

Al-

I used a 5 wt. the entire time except the morning we fished Spinney Mile (6 wt.).

Yes, you would love Cheesman! It does require a 20-30 minute fairly strenuous hike in just to see the South Platte. You dont hear or see anything (no roads or houses,telephone lines,towers for the 3 miles once inside the canyon. There was talk at Flies and Lies (flyshop 3 miles downstream in Deckers- below the very private Wigwam Club) of 28 inch trout being caught. I saw one but did not even come close to getting the battleship as he darted into deeper water once near.

However; Cheesman canyon did not have much of a hatch the day we were there. All caught on RS-2's, BHPT, Beatis nymphs, size 18-22.

Their were anglers we ran into and mentioned pressure amongst other things. They have no idea what pressure is compared to what we have here in PA.

I did catch 20 inch trout I can say for sure for the first time. The only negative thing was I could not get a picture in dealing with landing the big boy.

 

[albatross]

Here are a few of my South Platte Pics. Look familiar?

 

[JackM]

Sounds like a great trip. I am thoroughly jealous. Thanks for the pics, especially this one:

it gave me an idea for a steelhead egg pattern.

 

[Acristickid]

Al- sure does look familar. Beautiful country.

Several books mention that the trout in the Deckers area are the most educated etc.. I did not find that to be the case as we got into trout in almost every likely spot.

I stayed at 11 mile hotel in Lake George. (which was 2 miles from 11 mile caynon and its really cabins not a hotel- pretty crappy accomdations- but very limited options in the area, but it was super close)

Stayed at www.southplatterivercabins.com in Deckers, right on the river.

Jack- yes it was great. I would go back. If you cant laugh at yourself, who can you laugh at?

 

[jpavoncello]

Wow, I can't wait to go back there next summer, we're doing two weeks out there. Our friends live about 35 min from Deckers so that's were I do most of my fishing.
How was the runoff below Deckers? Last summer when I was there, the creek was beautiful until the bridge at Deckers, then seriously silted, runoff from the big fires they had there years ago.

 

[Acristickid]

I did notice evidence from the fires but the river was excellent when I was there. The flow was anywhere from 400 to around 100. Did not rain or snow hard enough to create any runoff issues. Cheesman fished great in the lower conditions and Deckers area fished better with the higher flows.

Danny at Flies and Lies called flows below 100 a slayfest.

We timed it perfect unbenounst to us. I might not have done so well if the flows in Cheesman were on the high side. October is great for olives and less of a crowd. If you have not fished 11 mile canyon it is worth it and is only about 1 hour away.

But really the whole river is tremendous.

 

[tomgamber]

Heres a 5 year old article that begins to address that issue. I have heard many differing opinions on the long term effects of erosion and other post fire issues. Not all of them bad. Again, its another on eof those "its been happening for a million years" things.

But here is the old article.

 

[afishinado]

Paul,

It looks like a great trip. I’ve never had a bad FF trip out-west. I have never fished the South Platt in CO. It looks great, I should give it a try one of these times.

You mentioned that most of your fish were caught on RS2’s. I discovered that pattern a while back when fishing in out-west. It vacuumed up the streams out there. When I returned home I tied up a couple of dozen for PA streams. It’s supposed to be a general pattern to imitate either baetis nymphs or emergers or midges, depending on the color. They work okay, but it’s not the magic fly here, like it is there. Anyone else find the same thing?

 

[jpavoncello]

I've tried the little RS2's here in PA several times, with no luck.

 

[Acristickid]

I was hoping to give the RS2 a try hear here but based on your intel does'nt look so good.