Although I have been fly fishing the South Platte River near Littleton for almost three years now, I thought it would be cool to make a post with some of the best and most memorable fish that I have pulled out.  This post is specifically for the rainbows – to see the monster brown of the South Platte, see the specific post.

As my buddy Justin and I have shared many times, “If you can catch trout in the South Platte, you can catch trout anywhere.” Although this statement may sound a little harsh, it is nothing but the truth.  This river, especially in urban scenarios, makes fly fishermen work for every fish they catch. These fish below have tricked me in countless ways, but over the years of experience, I now have several spots on the South Platte where I can catch fish.

Older men will ask me what flies I use to catch these awesome fish, and my answer is pretty simple: any type of midge, RS2, or flashback pheasant tail that is at most a size 18. These fish need small flies and unnoticeable tippet to be caught. Side note: for those just looking to get the “skunk” off the table, a neon pink san juan worm crushes the fish in murky water.

Don’t be surprised to catch random species as well: I have caught countless smallmouth, carp, and the occasional walleye in the South Platte.