South Platte Deckers
Ronald Rizer

South Platte River: Deckers

Difficulty Intermediate/Advanced
Ideal Days To Fish 9/25, 9/26 & 9/30

Weekly Report

Report DateSept. 21, 2023

South Platte flows at Deckers received a small 35 cfs bump yesterday, putting flows just shy of 200 cfs. Flows are still technically below the historical average for this time of year, but the water is cool and there is plenty of water in the system for trout to spread out. Pronounced pools and runs are prime sections to target throughout the day. If you hook into a fish in a deep pool/run, stick with it because odds are you’ll find a few more willing to feed. As long as afternoon temps continue to climb into the 70s and 80s, riffles and transitions will attract trout during the late morning and early afternoon. The morning trico and BWO hatch has been a blast and a great way to squeeze in more dry fly fishing before we move into fall. Adult trico patterns are key between 8 am and 10 am. Around 10 am, the spinner fall will occur and at that point, trico spinner patterns are a hot commodity. If you notice trout refusing or ignoring your fly, switch to a single fly setup and consider dropping to 6x tippet. After 11 am, you’ll see BWOs coming off the water and PMDs will follow behind in the early afternoon. Terrestrials are also active and producing exciting surface eats. Hopper droppers with a Trigger Belly, Amy’s Ant or Hippy Stomper are putting trout in the net. If it comes down to it, nymphing is a reliable approach. Midge and baetis are primary food sources for trout right now, but there are still larger bugs in the river (leeches, worms, scuds, stoneflies, caddis larva etc.). Olive leeches, San Juan Worms, UV Scuds, Pat’s Rubber Legs, Buckskin Caddis and Guides’ Choice Hare’s Ears are effective lead attractor patterns. Zebra Midges, Mercury Midges, JuJu Baetis and Flashback Pheasant Tails are our go-to lead patterns when trout are more selective. For your trailer, go with your confidence midge pupa or baetis emerger.

Recommended Flies

River Flow

Flow Region

Detailed River Info

Background:

The Deckers stretch of the South Platte River is a heavily sought after and highly productive stretch of river located roughly one hour from Denver. It's proximity to Denver and it's wade friendly features makes for a great destination for anglers of all experience levels. According to the Colorado Parks and Wildlife, the Deckers stretch of the South Platte contains just over 3,000 trout per mile with Rainbows, Browns and Cutthroats making up this healthy population. This portion of the South Platte is a tail water section, so depending on the will of the angler, productive fishing can be enjoyed year round.

Angling:

Fishing the Deckers stretch of the South Platte River is arguably one of the most difficult but rewarding rivers in the state. Aside from the hoards of anglers that flock to this river every weekend, it is one of our favorites to fish. It's close to Denver, incredibly easy to access and can yield trout worth writing home about. Deckers is famous for it's deep holes and runs but can also provide great pocket water fishing. In the summer and fall, anglers can expect some incredible Caddis and Mayfly hatches that result in irresistible dry fly fishing. In the winter and spring, nymphing is the name of the game. Small tail water midges and Baetis patterns that strain your eyes to look at are the ticket for a productive day. 

River Access

The Deckers section of the South Platte river is easy accessed from many locations. Anglers can drive along County Road 126, search for an appealing section of river and find a place on the side of the road to park. If you're not interested in searching for your own stretch of river, the intersection of County Road 126 and County Road 67 is a popular place to park and walk to the river.