Where to Go Middle Fork of the South Platte
Current Reports
Open 9 am to 6 pm Daily
Report Date: 10/3/2026
Voluntary closure 12 pm - 12 am daily - CPW
Conditions:
Recent rain across South Park has provided a much-needed boost to streamflows, bumping water levels back into a prime, highly fishable window around 30 CFS. The added volume has expanded holding water throughout the reach, flushing extra nutrients into the system and loosening up trout that were previously pinned to ultra-shallow cover. Water clarity remains sharp with a clean, slight tint, giving fish extra confidence to step out into open feeding lanes, soft current seams, and pool tailouts without being as ultra-spooky.
Weather:
Short-Term
The short term brings stable high country fall weather following the recent precipitation. Cold mornings starting in the mid to upper 20s give way to sunny afternoon highs reaching the mid to upper 50s. Wind through the open valley remains steady at 8 to 12 mph, with periodic afternoon gusts pushing remaining land insects and foliage off the willow banks into active feeding zones.
Long-Term
As the season advances further into October, passing cold fronts will bring cooler daily temperatures in the 40s and an increase in cloud cover. Freezing night conditions will continue to lower overall water temperatures, gradually driving resident trout into deeper wintering holes. Overcast days will create prime low light windows that reduce surface glare and trigger longer midday hatch cycles.
Hatches:
Midges provide the most consistent daily hatch, active mainly from late morning through mid afternoon. Overcast periods trigger localized Blue Winged Olive hatches along flat glides and soft current seams. Residual terrestrial activity, including small land ants, beetles, and micro hoppers, remains effective along windy, willow lined banks during warm afternoon hours.
Tactics:
With the refreshed flows, trout are actively looking up and taking nymphs more aggressively. Use long leaders (9 to 12 feet) tapered down to 5X or 6X fluorocarbon tippet. A dry dropper setup or subtle two fly nymph rig works exceptionally well in the revived runs. Lead your rig with a small egg or non flashy attractor to get down in the flow, followed by a tiny midge or baetis emerger trailer. On cloudy afternoons, stripping small streamers along undercut bank slots can provoke aggressive territorial strikes from staging browns.
Tips:
Take advantage of the bumped flows by fishing the newly filled current seams and riffle heads that were previously too shallow. Maintain a low profile against the open meadow background when approaching pools from downstream. Use minimal micro split shot to let your flies drift naturally in the increased current. Prioritize a completely drag free drift, as the fish will take full advantage of the active water to feed freely on natural drifts.
Recommended Fly Patterns
Dry Fly Patterns
- Organza Trico Spinner, size 20-24
- Sparkle Dun BWO, sizes #18-22
- Parachute Adams, size 20-24
- Micro Chubby Chernobyl, Tan, sizes #14-16
Nymph Patterns
- Blood Midge, sizes #20-22
- Bling Midge, sizes #20-22
- San Juan Worm, Brown/Tan, sizes #12-16
- Massacre Midge, Brown, sizes #20-22
- Zebra Midge, Black/Red, sizes #20-22
Streamer Patterns
- Baby Gonga, Black
- Flatliner, White
- Slump Buster, Olive
Anglers Covey Bug Of The MOnth:
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River Details
About Alma SWA
Middle Fork of the South Platte River finds its headwaters above Hoosier Pass. Water is diverted from the Breckenridge area and passed through a tunnel under Hoosier Pass into Montgomery Reservoir. This augments the flow particularly in the early summer.
About Tomahawk
Tomahawk is the Middle Fork of the South Platte River. This stretch of the river is a great place to find solitude from the crowds. Summer and fall are a great time of the year to throw big hoppers to eager brown trout. In the summer, bring insect repellent because the mosquitos can get bad. In the fall, bring heavy leaders because large browns come out of their typical hiding spaces and move up river from Spinney to spawn.
This is an area we specialize and are permitted to guide, so give us a shout if you have any questions or if you are interested in allowing one of our Orvis-Endorsed guides show you how best to conquer Middle Fork of the South Platte.
Interested in Booking a Trip?
Directions to Alma - 88.9 miles - 1 Hour 42 Minutes
- From Angler's Covey head west on US 24 W/Cimarron St, go 63.2 miles
- Turn right at CO-9 N towards Fairplay, go 16.1 miles
- Turn right at US-285 N, go 1.0 mile
- Turn left at CO-9 N/ Main Street, Fairplay and through Alma, 8.1 miles
- Watch your speed, this area is famous for speed tickets.
- Turn left at Co Rd 4, Park along stream in desinated areas.
Directions to Tomahawk - 70.5 miles - 1 Hour 19 Minutes
- Head West on US-24, go 63.2 miles
- Turn right on Co-9, go 7.2 miles