Best month to fish the South Platte River

Month-by-month fishing quality

Why these months?

Two things decide your odds on the South Platte River: flow and season. You need the river in its fishable-flow band — so a freestone in spring runoff is out no matter how good the hatch would be, while a dam-fed tailwater holds shape year-round. On top of that, the hatches and water temperatures line up best in September and October and April and May, which is why those months edge out the rest. The South Platte River's season runs year-round tailwater; fishes all twelve months, peaks spring and fall.

The South Platte through Cheesman Canyon and Deckers is Colorado's most technical trout water and the closest great river to Denver. Cold, gin-clear releases out of Cheesman Reservoir run over a granite-boulder bottom that lets you watch big rainbows and browns refuse your fly all afternoon. It is a sight-fishing, small-fly, perfect-drift river with a year-round season and a well-earned reputation for humbling anglers who fish it casually.

Where to fish the South Platte River

Cheesman Canyon — the "Gill Trail" water — is a hike-in wade fishery and the technical heart of it; Deckers downstream is more forgiving with easier road access. Fish are picky here, and a good dead drift matters far more than pattern choice. The best water runs from the bridge crossing down to the lower boundary of the Tee Pee Club.

Guided trips & lodges to book