Flows on The South Platte near Deckers have seen a little bump in the last few days from 240cfs to just shy or 270cfs. The increase in flows has knocked some of the bigger bugs loose from the banks and our guides have been having a lot of success with larger nymph rigs. Make sure you are well stocked on Pat’s Rubber Legs, San Juan worms, and your favorite big buggy caddis nymphs. These are all awesome options for a lead fly and we want to make sure we have enough weight not only to get the fly down but also to SLOW the fly down. With the bump in flows the speed of your flies is super important, especially when fishing the deeper runs and tailouts. As for a dropper we would still recommend chasing the hatch. Tricos have still been the main event of the morning and once you see the Tricos fade the PMDs, Caddis, and Yellow Sallys aren’t far behind and should keep you in the fish through the afternoon!
There is still some opportunity on the surface, but with the bump in flows, we are getting more love subsurface for the majority of the day. If you don’t want to stare at a bobber all day (and we don’t blame you) then we recommend a small dry dropper rig for the morning. A #20 or #22 Trico dry fly, like a Tri-Wing spinner or a Barr’s Vis-a-Dun in black are great options for the top water. I like to throw a tiny black CDC Rs2 behind the Trico dry and this seems to be the hot ticket if you find some picky fish.
Once the Tricos stop catching them for you, it’s time to switch gears and tie on the hopper dropper rig! We have been seeing good action on the hopper throughout the day, and you can’t go wrong with a couple bead heads in tow. The same patterns we recommend for the nymph rig will work great under a big Cubby Chernobyl or Amy’s Ant.
We still recommend keeping an eye on water temperatures as we get into the hottest month of the year. Early word from Denver Water is that they want to keep Cheesman Reservoir at or above 95% and right now we are sitting at 96% so this could mean a drop in flows in the next week or so. Keep an eye on the flows and keep your thermometer at the ready! If you need any help restocking on flies come and see us in Lone Tree. We will make sure you have everything you need for a great day on the water!
Tyler Banker