Colorado Fishing Reports: South Platte River Fishing Report

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South Platte River Sponsored by

Date	09-Apr-22
Water Condition
Water Temperature

Conditions : South Platte River: Dream Stream - The flows are still a little low and we expect them to stay that way for a while longer. Dont expect any increases until downstream water demand comes into play. This week looks pretty nice in good ole South Park, although wind will be a factor, especially in the first half of the week. Fishing has been okay but you will have to cover ground. Crowds have definitely been thick on certain days. There are still a fair amount of people looking for lakerun fish, but that pretty much ended 2 weeks ago. It appears the lake run fish have come and gone for the most part. These runs have been very short-lived the last few years. There are still some nice resident fish, but be prepared to work for them. Please be sure to move around and not camp out in one spot all day. With the pressure also comes the reminder to be a good neighbor. There is a lot of river. Midges, eggs, and leaches have been the staple food sources on the Dream. Anglers can also start to mix in some baetis and larger profiled midges into their offerings. Please be sure to keep away from any redds or spawning fish in the river. These spawning beds will produce fry (baby trout) in the spring and are vital to sustaining the fish population. We have started to see the cutthroat and cut bows start their spawning ritual. Tread Lightly! Flows: 112 CFS (4

Deckers - The flows are stable at about 154 CFS. The fish are comfortable and have started to spread out a little more. We likely won't see any significant changes in the flows until downstream water demand increases. Be sure to watch the flows closely here and avoid fishing on days right when they raise or lower the flows. Water temps are starting to increase and this has engaged a lot more baetis activity. This week looks wonderful in the corridor weather-wise. This time of year is very exciting with fish starting to transition out of their winter metabolism. Mayflies and larger profiled midges are the preferred food sources. With the bigger flows, larger bugs are also a great idea. Scuds, leeches, worms, and crane fly larvae are all getting the attention of the fish. While midges are pretty much always the mainstay on this tailwater, the spring BWOs are getting more dominant. Be sure to have some baetis patterns on this time of year, particularly in the afternoons or on cloudy days. Depth, weight, and presentation are KEY right now, and midges are the name of the game. Look for the warmest parts of the day for the best feeding activity. Typically, smaller flies are the go to but don't be afraid to mix in some bigger attractor bugs with the standard "small stuff" right now. Leeches, scuds, and worms are all a good bet with these flow increases. The dry fly fishing is sporadic but should be increasing very soon. With the emergence of the BWOs, its inevitable!

Cheeseman - Anglers Covey reports, The flows have been stable at about 150 CFS for a week now. These are great flows for this time of year. This week will be fairly pleasant in the area with the exception of some wind in the first part of the week. The longer days have started to bring those water temperatures up and that has also increased bug activity. The trail is almost all clear of snow and ice, but you may encounter that in certain sections. Be cautious of muddy and melting snow areas as they can be just as slippery as ice itself. The fishing is great and fish are feeding primarily in deeper runs and tailouts. As the midges hatch the fish are moving into riffles to feed. Keep an eye out for that. Fishing is technical as usual. The fish are a lot more comfortable to feed throughout the river in these higher flows. Small bugs and light tippet are the standard year-round in the canyon, but larger food sources are also key right now. Be sure to mix in some larger offerings right now with the water increase. Leeches, scuds, worms, cranefly larva, larger profiled midges, and BWOs are all taking fish. Fish are keying in hard on midge and baetis imitations both subsurface and on top of the water. The big spring midge is prolific right now, so be sure to have some larger midge larva/pupae in your boxes. The spring "olives" are also getting a lot more active. They are becoming a dominant food source and the fish are starting to key in on them. They will start being more prevalent as the days get longer and the sun gets higher.

Reported by: Sportsman's Warehouse

Hatches:	Patterns	Lures & Spinners


About: - (Cheesman Reservoir to Strontia Springs Reservoir only): The splendid natural beauty of this river is distracting even to the most seasoned angler. Bighorn sheep frequent the canyon walls and a variety of birds hover over the water. The two prime stretches of water area are as follows: Cheesman Reservoir to Strontia Springs Reservoir: This Gold Medal river is regarded as one of the best rainbow and brown trout fisheries in the nation. There are many fish over 14 inches, particularly upstream of Scraggy View Picnic Ground. Location: U.S. 85 to Colorado 67. Strontia Springs Reservoir to Chatfield Reservoir: Requires hiking or biking. There are fewer anglers in this stretch than in the Deckers area and the concentrations of fish are impressive. Best bets are rainbow and brown trout. Location: C-470 west to South Wadsworth. Follow Wadsworth to the Kassler Water Treatment Plant. Access to this area is by hiking or biking. South Park: One of Colorado's best for quality-sized rainbow, brown and cutthroat trout. Best areas are between Spinney Mountain and Elevenmile reservoirs, upstream from Spinney, the Middle Fork from the confluence with the South Fork upstream to Fairplay and the South Fork above Antero Reservoir to Highway 285. Best kept secret: Elevenmile Canyon. Location: West of Colorado Springs on Highway 24.			Brook Brown Rainbow Cutthroat

Misc Info: -