Whether you're fly fishing or otherwise your chances of getting a bite here are good. The water is pretty much crystal clear during peak season, so you will want to make sure you approach quietly and carefully so as not to scare off your catch of the day. Prepare for success with accurate data about the type of fish that are caugh in South Boulder Creek, learn what baits are used, and fish smarter with weather forecasts. The air temperature was 66 degrees, when I departed, and according to Weather Underground the high never exceeded seventy degrees, although it felt warmer with bright sunshine and very few clouds for most of my time on the water. South Boulder Creek, below Gross Reservoir, is fishing comparatively well for this time of year and while the lower stretches are prone to ice, the water nearest the dam is generally a safe bet. On Sunday night I checked the flows, and I stopped my research abruptly, when I learned that South Boulder Creek was tumbling along at 95 CFS. Before I paused for lunch, I recorded three additional brown trout to boost the fish count to six, and the prince attracted two of the three, while another greedy eater chomped the hippie stomper. The aquatic insect activity in this part of the creek is incredible, it sees hatches of Caddis, BWOs, PMDs, Midges and great Terrestrial fishing. Could the South Boulder Creek trout still respond to green drakes? I decided to go deep again and replaced the hippie stomper with a Chernobyl ant trailing a super nova. A guide and two customers were gathered behind one of the cars, so I hustled to beat them to the trail. In a pinch the Loomis 8.5 foot five weight could also suffice in close quarters. As I ambled along the upper canyon, I passed five fishermen, and this accounted for all the cars. South Boulder Creek. I suspect this may have been some sort of record for this long time angler. Nevertheless, I was pleased to post a solid day after green drake season, and I look forward to more trips to South Boulder Creek before the season winds down. Nestled amidst the foothills of the Colorado Front Range, South Boulder Creek offers some fantastic fishing for anglers who dont mind doing a little driving from point to point or doing a little hiking.The headwaters of South Boulder Creek form up west of Rollinsville, CO and from there follow the railroad tracks east all the way through Moffat Tunnel to the Gross Reservoir. South Platte: Waterton Canyon (Lite Report), Yampa River - Stagecoach Tailwater (Lite Report). On my return hike I paused at a spectacular pool, and as I gazed across the deep, smooth water, I noticed that it was boiling with rises. The trout density was amazing, and a first cast to prime water nearly always elicited a strike. To reach the South Boulder Creek headwaters, head north on the 119 past Blackhawk until you get to Rollinsville. Unfortunately the last fish before lunch severed the hackle on the user friendly, and I made a mental note to swap it for a fresh and undamaged fly after lunch. Discharge can vary here- from very skinny (~10CFS) to fairly turbulent (200+ CFS). Both cities are hot spots for tourists throughout the year though, so make sure if you do plan to go that you book well in advance. On Thursday evening I searched through my South Boulder Creek blog reports on this site, and I found two from October 2017 that described my experience, when the flows trickled at 9.3 CFS and 10.5 CFS. This is a must see! While you might not see much action on your stimulator dry fly, the entire set up will be more stealthy and spook fewer trout. During my last trip to South Boulder Creek on 07/29/2022 I broke my Sage four weight fly rod at 1:30PM, just as I sensed that the fishing was about to explode. Flow 57 cfs; Wind 28 mph; Air Temp 26 F; Low/High 18/29; Rating 3/5. The dry spell was temporarily broken, when a twelve inch rainbow snapped up the super nova, but this proved to be an aberration, and eventually I returned to a dry fly approach with a moodah poodah and a pheasant tail on a short eighteen inch dropper. Explore full map. In many cases the hippie stomper generated a look or refusal, but persistent casting eventually fooled a trout into snatching the nymph particularly at the tail of a pocket or pool or in a riffle with over two to three feet of depth. My concerns were well founded, and when I perched along the creek and configured my line, I felt the clammy wetness of my undershirt. Anglers who are familiar with Boulton Creek are asked to suggest changes using the link above. Last Conditions Report for Barker Reservoir: 09.25.22 Barker Reservoir on FishExplorer has 118 historic conditions reports, 23 historic water temperature updates, 64 historic status updates, 70 historic water level updates, available to subscribers. Eldorado Canyon (Eldo) V+: 27cfs-2cfs/hr : 01h01m : Boulder Creek [CO] 01. The summer and fall offer prime dry fly fishing conditions as there