South Platte: Waterton Canyon (Lite Report)

Weekly Report

Note: This report is a part of the FlyCast Lite reporting program and is updated seasonally or in the event of substantial changes that alter fly fishing tactics. FlyCast Lite reports are intended to give anglers a high level overview on seasonal conditions and general fishing tactics.

Waterton Canyon flows below the damn currently sit at 70 cfs at the mouth of the canyon and 130 cfs below the dam. At this level, flows are roughly half of the historical average but are still at a productive level for fishing, particularly closer to the dam. Flows will continue to fluctuate through the summer depending on water demand, so keep an eye on flows before you head out and be prepared to make adjustments. Water clarity is good and trout are spread out across the river. Pronounced runs, pools, banks, pockets and riffles are all fair game. There are a variety of bugs on the menu right now that have trout eager to feed on and near the surface. The most prominent being midges, PMDs, caddis, golden stones, yellow sallys and terrestrials. Keep Griffiths Gnats and Parachute Adams handy during the morning and evening. During the late morning and afternoon, Sparkle Duns, Elk Hair Caddis, Chubby Chenobyls, Amy’s Ants and Hippy Stompers are must haves. As far as setups are concerned, single dry fly setups are a great option when trout are actively rising during a hatch. Otherwise, a hopper dropper or nymph rig is ideal. Hopper droppers are a fantastic alternative to nymphing that offers delicate presentations in soft water and allow you to survey shallower water while appealing to top water and sub-surface feeders. Single and double droppers are both effective but personally, we prefer double droppers as they allow you to lead with a larger and heavier pattern and trail a small pupa/emerger. Pat’s Rubber Legs, San Juan Worms, Guide’s Choice Hare’s Ears, Bead Head Pheasant Tails, Copper Johns, Psycho Prince Nymphs and Rainbow Warriors are productive searcher/attractor nymphs. Either trailer one of these patterns on their own behind a terrestrial or use it as a lead with a pupa/emerger trailer. For your trailer, you can’t go wrong with Zebra Midges, Black Beauties, JuJu PMDs, RS2s, Darth Baetis and Barr’s Emergers. If you’re fishing deep or faster moving water, add a small split shot above your first dropper. Until we move out of summer and air temps cool, carry a thermometer and diligently check water temps after 12 pm. If water temps exceed 67 degrees, please pack it up and give trout a break.

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