The last week or so on the South Platte near Deckers has been HOT and I’m not just talking about the weather! We are finally seeing flows above 150, and the bump has been instrumental in cooling the water down and spreading the fish out. A few afternoon rainstorms have been spiking flows and adding a little color to the water and the fish have responded by keying in on some bigger bug life. The morning has still proven to be the most active time for the fish but with the cool down we are seeing good hatch activity clear into the early afternoon.
The bug life hasn’t changed much in the last week or so, even after the bump in flows. We are still seeing great trico activity in the morning, so come prepared with some options for both top water and subsurface. Our guides have been getting a lot of love on a black WD-40 in a #22 below a male trico dry in a #20. The goodnews is you only need the tiny stuff for the morning. Once the tricos are done doing their thing the late morning and afternoon will bring caddis and PMDs, both in the #14 to #18 range. A comparadun PMD in a #16 has been the hot ticket on top and either a Barrs emerger PMD or SM PMD as a dropper is a safe bet.
If you aren’t getting enough love with the dry fly or dry dropper rig, don’t hesitate to break out the hopper patterns. Tis’ the Season! We have seen most of our quality fish throughout the day eating the big foam bug so make sure you are well stocked on Amy’s Ants or bigger Cubbys. As for dropper options we are seeing the menu change from day to day. After some good rain and with a little stain in the water try some bigger brighter options for a dropper, like a small worm or annelid or a big buggy caddis nymph. On the clearer days you will do better with smaller bugs and chasing the hatch. Trico droppers in the morning, Black Rs2 or smaller black baetis flies. PMD and caddis emerger options for the late morning and early afternoon like Barr’s PMD and Graphic Caddis.
Even with the flow increase we still recommend getting out on the water early if you can. Keep an eye on water temps in the middle of the day and give those fish a break when you see 65 degrees. If you need a new thermometer to help you navigate the warmest part of the year come by either shop and we have you covered! My favorite has been the new Fishpond Riverkeeper Digital Thermometer.
Tyler Banker