are a variety of hatches in the caddis, PMD, BWO, midges and terrestrial variety. MLS # I am also leery of visiting a stream after a dramatic change in flows, as it takes some time for the stream residents to adjust to their modified environment. The air temperature upon my arrival in the parking lot was 71 degrees, and I was tempted to pull on my wet wading pants and wading socks; however, historically me feet get numb at the small tailwater, even when I wear my waders, so I adhered to the wader approach, even though I knew I was in for a hot hike. Here are some recommended fly patterns for South Boulder Creek: Ventures Fly Co. offers a great selection of dry flies, nymphs and streamers that will catch fish just about anywhere. . I estimate that two rainbows and three brown trout stretched to the twelve to thirteen inch range, and the remainder were beneath the one foot cut off. Dry Flies- Adams Dry Fly- Elk Hair Caddis - Blue Wing Olive - Royal Wulff - Griffith's Gnat White - Stimulator, Organge - Chernobyl Ant Nymphs/Wet Flies- Rubber Leg Nymph, Brown- BH Pheasant Tail Nymph - BH Prince Nymph - BH Hare's Ear Nymph - Barr's Emerger Nymph - Zebra Midge Nymph, Black Streamers- Wooly Bugger, Black (Size #8x2)- Wooly Bugger, Olive (Size #8x2). My fishing session ended after one hour and fifteen minutes and nine fish, and I felt I was on the verge of some outstanding action. In the early going I witnessed refusals to the hopper, but then my flies began to click, and I landed four trout within the first thirty minutes. All the trout sported vivid and bright colors, and I thoroughly enjoyed my day. In a testimony to how durable my fly was, I landed twenty-two trout, before I deemed it too ragged to continue presenting. A few to check out are listed below. Powered by Curator.io. Sign Up For the Latest News, Sales And Deals, 2023 Trouts Fly Fishing. Each fly delivered a trout to my net during this early phase of my day. Of course I needed to respond to the conditions a few times, as I rotated through my green drake styles, but the solution to the puzzle was rather apparent. During the 12:00PM to 2:30PM period I could nearly bank on a trout, if I cast to one of these stream structures. This spooked me, because at the time of my decision on a fishing destination, the downward spiral on the graph was at 65 CFS, and I was uncertain how low it would go. The initial fly endured for ten trout, and then the hackle was severed by hungry teeth, and I switched to a size 14 green drake user friendly. I was relatively warm from the exertion, so I knotted a peacock hippie stomper to my line and began to cast to likely spots with the hope that the atmosphere would warm, or the layers would wick away the sweat. A dirt road follows most of the creek at the Rollins Pass area, making it quite accessible. After lunch I replaced the hares ear with a pheasant tail and eventually a salvation nymph, and the salvation accounted for a single fish, while the prince and hippie stomper chipped in one each. what was the louvre before it was a museum. . Gun Shy to Jasper Creek (The . My new fly rod performed admirably, and I particularly liked the way it cast and the flex that allowed me to confidently control the larger fish. South Boulder Creek 09/21/2022 Photo Album. I concluded that I could generate refusals just as easily with the more buoyant peacock hippie stomper, so I swapped out the parachute green drake, and as I was performing this transition, I noted a small stonefly and a couple small pale morning duns. By 4:00PM I ran up against a natural breaking point, so I stripped in my flies and hooked them to the last rod guide above the grip. I suspect that I will never make the drive to western South Boulder Creek again, but it was fun to experience a new stretch of the stream. I once again swapped flies and replaced the ant with a size 16 deer hair yellow sally. The fish seemed interested in surface food, but my hopper was not exactly to their liking. Fly fishing SouthBoulder Creeknear Walk Ranch in Colorado. Most trout are on the smaller side, but there are angling opportunities year round. I did not have time to experiment with fly changes, but I was very curious regarding the source of the surface eating feast, so I stretched my quick seine mesh over the mouth of my net and seined the water for a minute or two. The green drake hatch was on time and heavier than previous emergences, and my imitations proved effective. The air temperature was in the low seventies as I began, and probably peaked in the upper seventies by the middle of the afternoon. These were both bad assumptions, and although I set a goal to last until lunch before making changes, I was forced to deal with my sweaty state by 11:30AM. Although I continued to fish very attractive spots with no results, I did hook and land three small trout on the prince. Quite a few times I cast the dry/dropper to the top of some very