South Platte Deckers

**SherpaB** · 07-04-2010, 08:15 PM

Finally made it out fishing after a month long or more hiatus, save an hour long jaunt or two to clear creek. I had to pick 4th of July because everybody from Denver would be there and I didnt want to miss out on all the fun! Seriously...very very crowded with campers, tubers, fisherpeople, and drinkers. I have never seen so many people in that stretch before...anyways...I figured it would be like that and planned accordingly. Parked at a well known spot and made my walk upstream from the bridge...about .25 miles or so...started nymphing, took a couple little guys in the riffs on a pt nymph...using indicator method. kept moving upstream and taking a smallish fish or two from likely looking spots. then i saw a large dark target directly across from me in a back eddy right under the surface...he was feeding but not breaking the surface..everything was taken three or 4 inches below...mind you he was in a deep back eddy and he was suspended because of one reason...food. I guestimated him to be a solid 18...threw the sink at him drys, nymphs , emergers etc...nadda...no looks no nothing...checked my leader and tippet and replaced the tippet with a 3ft piece of 6x. what to try??? i used my best caddis dry and emerger patterns, i pmd'd him to death with the dry, emerger, nymph...nothing was interesting to him...I recalled an article I was reading just last week from an old fly fisherman mag, about wet ants...I think Art Lee wrote it...I figured WTF...so. I tied on a para adams as my "indicator" and dropped the ant with an 18inch peice of 6x off the back..I tied and overhand knot in the tippet to hold a micro shot about 8 inches above the fly...First cast and he was on it like a motha***** it wasnt even a good presentation...but he knew he wanted an ant for desert...quick turn onto a dragging black sunk ant and he was hooked. i coaxed him into some shallower water so my compromised tippet would stand a chance...and a few minutes later I was netting the first really good trout I have caught in Deckers in some time...taped at 19" a rainbow...i was pretty happy (and lucky) and headed for the barn...it looked like it would be storming soon.

**AaronJasper** · 07-04-2010, 09:33 PM

Those damn ants and beetles. When the fish are tough on the surface, like during the summer, an ant or beetle will make them eat! I can't wait to get out there. I saw that the highs are in the high 60's and low 70's. This hot weather that we are having now is oppressive!

**SherpaB** · 07-05-2010, 01:41 AM

Its been really hot out here too-but its definitely not like the humidity in the east. FYI we are getting dumped on as I write this...ton of rain since 5PM. should clear in a few days.

**frankm205** · 07-05-2010, 09:29 AM

I hope we get some of that rain :-\

**Troutastic** · 07-05-2010, 12:40 PM

Glad to hear you got out on the water Bob! It's about time... :

I may need to tie up some ant and hopper patterns for the dog days of summer coming up, nothing better than a hopper/copper/dropper rig all day and raking in the fish! The weather up here in the mountains has been awesome, mid-70s and zero humidity. Fishing next week should be solid. I need to find some water with the Yellow Sallies and/or Green Drakes!