Where to Go South Platte River – Dream Stream
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FALL HOURS: 9am TO 6am DAILY
Photo by Phil Tereyla
Report Date: 10/1/2024
Current Conditions:
The flows are low and the water temps are still warm. Current flows are at 109 cfs. and it is highly unlikely these will change this fall/winter. There is a large amount of moss and weeds in the river. This had made nymphing more difficult. The dry fly fishing has been great here, especially if there is no wind. Fish are concentrated a bit more now at these flows.
The fishing has been ok. And to answer the burning question.. There are not a lot of salmon or lake run browns in the system. The low and warm water isnt appealing for the trout, and the salmon are sporadic in the river. The river has gotten extremely busy.
Hatches:
We have been seeing good midge, Trico, some PMD, and some callibaetis activity on the river. The dry fly fishing has been very good as of late. The best fishing has been in the mornings. Terrestrials can still be a good bet in the late morning.
Tactics:
Nymphing will still be the most effective method, but can be more difficult with the amount of weeds in the river. Dry fly fishing has been very good on most days, as long as the wind doesnt come up. Anglers should be prepared for both nymphing and dry fly fishing on a daily basis. This is a great time to really cover water as well. When fishing the tricos, keep this in mind. The fish have been eating Trico's for awhile now and are getting very picky on what they eat. Try sizing your offering into the 24-26 range and dont be afraid to fish spent tricos under the surface. Streamer fishing has been picking up as well.
Weather:
Short Term- Again, its now October but it certainly wont feel like it weather-wise. We will continue to have some very warm and mild conditions. Temps through this week and into the weekend will be in the mid 70's. Morning lows will be cool in the upper 30's/low 40's but things will warm up quickly. Precipitation chances are also very low at this time. We could see some windier days, especially in the afternoons. Fire danger will also increase during this timeframe. If you like mild summer like weather, then this week is for you. Get out there and take advantage of the gorgeous conditions!
Long Term- As we head past this coming weekend and the beginning of next week, it looks like we will have more of the same. This extended warmer period looks to last well into the middle of October. We will see temps in the 60's and 70's with morning lows becoming pretty chilly. Long range forecasts are hinting at some changes towards the end of the month, but for now we will stay warm and dry.
Tips:
Cover water. The fish have really concentrated with these lower flows. And we cannot say this enough, but PLEASE DO NOT FISH TO ANY FISH EXHIBITING SPAWNING BEHAVIOR!!!
If you are unclear on this, please send us a message or stop by the shop. We are more than happy educate and share with you the importance of this.
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:
- Blindside midge, grey, sizes 20-22
- Sunny side up egg, peach, size 14
- Trico spinner, black, sizes 22-26
- RS2, black-grey. sizes 20-26
- Foamback emerger, black, size 22-26
- Annelids, red, sizes 14-16
Our Top Dry Flies for Today:
- Mole Fly, brown. Size 22
- Lighthouse trico. black, size 22-24
- 180 Trico, size 22-24
- BWO Vis a Dun, olive size 22
- Sparkle Dun,BWO, sizes 16-18
Our Top Streamer Patterns for Today:
- Baby Gonga, rainbow, size 6
- Sculpzilla, natural, size 6
- Slumpbuster, black/brown. Size 4
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 holds 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.