Another Fantastic Day's Results at The Rowdy Trout Ranch

Location: The Rowdy Trout Ranch                      Flows (cfs) and Clarity: 261, slightly green/blue

Weather/Temperature: Sun in the morning, drizzly in the afternoon, high of 63.

Flies (Pattern, size, color): San Juan Worm (red), Prince Nymph (14, 16), Rubber-Legged Hair’s Ear (16), Pat’s Rubber Legs (10, 12), FB BH Pheasant Tail (16, 18), LaFontaine Sparkle Pupa (16), Tungsten Head Wooly Bugger (Olive, Orange 4, 6).

Fishing Report: Fishing continues to be fantastic at the Rowdy Trout Ranch. Fish were caught from the top boundary of the property all the way down to the lower fence line. Fish are holding along seams and eddy lines as well as mid paced “trenches” of moderate depth. Fly selection did not matter as much as getting clean effective drifts and “high sticking was most effective”. Average fish size was between 14”-16” with several fish caught around 20”. There were no bugs flying at any point in the day, and all our fish were caught using weighted double nymphs and streamers. The predominant insect found when flipping rocks were large caddis larva. As cloud cover moved in in the afternoon, streamers became especially productive.

The Rowdy Trout is only available on May 18, 24, 27, 30 for the remainder of the month. Book your trip on this exclusive property today!

Fishing Report by Reid Baker

Location: Bear Creek- Lair O The Bear Park          Flows (cfs) and Clarity: 18 CFS and slightly tannin color.

Weather/Temperature: High of 80F, sunny in the morning and overcast most of the afternoon.

Flies (Pattern, size, color): Stimulator (14,16), Parachute Adams (16), ParaWulff Adams (14, 16), BH Pheasant Tail (16), BH Hare’s Ear (16), BH Prince Nymph (14-16).

Fishing Report: Fishing was good on Bear Creek today. Lair O the Bear Park was fairly crowded given it was a Saturday. Fished upstream of the parking lot and caught all my fish using a dry-dropper rigs. Flows at 18 CFS made spotting fish very easy and they were in most every pocket and run with over 6” depth. I worked quickly and covered a lot of water, catching all brown trout between 4-10”, many on dry flies though a majority still on the dropper nymphs. Cadds and BWO’s were hatching throughout the day. Walked up to the end of the park.

Fishing is on at The Rowdy Trout Ranch

Location:  The Rowdy Trout Ranch               Flows (cfs) and Clarity: 419, Clarity was compromised around 3:00pm due to snow and rain

Location: South Platte below Deckers                                         Flows (cfs) and Clarity: 117 CFS and very clear

Weather/Temperature: Mostly cloudy, cool, high of 63F

Flies (Pattern, size, color): Flashback WD-40 (18-20), Cased Caddis (16), RS-2 (20), Elk Hair Caddis (16-18), thread midges in olive and cream (18-20), UV Zebra Midge (20-22).

Fishing Report: Fishing remains fair to good on the South Platte below Deckers, with flows out of Cheesman still holding on the low side. The key throughout the whole day was to find fish and get clean drifts to them. When we got to the water it was mostly cloudy with temperatures in the high 40’s. Right away, there were decent midge and blue wing olive hatches, and fish seemed to key in more on small BWO emerger patterns such as an olive Flashback WD-40. Once again, spotting fish was key. In the afternoon there was a brief spell of sun and small caddis were hatching in decent numbers. We found fish sporadically rising along the edges and managed to catch the fish pictured on an elk hair caddis. Our largest fish were still hooked on small emerger and midge patterns below the surface. Crowds were highest in the mid-morning through early afternoon though they thinned out by 3.

Weather: Warm and mostly sunny, beautiful day high of 73F

Flies Used: Top Secret Midge (20, 22), Jujubee Midge (18-20), Barr’s Emerger (18, 20), Pheasant Tail (20), Parachute Adams (20), Griffith’s Gnat (20).

Fishing Report: With flows being low the water through Deckers is super clear. We didn’t even need glasses to spot fish. Tons of midges hatching throughout the day with a few Baetis as well. With the water as clear as its been we had to be technically correct with very clean drifts. The Top Secret Midge was by far our most effective fly. The key was definitely to spot fish and get very clean drifts right into them, but overall fishing was good.

Fishing Report submitted by Greg Hillyard.