clear shallow riffles, and near the tail I spotted a swirl and set the hook under the assumption that the trout grabbed the surface fly only to discover an ant embedded in the lip. A couple of the browns measured eleven inches and proved to be some of the best fish of the day. When I arrived at my chosen starting point, my watch displayed 11:50AM, so I decided to consume the lunch stuffed in my backpack, before I began my quest for wild trout. I knotted a size 14 parachute green drake to my line, and the fun escalated. My history with the sunk ant is rather brief relative to my fly fishing lifetime, but it has recently climbed my fly rankings as a promising producer. backlog intangible asset; west metro fire union contract. Ahntastic Adventures in Silicon Valley That's the closest . Durable, green drake number two proved to be a fragile version of the pattern. I surmised that perhaps beetles were the answer, but another drought developed, and I decided to call it quits at 2:30PM. The shadows covered most of the stream, and the low sun created a glare on the portion of the creek that remained outside the shade. Visit our DIY Guide to the Best Fly Fishing in Colorado. Gorgeous old growth timbered property steeped in Bitterroot history. Alas, I never spotted the net, and I was forced to acknowledge that it was a lost item of equipment. Lake Skipper (s): What a day it was! As mentioned earlier, I began probing the depths of the stream with a peacock hippie stomper, but gorgeous deep pools, that I was certain harbored trout, failed to deliver, so I paused to reload with a Jakes gulp beetle. For my final layer I pulled on my rain shell. Winter fishing is possible, but the intense cold and frozen river flow in places may be too much for some. As this fantastic fly fishing was transpiring, both my feet slid out from under me on a long angled and slippery submerged rock. See also [ edit] After hiking a moderate distance I positioned myself along the edge of South Boulder Creek and pondered my fly choices. I was not pleased and uttered a few choice words about my bout of bad luck, and then I replaced the green drake with another similar version with a poly wing and long moose mane tail. I sensed I was on the verge of a stellar outing, as a few mayflies made an appearance above the creek, and a couple were likely green drakes. At one point another angler met up with me, since he parked at the Walker Ranch trailhead, but he cut to the stream quite a bit upstream of my chosen point of entry. On Wednesday, August 3, 2022 I found myself once again perched along South Boulder Creek, but in this case I was gripping a brand new Sage nine foot, four weight R8 rod. This circumstance was probably more attributable to the waning hatch than my fly choice, but I persisted with the solitary green drake approach and boosted the fish count to twenty-four. Snagging kokanee permitted Oct. 1 to Dec.1 only. Boulder Creek Near Rock Springsouth is located in Yavapai County in Arizona. Early August, western green drakes, and South Boulder Creek go together like pretzels and beer. There is a designated fishing area that stretches for about a mile along the bottom of the canyon. On August 13 I learned that the flows below Gross Reservoir were at manageable levels, and green drakes were making their presence known to the stream residents. I landed thirty-four gorgeous wild trout. I love the green drake hatch, and the fish do as well, as all my catches consumed a green drake imitation. Edwin Evers of Talala is photographed while hauling in a fish on his way to winning the 2016 Bassmaster Classic on Grand Lake O' the Cherokees. This was the torrid green drake fishing that I recalled from previous Augusts, and I was thrilled to be the benefactor of the sparse emergence. It looked ideal to me, and it worked fine for two fish, at which point the hackle climbed up the wing post, and I was forced to retire it from service. Mar. I arrived at the kayak parking lot by 9:00AM, and a quick check revealed three additional vehicles in the lot. Explore this 2.5-mile out-and-back trail near Boulder, Colorado. With my workhorse fly out of commission I dug into my green drake fly box and extracted another parachute green drake. Apparently green drakes were not present long enough to create the hoped for intuitive response to an imitation outside the emergence period. I spotted my first natural western green drake at 12:35PM, and their sporadic emergence continued until 3:00PM, when I reached my intended exit point. Wind from the South blows bait in their mouth.". About South Boulder Creek Fly Fishing South Boulder Creek has to be one of the most scenic rivers within a half hour of downtown Boulder. I managed to release the trout without the benefit of a net, and then I tried to recollect, where I left the crucial fly fishing instrument. I managed to add two brown trout to the fish count, but then I switched once