Where to Go South Platte River – Cheesman Canyon
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Fall Hours: 9am TO 6am DAILY
Report Date: 1/17/2025
Current Conditions:
The flows came up a day ago and are currently at 205 cfs. below Cheesman. These flows are a welcome sight and should pick the fishing up a bit. These flows are quite a bit above average for this time of year. These flows may spread the fish out a little more. The fish have been pinned to the bottom and not willing to move much. You will see stretches of the river pretty void of fish. Move around until you start seeing/catching fish. This is a good indication that there are more fish in that area. The fishing has been very technical. Pay attention to all of the details right now. Water temps are still surprisingly warm for this time of year.
Cheesman reservoir is currently 78% full
Hatches:
As usual for this time of year, Midges are are the staples. Focus on them in all life stages. The fish have been keying in particular bugs so make sure you pay close attention to their sizes. Keep your patterns SMALL! If you see days of low bug activity, try dead drifting smaller streamers.
Tactics:
Anglers will need to pay attention to everything right now. Using big indicators with bad presentation could be a recipe for disaster. Focus not only on what patterns you are fishing, but how you are fishing them. Good dead drifts right on top of the fish will be key. 5x and 6x are also a good idea. The key is getting your flies down and as close to the bottom as possible. The dry fly fishing has been decent. A well presented midge during a hatch will take a good number of fish.
Tips:
There is a good amount of snow and ice on the trail. Use caution when hiking in and out of the canyon. We have heard of multiple people taking falls in the canyon recently. USE CAUTION!
Weather:
Short Term- Today everything will change with the weather. We are expecting a large scale cold blast to enter the state later today. This front will be bringing some very cold arctic air with it along with increased chances of precipitation. Snow chances up here are pretty decent and we could see 2-4 inches of snow here. The snow will be very light and fluffy due to the cold temperatures. This extreme cold will last through Monday and then we will slowly warm up a bit. Use caution if you are planning on fishing the next few days. It will only take about 10 minutes to get frostbite on exposed skin. Temps will get into the 40's by the end of next week.
Long Term- After this blast of cold air leaves the area, we will see a brief warm up as we head towards next weekend. Another system is setting up to come through over next weekend. Right now its still a bit too far to tell the exact impact, but it does look like we will cool down and have increased precipitation chances. Beyond that is anyones guess, although it does look like Colorado will be somewhat in the track of storms. We are getting into the time of winter when we can really start adding snowpack. (Feb-April are the snowiest months of the year) Keep those snow dances going!
Our snowpack has been doing decent this year and is currently sitting right above average. Our snowpack as of today in the South Platte basin is at 102% of average for this time of the year. Lets hope these storms keep coming through the high country. Snow now means water later, and we can use all we can get!
This is an area we offer guided fly fishing trips. We are one of two outfitters permitted to operate in Cheesman. There is not better way to learn an area like Cheesman Canyon 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:
- Money midge, brown, sizes 20-24
- Rojo midge, red, sizes 20-24
- Bling midge, sizes 20-24
- Jedi baetis, olive, size 22
- Barrs emerger, sizes 20-24
- Black Beauty, sizes 20-24
Our Top Dry Flies for Today:
- Mole Fly, brown. Size 22
- Vis a dun, black, size 20
- Parachute adams, sizes 20-24
- Iwane dun, BWO, sizes 20-22
- Sparkle dun bwo, olive, size 20
Our Top Streamer Patterns for Today:
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- Wooly Buggers, black, green, brown, Natural. Sizes 12-8
- Baby Gonga, brown, grey. Size 6
- Jig Streamer/leech, dark, sizes 4-8
Standard nymph rig set up for the South Platte:
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!
Cheesman Canyon is one of the most technical and rewarding tailwater fisheries in Colorado. A half-hour hike from Gill trailhead through some hilly terrain gets you to the base of the canyon where the trail splits into a high road and low road. This stretch of the river is catch and release only and is known for holding large rainbows. Almost the entire length of the river that runs through this gorgeous boulder-filled canyon is loaded with deep pocket water and fast runs that provide different challenges depending on where the fish are located. Most of the time the fish are hanging close to undercut boulders and other structure.
Before going to Cheesman, load your box with these patterns: Cheesman Emergers #22-24, Amy's Ants #10-14, hoppers #8-10, Murphy's Bubbleback Midge #20-24, Blindside Midges #20-22, Dorsey's Top Secret and Medallion Midges #22-24, Stonefly nymphs #14-18, Caddis larva #16-20, Tan and orange scuds #14-18, Sparkle Wing RS-2's #18-22, BWO Barr's Emergers #20-22, Copper Johns, Black Beauty #22-24, and Stalcups baetis #20-22.
This is an area we specialize in and are permitted to guide in, so give us a shout if you have any questions or if you're interested in working with one of our Orvis- Endorsed guides to conquer Cheesman.
My favorite stretch of the South Platte. What can I say: technical, challenging, humbling, and rewarding. It is often said that if you can catch fish in Cheesman Canyon, you can catch fish anywhere.
Jon Easdon, Guide and Director of Services
Accessibility: There is a 1.5 mile trail from the parking lot on Co 126 to the river. At the river the trail splits into a high and a low section that runs approximately 5 miles upstream from the Wigwam Club (posted) to Cheesman Dam.
Elevation: 6,600 ft
Distance: 42.5 miles from Colorado Springs / 55 minutes .
Season: Fishable all year depending on flows
Fish species: Brown, Rainbow, Cutthroat and Cutbow trout
Fishing Regulations: Catch and release, flies and lures only
Techniques & Tips: Fishing is technical and calls for 9-12 foot leaders and fine tippets - 5X to 6X
Camping: Not in the canyon, though there is camping nearby at Lone Pine and Wigwam Campgrounds on Co 126.
Kids: Yes, but parts of the trail going down to the river can be very steep.
Additional Information: Cheesman Canyon can be crowded, especially in the summer. The further upstream you walk, the fewer crowds you will encounter.
South Platte River – Cheesman Canyon.
Interested in Booking a Trip?
Directions - 42.8 miles - 55 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
- Slight left at the town of Deckers and CoRd 126, go 3.0 miles
- Parking area is on the left