South Platte River
Middle Fork

Spring temps with flows on the creep-up is great news for the Splatte angler. Some nice BWO hatches will be coming off, as well as some of the bigger midges and even some caddis on the warmest days. On cloudier days, lengthening the leader and fishing a small dry in #18-20 like a hi-vis para adams or a hi-vis griffith's gnat and dropping down to a smaller emerger or cripple-type pattern is a great move. As we get towards May, some bigger bugs in the #14-18 range such as caddis larvae and stoneflies will become more of a presence in the river as flows and temps rise. The nymph rig is always king here in terms of numbers, and expect to still be running 5 and 6x tippets for at least the near future in the early-mid Spring. Some favorite patterns on the nymph rig in the spring include pheasant tails, juju baetis, micro mays, other baetis nymphs like Stalcup's and the pandemic may, and midges like the mercury black beauty and standard black beauty, top secret midge, don king UV, tailwater tiny, neon nightmare, and the list goes on... In the second half of April and early May I like to run a #16-18 point fly and a #20-22 below when nymphing. If you decide to head up and hit the Dream Stream, it has experienced a nice flow bump in the past few days, so think about running bigger, brighter offerings and heavier tippet, especially when targeting the bigger ones coming up out of the lake. Leeches, worms, eggs, big flashy nymphs, etc. Eleven Mile Canyon also looks to be on the creep-up... It's that time of year, folks... the fishing can only get better and better as we head into May!

Griffiths Gnat #18-22
Parachute Adams #18-22
Sprout Midge #18-20
Mole Fly #18-20
Para Extended body
Smokejumper (BWO) #18-22
Sprout midge black (18-24)
San Juan Worm #16
Flossy worm #14
Cheese Worm #8
Split Foam BWO #16-18
Iron Lotus #16-18
Micro Mayfly #16-18
Top Secret Midge #18-22
RS2 #18-22
Black Beauty #20-22
Zebra Midge #20
Blue Poison Tung #18-20
UV Scud #16-18 Hunchback Scud #16-18
Mercury Black Beauty #18
Tung-Soft Hackle Pheasant Tails #16-20
Rainbow Warrior #18-20
Girdle Bug #10-12
Pine Squirrel Leech #12
Medallion Midge #18-22
Disco Midge #18-22
Johnny Flash #18-22
Chocolate RS2 #18-24,Foam Back Emerger #18-24
Eggs #14-16
Copper Johns #16-20. Coffee Sparkle Minnow #4-8
Dungeon #4
Sculpzilla #4-8
McCunes Sculpin #2-6
T&A Bunker #4-6
Swimmin' Jimmy #4-6
Clawdad #4.

General Overview

This section has been variable, however our guides have found some nice fish since the park opened from the gauging station downstream. Upstream of the gauging station its been a relatively slow go with little bug activity.

Stream Conditions

Flowrate above Spinney Reservoir: 82.9cfs

Clarity: Stained to Clear (Variable based on melt)

Suggested Methods

We're seeing some BWO activity now, with a continuation of heavy midge activity. You will be best suited to run a variety of attractor nymphs along with BWO nymphs or Midge Larva early and midge pupa or BWO emergers later on if you witness fish in the film or mid-water-column. At times you'll find fish posted up feeding on adult Midges and small BWOs. Be prepared with egg patterns and chironomid lead patters for those lake fish in the system down low.