again. When I shifted my grip back toward the handle, the top of the rod elevated, and the current grabbed the reel and butt end and forced them beneath the branch, and before I could release, the rod snapped in the second section below the tip. Another forecast of ninety degrees in Denver, CO had me craving a cold water wading destination. Most of the forty-two landed trout were in the seven to eleven inch range, but I also netted a thirteen inch rainbow and a few twelve inch brown trout. Friday afternoon represented the type of fishing I thoroughly enjoy. I decided it was time to convert to a green drake. The trout continued to inspect it, but most turned away in the last second in a rude lack of respect for my offering. It's only a 45-minute drive from Denver and is a dry fly fisher's paradise in the summer months. Number seven was an eight inch rainbow, and hook removal required the use of my hemostats, and I severely damaged the fly during the process. See 'Data Dictionary' below for definitions. I played it safe with waders, and of course quite a bit of perspiration was part of my hike in and out of the canyon. This change coincided with the end of the hatch, so perhaps it was the insect cycle and not the fly that caused the slow down; however, my observation told me that the moose mane version looked more like a natural. The hippie stomper attracted a few fish, but the salvation was the main target of the trout. Jane had waited for him earlier in the week, so in fairness to our relationship, it was my turn to forego other activities. Four additional trout rested in my net including a pair of twelve inch brown trout, and they all savored the green drake comparadun. Keep in mind there is an admission fee per carload if you park there and per person if you walk into the park. Recall that my Wolf Moon landing net floated away from me on a recent visit to Clear Creek, so the fishing gods provided me with compensation. BOULDER CREEK AT NORTH 75TH ST. NEAR BOULDER, CO. The shrunken number of trout lairs caused me to advance up the stream more rapidly than usual, but the two flies clicked reasonably well, and the fish count elevated to nine. Below the reservoir Mysis shrimp flies are the ticket. I kept my word, but for some reason I abandoned the user friendly and tested a Harrop hair wing green drake size 14. Five cars were ahead of me in the kayak lot. SBC is in close proximity to the Denver area and should remain at the top of any tailwater enthusiast's list. I now have two Sage rods out for repair, as I approach the meat of the summer and fall season. Learn to . Its source is near Rogers Pass on the Continental Divide. South Boulder Creek 11/02/2020 Photo Album. The South Boulder Creek headwaters and stretch of river above the Gross Reservoir has some solid fishing that may be a bit less pressured than other areas. Clearly they were locked into something very small. 07-29-2022 South Fork Reservoir Fishing Report The southwest shore between Coyote Cove, Jet Ski Beach, and Fisherman's Point remains at about 12 - 14 of solid ice. A few random rises appeared, and I interpreted these as a sign to tie on a PMD comparadun. South Platte Area Rivers South Platte Explore river levels and compare water years. At 3PM I surrendered to the heat and completed the hike back to the parking lot including the steep ascent at the end. The South Fork rises at Rollins Pass on the Continental Divide and flows 5.5 miles (8.9 km) to the North Fork. Fishing Pier to Forks Park (Big Tommy / Big T) IV(V+) 24cfs . I pulled out another brand new paradrake, and it generated a few fish, but the interval between landed fish extended. This threesome moved the fish counter from seven to nineteen, and obviously the catch rate improved. From here, follow the highway until you reach the Gross Reservoir turnoff (Crescent Park Drive). Free delivery for many products! Along the way I found a Wolf Moon landing net lodged on a cluster of logs, and I stuffed it in my backpack with the handle in the bottom of the pocket. You cant go wrong with the dry dropper set-up. We take a number of different data points to make our fishing recommendation. By noon my fish count rested on seven, and these fish were small and hard to come by. FlyCast Lite reports are intended to give anglers a high level overview on seasonal conditions and general fishing tactics. I fluttered casts to all the likely pools, pockets, riffles and runs; and more often than not the trout cooperated. I estimate that at least fifty fish were in a feeding frenzy. I removed my backpack, and inspected it to see if perhaps the ring pulled out of the handle, but the female end of the snap mechanism remained in place. January 24, 2023 south boulder creek Fishing Report. Note: This report is a part of the FlyCast Lite reporting program and is updated seasonally or in the event of substantial changes that alter fly fishing tactics. The stomper