In fly fishing, all waters aren’t created equal. All water brings its own challenges, benefits, and most importantly memories. Although it is a blessing every time you are able to get out on the water and enjoy the day, there are certain places that will forever mean more than just a “fishing hole.” For me, being born and raised in Denver, the South Platte River will always be my “home” river that is etched into my memory for good. In addition to the South Platte, the clear water and cool creeks of the Colorado mountains also will forever be a staple reason as to why fly fishing became a huge part of my life.

For those of you that know Denver, the South Platte goes hand in hand with the city. It flows right on through the city, and parallels one of the busiest roads in the metroplex. However, to most it isn’t viewed as a “pretty” body of water, in that upon first glance the water is at best funky in many spots. With this said, if you know where to look and are willing to put the time in, big fish and clean water are present. Most importantly, the river also allows plentiful fishing opportunities that don’t require hour+ long drives into the mountains.

The South Platte as a whole is best known as a trout river, and consists of some of the best fishing in the state. Mind you this is taking place in non urban areas that require a couple hour drive from most major cities. With this said, as soon as the South Platte gets closer to the City, a larger species comes into mix that makes it a hoot and a half: carp. The carp in the South Platte are smart, skiddish, huge, and extremely adaptable. They can be found year round (assuming the water is low enough to sight fish them), and they span the entire river system from downtown Denver up towards Chatfield Reservoir. It took me many years to get a sense of how to catch these fish, and every time I’m able to get my hands on one, memories from the past come rushing in. On my las trip to Denver, I was able to revisit some of my oldest fishy friends, and they were eager to hit some of my home-tied South Platte specialty flies. The water was low, clear, and the fish were happy. This was my largest fish from the trip that put up quite the fight on the 5-weight.

Know I have posted about carp many times on this blog, but there are a couple of tips that I want to provide for carp in clear and cool water river scenarios (much like the South Platte):

• Let the current be your friend – play it safe on the casts. Throw upstream to avoid spooking the fish, and let it come down in the “feed channel” for the carp. This is especially critical for fish sitting in faster moving water, in that you also want to give your fly plenty of time to sink down to the fish.
• “Less is more” – this is the one constant with carp. If you can avoid using strike indicators, lead weights, and flashy flies, heavier tippet, the better. For the South Platte, I like using bead chain eyes and adding colors that I can easily find in the water so I can watch the eat. White/dark brown/even orange help to get your eyes on the fly.
• STAY OUT OF THE WATER (or at least try to) – honestly, this tip is probably one of the best ones I can provide to catch any spooky fish. And I’m not just talking about saltwater species or carp, but even trout too! Stay out of the water if you can…you would be shocked at how many fish like to hug the bank, or can detect that something is up as soon as you get in. My most productive way to catch carp is to find fish within 5-15 feet of the bank, find a high angle to see the fish, and try to get them to eat. Especially with carp, once you hook a fish and it takes off, the spot is going to “spook out” from all the commotion. Once you hook the fish, then get in the water to net it/land it if need be, but there is zero point in wading for the sake of wading…especially when you get a worse angle on the fish, and they can sense you better.

Now that we have gotten our carp fix out of the way, let’s talk about the other “gold” fish that is further West in the mountains. The good ol’ Brown Trout! My personal favorite of the trout species…nothing personal to the rainbows, brookies, and cutthroats of the world. To the Lake Trout, our time with the fly rod will come.

For the record, the biggest Brown Trout of my life came from the South Platte (near Denver, not kidding). But, the mountain rivers and streams are way more productive when it comes to catching these fish. While in Denver this year, I made it a point to visit some of the local mountain towns and do my “hole hopping” with a cup of coffee in hand. Contrary to popular belief, some of the best fishing for Brown Trout in areas like Breckenridge, Vail, Steamboat, Aspen, Glenwood Springs, and Crested Butte does not require a guided trip on one of the major rivers. Although float trips are fantastic and nearly guarantee fish, if time is of the essence and you may not be able to break out for a full day event, the smaller water opportunities are endless in these areas for DIY missions. I made it a point to venture out this way in 2021.

While in Breckenridge, I was able to find some terrific spots on a few of the creeks around time and the fishing was incredible. The water levels were a little bit high, but this presented terrific pocket water opportunities near the bank. When the water is high, I love throwing wooly buggers in the pockets, letting them drift a little bit, and then ripping them fast upstream. You would be stunned at how many fish in small creeks will go out of their way to smash a smaller streamer! Making it even more fun, I was able to see these fish prior to casting, which made watching them hunt down the fly even more fun.

A few tips for these close to town, aggressive browns:

• No shock here – stay out of the water! The water is freaking cold, and 90+% of the fish I catch in these areas are TIGHT to the bank. Stay out of the water, fish the banks, and use height to your benefit.
• Don’t overcomplicate the fly choices – when throwing in pocket water during the summer/early fall, larger swimming nymphs or wooly buggers will catch fish. Find a fly and color you like, and do your thing!
• Never assume that a fish “isn’t there” – can’t tell you many fish I have caught right under bridges through town, or steps away from a local shop. In the middle of the day mind you. I would argue that many “known” fishing holes get more pressure outside of town than many of the creeks get in town. This is because people naturally assume fish might not be here. But guess what, they are, you just need to have some faith and look! Take your time, get that coffee and donut, and go try and hook some fish.

Always love visiting Colorado to get my “gold” fix of both Carp and Brownies. This State has so many amazing fishing opportunities – glad I did not take them for granted growing up!

Tight lines,

Joe