Kleis's Fly Of The Week - The South Platte Brassie

The South Platte Brassie is another older pattern that has been my go to midge imitation for the tailwaters along the South Platte river drainage.  There are very few times of the year when you can't catch fish on the Brassie when fished as a dropper behind a Caddis or Baetis imitation.  It has enough weight on its own to be fished as a dropper behind your favorite attractor pattern as well.  Good sizes to have available in your box range from size 18-24.        

South Platte Is Flowing

Despite the total lack of precipitation this year the South Platte river from as far up as Cheesman is running over 200 c.f.s.  This is great news for the fish and the rest of us!  Hatches include Trico's, Caddis, and PMDs.  The bite dies off insanely quick starting around one p.m. and then doesn't pick back up until the last hour before the sun goes down.


Good patterns to have are: Trico Viz-a-duns size 22-24, black RS-2's, Black Beauties 20-24,  South Platte Brassies size 22-24, BH Pheasant Tail nymphs size 16-20,  Olive Sparkle Pupa size 16-18, Elk Hair Caddis size 16-18, and Amy's Ants in olive or red.  The water in the lower stretch of 11Mile Canyon is off color from Springer Gulch down because of runoff from the Springer fire so I don't advise harassing those fish until it clears up.  However the upper stretch is fishing fantastic in the morning so set your alarms!   The Dream Stream is fishing good in the morning with the same bugs. 

Arkansas Tailwater Beaver Slap

I recently did a trip on the Arkansas river below Pueblo reservoir with a client who shall not be named for lack of getting permission. It was a quintessential day for that stretch of river which is why I have grown to love this tailwater, and also why I wanted to share with you our adventure.  Our day included: Tricos, Caddis, and yes beavers.

Our starting point for the day was the area just above the Valco Ponds.  When we get there Tricos mixed with Caddis are just exploding off the water.  And even though we were catching fish while using my size 24 Trico special which was meant for the South Platte; the Tricos that were hatching on the Arkansas that morning were huge.  Have you ever seen a size 16 Trico?  Me neither until that day, and if you're like me and you have mostly fished the South Platte and you're thinking, "Kleis there is no such thing as a size 16 Trico", then let me assure you that I took a close look at these bugs and they were Tricos.  Check one item off the list of abnormal things we witnessed that day.

Four or five fat healthy trout later the Tricos were done coming off so we went back to our heavy nymph rig in an attempt to dredge for bigger fish that tend to stay hunkered down even during the most epic hatch.  While working our way up stream we stopped to look back and noticed that there was a massive beaver sitting on the opposite bank where we had started.  This was the first time I have ever seen a beaver in the wild despite being a Colorado native who has literally lived on the water.   Coincidentally before spotting the beaver my client and I had a conversation about just how clean or not the water actually was that we were fishing in.  The conversation ended with well it's clean enough to support a healthy bug and fish population so that was good enough for us...

When we first spotted the beaver I thought it was a giant rat by the way it sat hunched until its tail flopped out of the water.  When I say giant that's exactly what I mean because mr. beaver probably weighed somewhere between 40-60 lbs!  I'm sure my client was thinking "hmm size 16 Tricos and beavers the size of German Shepherds.  Maybe there is something in the water?".  Of course the conversation for the next ten minutes was about that beast of a beaver that took a dive before I could get it's picture.

That's when the beaver showed up right next to the rocks we were fishing by, and then suddenly swam toward us with every intention of scaring the holy crap out of two powerless fisherman who were knee deep in fast moving water and standing on slippery rocks.  Again the sheer size of the thing was awe-inspiring, and when you combine that with it's incredible speed you have a couple of scared anglers crapping their waders!  Only we weren't wearing waders because it's 100 degrees in Pueblo so we would have just been shitting in the river.  How's that for clean water?  I guess it's ok because the fish do it right?

Anyway so we have a nuclear armed beaver submarine barreling down on us when it stopped at my feet and slapped the water so hard with it's tail that I got splashed in the face!  Dare I say that brings a whole new meaning to getting beaver slapped?  I think so...  The huge rodent must have sensed we were talking about it and was trying to scare us off.  It didn't work.  But the beast did succeed in getting me to think about how much it would suck to be a beaver trying to make a home on the Arkansas tailwater.