Location: Rowdy Trout Ranch ( N. fork South Platte)                                                       Flows (cfs) and Clarity:  275 cfs,   Water Crystal Clear

Weather/Temperature: 51 degrees, very windy with clouds

Flies (Pattern, size, color): # 14 prince nymph, # 8 olive/grey woolly bugger, #14 pink san juan worm, # 16 hares ear, # 16 green copper john

Fishing Report: River didn’t pick up until about 10:30 due to colder temperatures, once the weather warmed fish started moving out of slower water to feed more consistent. The water was strong in most areas so getting the flys down fast enough was key to hooking more fish. Most fish were very willing to take just a pink San Juan worm, but some of the larger fish required some fly changes to a smaller size(# 18 green copper john). Three fish were landed in the 20in range on the river. The ponds were also extremely productive due to the heavy cloud cover, fish were not afraid to hit a streamer, it seemed like every cast had some sort of strike or follow. Several good fish in the 14-18in range were landed in the ponds.

Fishing Report provided by Mitchell Blain.

Come Out this weekend to one of the three Front Range Orvis Stores and check out all the great deals and demonstrations for Orvis’ annual Spring Extravaganza, Orvis Days. Freestone Outfitters will be present at Orvis Boulder and Orvis Cherry Creek giving presentations from our Orvis Endorsed Fly Fishing Guides on Saturday and Sunday. Stop by and check out all the great deals on the newest gear and tips from our top guides. We will be offering 15% discounted guide rates for any trips booked while at the stores.

Saturday, April 28

• 1 PM: Freestone Outfitters Head Guide Mark Shamburg will present at Orvis Boulder on “Fly Fishing the South Platte Near Deckers”.
• 2PM: Freestone Outfitters Owner & Guide Manager Reid Baker will also present at Orvis Cherry Creek on “Fly Fishing the South Platte Near Deckers”.

The South Platte as it flows below Cheesman Canyon downstream of the town of Deckers is one of the most famed and productive stretches of river near Metro Denver. This section is one of Freestone Outfitters’ favorite places to fish and offers anglers a chance to catch fantastic wild and healthy trout within an hour outside city limits on a year round basis. Mark Shamburg and Reid Baker will both be sharing their insight as to how to effectively fish this fantastic water throughout all four seasons.

Sunday, April 29

• 1:30 PM: Freestone Outfitters Owner and Founder Clint Packo will present at Orvis Cherry Creek on “Streamer Fishing for Trophy Trout”.

Join Clint as he details his tried and true techniques to land trophy fish when fly fishing Colorado. Clint will detail out how to select a streamer, the techniques associated as well as the enormous fish you can catch using these big furry flies.

Location: YR Ranch                                                       Flows (cfs) and Clarity: 57 CFS, very clear

Weather/Temperature: Low of 47F High of 75F. Bright sun.

Flies (Pattern, size, color): Olive Skulpzilla (4), Black Conehead Wooly Bugger (6), Egg Patterns (Orange, Tan), Rainbow Warrior (18), Parachute Adams (20).

Fishing Report: With discharge practically a trickle out of Green Mountain Reservoir, the YR Ranch is very low and clear, though still fishing good. Fish were relatively spooky and holding in the deepest water they could find in the morning. It was worth our time spot fishing and targeting specific fish when nymphing or dry fly fishing. Streamers were far and away the most productive technique today, working slow deep runs with a slow retrieve and allowing heavy cone headed streamers to sink to the fish’s level. In the afternoon, fish were sipping in the slow back eddies. These “scum sippers” were tricky to catch, though we did get one nice rainbow to eat a size 20 parachute adams. In the afternoon, fish moved into the faster shallow riffles and light nymph rigs were effective at that time. Both anglers said they caught the biggest trout of their lives.

Fishing Report by Reid Baker

Location:  Rowdy Trout Ranch                                       Flows (cfs) and Clarity: Clear and 276 CFS.

Weather/Temperature:  Sunny and clear.  70 degrees

Flies (Pattern, size, color): Hares Ear Nymph, small stone fly, and Prince Nymph

Fishing Report: The flows are under 300 and crystal clear.  Most all of the holes at the Rowdy are accessible and fishing great.  It is best to move around a lot to avoid spooking the fish in the clear water.  Two fish over 20” were brought to the net, beautiful dark Rainbows.  We are also enjoying catching a few Wild Brown and Brook trout throughout the day, always a thrill to land some of those.  The ponds are also fishing great, the water clarity is excellent lending to great spot and stalk casting.