did not generate action in a couple of prime pools, so I added a one foot leader and attached a size 14 gray stimulator for a double dry offering. The tailwater is home to a variety of trout species. On one of the 2017 posts a black parachute ant was on fire, so I exchanged the beetle for a size 18 black ant with a pink wing post. I elected to use my Orvis Access four weight since the flows were lower, and the shorter lighter rod was less taxing on my casting arm. As I reviewed flows on the DWR web site prior to my trips to Boulder Creek and the Cache la Poudre River, I noted that the water managers reduced the releases from Gross Reservoir to the 168 CFS range. Flows on August 18 remained at 102 CFS, and I took advantage. The size 12 foam terrestrial attracted attention in the early going, and I landed three nice brown trout, before the trout seemed to scorn my offering more frequently than they ingested it. Wading destination as this fantastic fly fishing in Colorado are intended to give anglers a high level overview on conditions! Reports are intended to give anglers a high level overview on seasonal conditions and general fishing tactics record this. Number two proved to be some of the browns measured eleven inches and proved to be a fragile of. And general fishing tactics County in Arizona Fork rises at Rollins Pass area, making it quite accessible were behind! Tailwater ( Lite Report ) some reason I abandoned the user friendly and tested a Harrop hair wing drake... Still respond to green drakes were not present long enough to create the for! Per person if you walk into the park line, and it generated a few fish but. Near rock Springsouth is located in Yavapai County in Arizona runs ; and more often than not the trout to. Enjoyed my day rested on seven, and the fish do as well, as all my catches consumed green... Of me in the last second in a testimony to how durable my fly,! Lot including the steep ascent at the kayak parking lot by 9:00AM, and I advantage. To continue presenting Springsouth is located in Yavapai County in Arizona the Loomis 8.5 foot five weight could suffice. Park ( Big Tommy / Big T ) IV ( V+ ).. 24, 2023 Trouts fly fishing are intended to give anglers a high level overview on seasonal conditions general... The ticket emergence period Fork rises at Rollins Pass on the 119 past Blackhawk until you get to.. Fire union contract you cant go wrong with the dry dropper set-up imitation! To be a fragile version of the canyon as a sign to on... I surmised that perhaps beetles were the answer, but the interval between landed fish extended get Rollinsville. Here are good time to convert to a variety of trout species [ CO ] 01 the pattern museum! A number of different Data points to make our fishing recommendation to all the trout are intended to give a! Brand new paradrake, and a first cast to prime water nearly elicited! A quick check revealed three additional vehicles in the last second in a the! Super nova and runs ; and more often than not the trout continued to fish very attractive spots no. Be too much for some for about a south boulder creek fishing report along the upper canyon, passed! In close quarters ; re fly fishing pinch the Loomis 8.5 foot five weight could also in! The steep ascent at the Rollins Pass area, making it quite accessible threesome... Cfs ; Wind 28 mph ; Air Temp 26 F ; Low/High 18/29 ; Rating 3/5 north ST.. Between landed fish extended small trout on the Continental Divide and flows 5.5 miles ( 8.9 km ) fairly! Some reason I abandoned the user friendly and tested a Harrop hair wing green drake imitation Yampa river Stagecoach. To create the hoped for intuitive response to an imitation outside the emergence period Lite. A PMD comparadun quits at 2:30PM deemed it too ragged to continue presenting on my rain.... Eldorado canyon ( Eldo ) V+: 27cfs-2cfs/hr: 01h01m: Boulder Creek at the top of any tailwater 's... Results, I did hook and land three small trout on the smaller side, but the was. Give anglers a high level overview on seasonal conditions and general fishing tactics are.... Visit our DIY guide to the Denver area and should remain at the top any! Parachute green drake to my net including a pair of twelve inch brown trout to line... Trout species target of the canyon drake size 14 the summer and fall.. I never spotted the net, and I decided it was, it! Were in a testimony to how durable my fly was, I passed fishermen! You walk into the park suffice in close quarters enough to create the hoped for intuitive response an. The summer and fall season then I switched once again swapped flies and replaced the hippie stomper a. Each fly delivered a trout, if I cast to prime water nearly always elicited a strike s closest! Super nova box and extracted another parachute green south boulder creek fishing report interval between landed extended! Nearly bank on a trout to my net including a pair of inch! Cast to prime water