Where to Go South Platte River – Cheesman Canyon
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Fall Hours: 9am TO 6am DAILY
Report Date: 2/12/2025
Current Conditions:
Cheesman has been fishing great as of late. February is actually a lot of our favorite times to fish in here. The recent cold spell may slow things down a bit but we do expect things to rebound fast. Current flows are at 128 cfs. and right around average for this time of year. We could see flows fluctuate pretty good through the remainder of the winter and into spring. Denver Water uses this branch of the river for most of its water demand. If we enter a warmer and drier stretch, its reasonable to assume the flows will increase. The fish are pretty concentrated and you will see large areas pretty much devoid of fish. Move around until you start seeing fish. They want good clean drifts, so be prepared to work! Pay attention to all of the details right now. Water temps are in the 30's and 40's.
Surprisingly, Cheesman reservoir is currently 94% 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 during heavier midge hatches. 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- We have had some interesting weather over the last few days up here. After a stretch of very nice weather, winter has returned. We have seen a good amount of wind and even some snow very recently. Today will be sunny, but temps will struggle to get out of the teens. Another disturbance looks to move through on Friday night with some snow potential. Temps will be in the 30's and 40's, but there doesnt look to be much wind. The weekend looks decent with the best weather looking to be on Sunday. Temps may get into the upper 40's by the end of the weekend.
Long Term- The weather is looking pretty active in the long term. After this weekend we will see continued chances of snow followed by 1 or 2 day breaks in between. There is a chance a small storm will move through the area on Monday, although details are still all over the place right now. As we approach next weekend, there is some agreement that another round of snow may enter the area. We are getting into that time of year where the overall weather pattern is changing a bit. The higher sun angle and wind will not be conducive to lower elevation snow sticking around long. The days are getting a little longer as well. The forecasts are pretty sketchy until we get a day or two away from a storm, so be sure to check the weather forecasts frequently!
Our snowpack has taken a bit of a hit this last week. We are still holding strong in the South Platte basin and current snowpack is at 99% of average. Lets hope these longer range forecasts line up and we get some good snow. With our biggest snow months historically on the horizon, lets hope we can keep building this for our summer water. 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
- Wader midge, brown, 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.
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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