The South Platte near Deckers has been seeing unseasonably low flows for the start of the summer but don’t let that scare you away just yet! Despite the low flow the fishing has been solid, but there are some things to consider if you are heading out over the 4th of July holiday. A thermometer is about as essential as your fly rod for the next two months to ensure the health of the fish we all love chasing so much. Keep an eye on water temps as you get into the afternoon and if and when you see the water hit around 65 degrees it’s time to pack it up and give the trout a break!
Again don’t let us scare you off the water for the holiday but be mindful out there and lets all have a great July!
If you have been down near Deckers recently, then im sure you have noticed the vegetation in the river this year is THICK. Nymph fishing can be a real challenge due to the sheer amount of salad in the water, but thankfully the bug life as of late has made for some amazing top-water action. We are seeing caddis, PMDs, Yellow Sallys, and Tricos all coming off strong and a dry fly rig with a small bead head dropper has been the hot ticket.
Try and hit the water as early as you can not only to avoid the warmer water temps but also as we are seeing the most active feeding window for the fish to be about 7am to 2pm. Chasing the hatch can a productive way to put fish in the net, but if you want a more universal rig to fish most of the day a Caddis dry fly with a PMD dropper has been a killer from first light through the afternoon. Check out our guide recommended flies down below and come see us in the shop if you need to reload before the holiday!
Tyler Banker