Where to Go South Platte River – Deckers
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Report Date: 4/28/2026
Current Conditions:
The flows in Deckers are pretty good right now. In fact, this area has the most water flowing through than anywhere else in the South Platte. Current flows are at 135 cfs. The fishing has also been good with a lot of bug life really coming into play. The river has still been a little technical, but the fish are becoming much more comfortable and willing to eat. These flows will help the fish spread out a little bit more and encourage them to feed. The river is running clear and visibility is great. Nymphing has and will be the most productive method right now. The dry fly fishing can be good as well in certain areas. Again, look for the slower seams for fish eating on the surface. These fish want good, clean drifts! Longer leaders and lighter tippet are a good idea. The crowds have also been really mellow here over the last week. There is a lot of open water.
Weather:
Short Term- Yesterday marked the start of a much cooler and wetter weather pattern. We saw some decent rain fall in this area yesterday and overnight. Today will dry out a bit and high temps will be nice in the upper 50's. We will see a good amount of clouds today though, so the temps will feel cooler than that. Wednesday will be another transition day ahead of a potent system that will move through the area. Thursday will be more widespread rain and possibly some snow pretty much statewide. We should see a decent amount of precipitation here. This storm will taper off through the day on Friday. The weekend looks beautiful and we will see right around seasonal temps for the first part of May. Temps will be in the 60's and we should have a good amount of sunshine. A little break before the weather changes again.
Long Term- Next week, we will see a return of some more frequent storms in the area. Later in the day Monday is when the next system will arrive. Precipitation chances will skyrocket again Monday through Thursday next week and we will see a good amount of precipitation. This should fall in the form of rain and sleet mostly, but we wont be surprised to see some snow as well. The high country looks to get some good snow during the next 7 days as well. While its a little too late to make a huge difference, any little bit we can get with certainly help. Towards next weekend, we will dry out a bit and temps will be right around seasonal averages.
This is an area we offer guided fly fishing trips. We are one of two outfitters permitted to operate in the USFS section of Deckers. There is not better way to learn an area like this than hiring one of our Orvis endorsed professional guides!
RECOMMENDED PATTERNS
For a custom fly assortment for this location, click here!
Our Top 6 Nymphs for Today:
- Blowtorch, sizes 18-20
- WD-40, Olive or brown, ize 20
- Stalcups baetis, olive size 20-22
- Foamback emerger, black, size 22
- Cheesman emerger, olive, sizes 20-22
- Buckskin. sizes 18-22
Our Top Dry Flies for Today:
- Mole Fly, brown, sizes 20-22
- Parachute Adams, sizes 20-24
- Neil's BWO, olive, sizes 20-22
- Iwane Dun, BWO, sizes 20-22
Our Top Streamer Patterns for Today:
Keep them small and slow down your retrieve!
Standard South Platte nymph rig set up:
Screenshot the diagram above to reference while you're out on the water!
BE SURE TO CHECK OUT OUR "WHERE TO GO" PAGE FOR DETAILED INFORMATION ON OTHER AREAS!
The South Platte River at Deckers was devastated by debris in 2002 from Colorado's largest fire in its recorded history followed by two huge floods. Since then, Deckers has been making great progress toward recovery and the debris left over from the fire and floods is being used by caddis for making their cases. The caddis have taken over the river the last few springs. Caddis hatches that rival the famed Arkansas River's "Mother's Day hatch" have happened in Deckers the last four years. It's showing no sign of slowing down.
When the fish aren't coming up to caddis, a tandem nymph rig with typical fare can still be deadly. The summer months can be a lot of fun for anglers that are into throwing streamers and big dry flies. Elk hair caddis, Amy's Ants, stimulators, and foam hoppers such as the streambank hopper are great dry flies to have. Good nymph patterns to carry are: Mercury Pheasant Tails, South Platte Brassies, San Juan Worms, Pat's Rubber Leg Stonefly, RS-2's, Murphy's Bubbleback Midge, Blindside Midges, Buckskins, Top Secret Midges, Medallion Midges, and Black Beauties.
I'm so pleased to see this fishery come back strong after the Hayman fire. Deckers has been producing some of the area's strongest, most beautiful trout in the last couple of years. While the area may get crowded, there is a ton of water along the corridor and it's always fun to go seek out new water. As with anywhere on the South Platte, be sure to check the flows before you go. Sudden bumps or drops in the flow will negatively affect the fishing on this river.
Jon Easdon, Guide and Director of Services
Deckers is also a great winter fishing destination because it is a tailwater. A tailwater fishery is where a river comes out below a dam; consequently, during the winter months the water temps are just warm enough to stay relatively ice-free all year. Sections where the sun hits the water is where you can find feeding fish. This time of year can be the most productive for solitude-seeking anglers who aren't afraid of using light tippets and very small flies.
This is an area we specialize and are permitted in, so give us a shout if you have any questions or if you're interested in allowing one of our Orvis-Endorsed guides show you how best to fish the Deckers area.
South Platte River – Deckers.
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Directions - 40 miles - 49 Minutes
- From Angler's Covey head west on US 24 W/Cimarron St, go 16.7 miles
- Turn right at CO-67 towards Deckers, go 23.1 miles