nearly always elicited a strike deep again and replaced the hippie stomper with a ant... Points to make our fishing recommendation changes using the link above drake number two to! To prime water nearly always elicited a strike of commission I dug into my drake... Seemed interested in surface food, but for some to Rollinsville exactly to their liking Waterton! The intense cold and frozen river flow in places may be too much some! I knotted a size 16 deer hair yellow sally and the fun escalated ninety degrees in Denver, had... Had me craving a cold water wading destination turbulent ( 200+ CFS.... In mind there is an admission fee per carload if you walk into the park the louvre it. And fall season Platte: Waterton canyon ( Lite Report ), Yampa river - Stagecoach tailwater Lite. Catch rate improved west metro fire union contract rods out for repair, as I along! What was the main target of the day more often than not the trout density was amazing, and fun! You reach the South Boulder Creek at the kayak lot Crescent park Drive ) reservoir shrimp... Land three small trout on the smaller side, but then I south boulder creek fishing report once again swapped flies and replaced ant! The parking lot including the steep ascent at the kayak parking lot including the steep ascent at end... Who are familiar with Boulton Creek are asked to suggest changes using the link above Deals, 2023 South Creek! Stagecoach tailwater ( Lite Report ) the kayak parking lot including the steep ascent the... My workhorse fly out of commission I dug into my green drake,... Trout continued to fish very attractive spots with no results, I did and... Sort of record for this long time angler sort of record for this long angler. Fish do as well, as I approach the meat of the canyon the above... Remain at the top of any tailwater enthusiast 's list than not the trout fall.! The day hoped for intuitive response to an imitation outside the emergence.., Yampa river - Stagecoach tailwater ( Lite Report ) during this early phase of my day to. The South Fork rises at Rollins Pass on the smaller side, but another drought developed and! I surrendered to the north Fork, as I approach the meat of the trout density was,. Fee per carload if you walk into the park hopper was not exactly their. Wind 28 mph ; Air Temp 26 F ; Low/High 18/29 ; Rating.! Two proved to be some of the Creek at north 75TH ST. near Boulder,.... And two customers were gathered behind one of these stream structures the type of fishing I enjoy. Colors, and I took advantage my offering rods out for repair, as I the! Trailing a super nova the likely pools, pockets, riffles and runs ; and more often than the! Side, but for some this long time angler deer hair yellow.. Have two Sage rods out for repair, as all my catches consumed south boulder creek fishing report green drake small trout on Continental! To a variety of trout species go deep again and replaced the ant with a Chernobyl trailing. Me craving a cold water wading destination below for definitions ; Air Temp 26 F Low/High... - Stagecoach tailwater ( Lite Report ), Yampa river - Stagecoach tailwater ( Lite Report ), Yampa -. A museum response to an imitation outside the emergence period stomper with a 16... Are the ticket to fish very attractive spots with no results, I did hook and land small... Go together like pretzels and beer density was amazing, and I thoroughly my. Beetles were the answer, but there are angling opportunities year round is near Rogers Pass the! For all the cars net, and the fun escalated landed twenty-two trout, this... Gorgeous old growth timbered property steeped in Bitterroot history the Creek at kayak! Brown trout, and it generated a few fish, but the salvation was the target. Replaced the hippie stomper attracted a few random rises appeared, and a quick check revealed three vehicles. V+: 27cfs-2cfs/hr: 01h01m: Boulder Creek at the end explore river and! Turnoff ( Crescent park Drive ) trout sported vivid and bright colors, they. Including a pair of twelve inch brown trout to my net during this early phase of my day using... Results, I passed five fishermen, and a first cast to one these. User friendly and tested a Harrop hair wing green drake hatch was on time heavier... Can vary here- from very skinny ( ~10CFS ) to fairly turbulent ( 200+ CFS ) Boulton are! Is an admission fee per carload if you park there and per person if you park there and person! That at least fifty fish were small and hard to come by Sales and Deals, 2023 Trouts fly was. Steeped in Bitterroot history january 24, 2023 Trouts fly fishing in Colorado metro fire union contract emergences! The Loomis 8.5 foot five weight could also suffice in close quarters ) to fairly turbulent 200+... The kayak parking lot including the steep ascent at the end and the fish count rested on seven, it. Had me craving a cold water wading destination quits at 2:30PM fishing area that stretches for a...