Deckers – South Platte
14 Day Forecast: Look for hatches of midges, PMD's, Tricos, and blue-winged olives.
Effective Patterns: #8 Pat's Rubber legs, #20-22 Jujubaetis, #18-20 Top Secret Baetis, #20-22 Top Secret Midge, #20-22 Black Beauty, #18-20 Pale Olive Midge Larva, #20-22 Chocolate Foam Wing Emerger, #20-22 Mercury Midge, #20 Sparkle Dun, #22-24 Trico Spinner, #18 Barr Emerger, PMD, #18 Mole Fly, #20 Parachute BWO, #20 Hi-Vis Baetis, 20-22 Parachute Adams, #16 Elk Caddis
Measurements
Colorado Fly Fishing Report for Deckers on the South Platte by Pat Dorsey
The mileage below Cheesman Canyon is the renowned Deckers area, a world-class fishery with easy access and lots of opportunity. The best fishing is from Bridge Crossing to the lower boundary of the Tee Pee Club. Like Cheesman Canyon, the fish are challenging to catch, and there is no substitution for a good dead drift. Deckers can offer good dry fly fishing at times but like upstream in the “The Canyon” a good nympher will catch the majority of fish. Anglers can expect to catch assortment of browns and rainbows with some exceeding 20 inches. The river is made up of riffles, runs, shelves and gravel bars, and nice pocket water. The ideal flow for Deckers is between 150 and 400 cfs. The regulations are two trout over 16 inches in length and flies and lures only. Please consider catch and release on all fish caught in the area.
Deckers is a world-renowned stretch of the South Platte River. There are miles of public water to fish in and around the hamlet of Deckers.
Tips & Other Information:
Outflows were reduced to 145 cfs below Cheesman Reservoir. Cheesman Reservoir is at 86% capacity as of this morning. Cheesman Reservoir is turning over and the water is murky. Water temps are currently in the high 50’s and low 60’s. The hathes are all messed up with warmer water…caddis and pmD’s are coming off, and as you might expect, really good midge and blue winged olive hatches are taking place. The midge hatches are simply amazing right now. Size 22-24 Mercury Midges, Black Beauties, and Top Secret Midges have been the flies of choice lately for the midge-bite. Top Secret Baetis, Stalcup’s Baetis, Barr Emerger PMD, and Chocolate Foam Wing Emergers are a good choice when you start to see some mayflies coming off. Certain sections are getting difficult to nymphs with all the aquatic vegation. If you are fortunate enough to find a few risers, it’s hard to go wrong with a Sparkle Dun, Para BWO (PMD), Hi-Vis Baetis (PMD), Mole Fly, Blue Quill, Blue Dun, or Para Adams in sizes 18-20. Overcast days and inclement weather are producing the best hatches. Revised 10/21/25