Where to Go South Platte River – Deckers
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SUMMER HOURS 6am to 6pm Daily
Report Date: 5/27/2026
Current Conditions:
The flows from Cheesman came up a bit and current flows in Deckers are at 158 cfs. These are on the low side but still decent flows for the corridor right now. As always, the fish are picky in here and the fishing has been technical. Anglers will want to pay attention to everything from their terminal tackle size, to perfect drifts. The fish will be much more picky and attention to detail is key. Nymphing and dry fly fishing are both great options right now. In fact, a hopper or dry/dropper has been a ton of fun at these lower flows. The fishing has been great overall.
Weather:
Short Term- Cool and wet is the forecast. We will see conditions more akin to March than late May. This little stretch of cooler and wetter weather has sure been nice. After record warmth in March, its nice to see things stay cool and even get some rain. We will see some decent precipitation chances this whole week. Temps will be in the 70's and should see some afternoon rain each day. Things will briefly dry out on Saturday and Sunday and we should have a good amount of sun. Winds look calm for the most part, but could get intense with the arrival of a thunderstorm. This is the time of year where you want to keep your head on a swivel.
Long Term- At the conclusion of the weekend, we will return to more of a daily rain pattern. Each day is a carbon copy of the next and you can expect afternoon thunderstorms each day next week. Temps will be nice in the 70's and some of the storms could get intense. In all, it will be well below average temps and above average precipitation chances as we head into June. And to be honest, this is the best case scenario for the dry winter we had. Longer range forecasts are keeping this overall pattern in place, but as always we will have to wait and see. If the jet stream shifts even a little bit, we could be in for some hot and dry conditions.
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:
- RS2, grey, size 20
- Kryptonite caddis, green, sizes 16-18
- Beadhead Hares ear, size 16
- Barrs graphic caddis, tan, sizes 16-18
- Buckskin, size 20
- Frenchie, sizes 18-20
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
- Corn fed caddis, size 16
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