Where to Go South Platte River – Dream Stream
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FALL HOURS: 9am TO 6am DAILY
Photo by Phil Tereyla
Pikes Peak Trout Unlimited has recently installed water temperature sensors here. Check out the water temps HERE
Report Date: 1/15/2025
Current Conditions:
The flows have been stable at 135 cfs for over a week now. These are still really great flows for this time of the year here. Its anyones guess as to how long these flows will last, but we will not be surprised to see these drop quite a bit over the next few weeks. Average winter flows are slightly below 100 cfs. Spinney reservoir is below 50% full, so we do not expect much water to come from the lake until the spring. As for the conditions, the fishing has been decent up here for resident trout especially around mid day and into the early afternoon. There is no reason to get to the river early right now. Morning lows have been downright COLD. In fact, morning temps have been well below zero. Let it warm up before you hit the water!
Hatches:
We have been seeing good midge activity on the river. The dry fly fishing has been very good as of late, but in small windows. With these slightly higher flows, dont be afraid to fish worm and scud patterns. They have been effective as of late
Tactics:
Nymphing will be the most effective technique through the winter months. Fish consume around 85% of their diet sub surface and that percentage will actually go up in the winter. We are seeing some small windows of decent dry fly fishing during the warmest parts of the day. Anglers should be prepared for nymphing, dry fly fishing, and streamer fishing on a daily basis. This is a great time to really cover water as well.
Weather:
Short Term- We will enjoy a couple more days of quiet weather and then some huge changes will come. Today and Friday will be the nicest days with temps getting into the 20's. Morning lows are still cold and well below zero. On Friday night we will get a strong blast of cold arctic air dropping in from the north. This system will also be bringing some snow with it. We could see 3-5 inches of snow up here through the weekend. Temps will be brutally cold though, and highs are not expected to be much above single digits. Use caution if you are planning on being outside at this time. Frostbite can occur rather fast in conditions like this.
Long Term- The extreme cold will last into next week and gradually warm up towards the end of the week. High temps next week will be in the single digits and teens. Morning lows are sure to be brutal and well below zero. As we get to the end of next week, we should see temps around average in the high 20's/low 30's. Looking beyond that, most weather models are showing dry conditions through about the 28th. It also looks like the storm track will shift a bit and at least put us in a better position to get some more snow. Lets hope that happens!
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!
Tips:
Be mindful of the air temps when fishing here, especially in the mornings. Taking a fish out of the water in temps below 20 degrees can freeze the eyes and gills on a fish. This is damage irreversible and we need to ensure we are doing all we can to protect these fish. We are seeing some ice shelves develop on the lower section. With the forecasted low temps, you will likely see parts of the river become iced up.
This is an area we offer guided walk/wade trips, please give us a call if you are interested!
RECOMMENDED PATTERNS
For a custom fly assortment for this location, click here!
Our Top 6 Nymphs for Today:
- Wader midge, sizes 20-24
- Pale Ale midge, brown, size 22
- WD40, grey, size 20-24
- Money midge, brown, size 22
- Blindside midge, grey, black, size 22
- Anneworm, red, sizes 16-20
Our Top Dry Flies for Today:
- Mole Fly, brown. Size 22
- Parachute Adams, size 20-24
- Matts midge, sizes 20-22
Our Top Streamer Patterns for Today:
- Mini dungeon, olive, size 6-8
- Sculpzilla, natural, size 6
- Slumpbuster, black/brown. Size 4
- Thin mint, black, sizes 6-8
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!
The South Platte River below Spinney Reservoir is known to most local anglers as the "Dream Stream." This tailwater doesn't have many hold over fish and is subject to high wind speeds and inclement weather. The spring and fall have been the Dream Stream's saving grace because of the spawns. Large rainbows and cutthroat trout move into the river in the spring, and Large browns and kokanee salmon move in in the fall. There is no camping available next to the river; however, several great campgrounds are downstream along Elevenmile Reservoir. There is a $9 parks pass fee to park in the last lot below Spinney.
This is an area we specialize and are permitted to guide in, 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 South Platte River – Dream Stream.