Work is still being done on Pueblo dam, and farmer's needs for water changes daily.  When you combine those two things you get flows that fluctuate from 45 cubic feet per second to upwards of 500 c.f.s. in an instant.  This recently happened on a corporate trip and me and this lady's husband had to literally carry her across the river because the current was so strong and the water came up that quick.

Logs, tree trunks, and all sorts of debris came cruising down river, and at the time we were just happy we didn't go for a swim.  We weren't thinking that the debris could have been part of some poor beavers home.  Moral to the story?  Im not sure there is one...  I guess it would be that we as conservation minded anglers need to have more sympathy for giant angry beavers?

   

Sweet Carp Short

Was cruising the web and I came across this short video that definitely shows some of the frustration and excitement that is carp fishing.  Check it out!



GOLDFISH from Detonation Studios on Vimeo.

Kleis's Fly Of The Week - The Peacock Caddis

The Peacock Caddis is an oldie but goodie that is a great imitation of many of the darker bodied Caddis that hatch in our local waters.  Try this fly in tandem with smaller hard to see Trico imitations in 11 Mile Canyon, or by itself during the afternoon/evening Caddis hatch anywhere on the South Platte.  Small stream anglers should have a baker's dozen of each size in their box.  The Peacock Caddis is also a great generic dry fly for fishing stillwater.  Caddis in general are extremely overlooked as a viable food source for trout in our ponds, lakes, and reservoirs.  Good local places to try the Peacock when fish are on top are: Rosemont Reservoir, Crystal, South Catamount, North Catamount, Quail Lake, and Pikeview Reservoir.     

Highway 24 Opens Today!

Just got word from a reliable source that highway 24 is suppose to open today at 1 p.m.  Keep your fingers crossed folks!  Stay safe out there, and for the love of god bring sandwiches and not open flame grills this July 4!  Just kidding I know my readers have better sense then that!

Tight Lines!

Arkansas Tailwater Fishing Report July 1st 2012

The Arkansas river below Pueblo Reservoir is fishing insanely good right now!  This is a real blessing considering many of you Springs residents are chomping at the bit to get back on the South Platte but can't yet because of road closers.  The last week I have seen Caddis, Baetis, Midges, and big fish eating them.  Good patterns to carry are: Beadhead Hare's Ears size 16-20, Beadhead Pheasant Tails size 16-20, Olive Sparkle Pupa size 16-18, Mercury RS-2's size 18-22, and Barr's Emergers size 18-22.  All these fished under an indicator with a good amount of weight above your flies.

Caddis have been coming off around 10, and the Baetis around 12:30.  Two days ago we had a little rain and cloud cover in the afternoon, and the Baetis hatch exploded off the water.  The fish couldn't resist a size 22 RS-2!  Bring your 4x and 5x tippet because these big trout aren't leader shy and they pull hard.   

Flows of been pretty consistently around 250 cubic feet per second, and this stretch of river fishes fantastic anywhere between 200-500 c.f.s.  This morning when I checked the flows were at 383.  They are still doing work on the dam which means it could be a steady 250 c.f.s. in the morning, and then without warning it could jump up to 400 c.f.s. or more in a matter of seconds in the afternoon. 

Trust me you don't want to be caught out in the middle of the river standing on those slick rocks when that happens.  I recently had to carry one of my clients across with her husband when they bumped the flows on us.  She literally couldn't get her feet down to wade because the current was so strong. Find a spot that you know is holding fish where you can also watch for rising water along the bank.  

Also I've had a few people shake their had at me when I tell them where I have been guiding and fishing since highway 24 closed.  Yes it is extremely hot in Pueblo...  If you put on your wet wading shoes and shorts, put on sunscreen, and wear light and protective clothing it is actually very comfortable!  The water coming out of pueblo dam is coming from the bottom of the reservoir so it's nice and cold and feels great to wade in.  Leave the waders at home, and prepare for the heat just like you would prepare for the cold only in reverse.  I promise you won't regret it if you take a trip down south.  The bugs are hatching and the fish are big!

Tight Lines!