Where to Go South Platte River – Cheesman Canyon
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SPRING HOURS 9am to 6pm Daily
Report Date: 5/16/2026
Current Conditions:
The flows from Cheesman have been coming up over the last few days. Current flows are at 314 cfs. and excellent for this time of year. These flows will really change the canyon and open up a lot more fishing opportunities. Higher flows will spread fish out more, and the fish will be more comfortable to eat. The river is still fishing technical as always, but this is a good time to augment some larger food sources into the mix. Scuds, craneflies, worms, and stoneflies will all be good choices with these flows. Focus on seams and areas of the river with some slower side pockets. The visibility is a little off but should clear up fast. 5x is still a good idea and the fish still want perfect drifts. These are some of our favorite flows for the canyon. We have no idea how long this will last, so get out and enjoy it!! Nymphing has and will be the most productive method right now. The dry fly fishing should turn back on once these flows stabilize for a couple of days.
Weather:
Short Term- We will see some very nice springtime temps up here in the next few days. High temps will be in the 70's, and we will see some decent cloud cover at times. Precipitation chances will increase on Saturday and more so on Sunday. It looks like we are entering another good stretch of cooler and wetter weather starting on Sunday. Temps will cool quite a bit on Monday and Tuesday and we should see some rain or maybe even wet snow. Morning lows will also get chilly at the beginning of next week. We will even see some good snow fall in the high country. This unstable pattern looks to last through next week, but temps will warm back up again. We are excited at the prospect of some sustained moisture returning to the area!
Long Term- Precipitation chances look to continue through the Memorial day weekend as well. Temps will be nice in the 70's, but we should see afternoon thunderstorms pretty consistently each day. These storms will start to develop around noon and some of them could be severe. In all, this is about the best case scenario for us here. We need the rain and by all accounts, it looks like we will get some. Longer range forecasts also show increased precipitation chances through May and into June. As always, we will have to wait and see how that all shakes out.
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:
- Foamback emerger, brown, size 22
- Pats rubber legs, coffee, sizes 10-14
- Barrs graphic caddis, tan, sizes 16-18
- Philly cheese crane, size 8
- Buckskin, size 20
- Frenchie, sizes 18-20
Our Top Dry Flies for Today:
- Mole fly, olive, size 22
- Parachute Adams, sizes 22-24
- Neils BWO, olive, sizes 20-22
- Iwane Dun, BWO, size 20
- Parachute BWO, size 20
Our Top Streamer Patterns for Today:
- Wooly buggers, black, brown, sizes 8-12
- Poacher, black, olive, size 8-10
- Baby Gonga, yellow, size 6
Slow retrieves!!
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.
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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