Turn West on Hwy 72 to Gross Dam Road. What a day it was! These two flies allowed the fish count to mushroom to double digits, but I was not convinced that I was optimizing my time on the usually productive creek. The surface flies failed to create a refusal, so I concluded that the fish were more focused on subsurface food morsels, and this thought caused me to attach a size 8 tan pool toy hopper along with a prince nymph on a three foot dropper. I did, however, witness a pair of natural green drakes, so I knew they were still active, In fact I saw one flutter on the surface nearby, and then it was promptly slurped by an aggressive eater. I checked other Front Range possibilities, but this action was simply an exercise in thoroughness, because 86 CFS is near my ideal range, and I was sold on a trip to the small tailwater almost immediately. One angler dressed in shorts departed with his dog, before I was prepared to do the same. Five cars were ahead of me in the kayak lot. The comparadun delivered success, and I stuck with it for my remaining time on the creek, and the fish count climbed from twenty-four to thirty-four. Regardless of how you fish, youre going to want to focus on the banks and outer seams to start, but dont discount the shallow riffles and runs, pools or pocket water. During lower flows, the dry-dropper set up works the best. South Boulder Creek 08/18/2021 Photo Album. Total. My streak of catching a fish in each month of the calendar year remained alive; however, December will certainly be a challenge for this fair weather angler. Boulder Creek. The hippie stomper remained as the top fly for much of the time, but I also cycled through a parachute green drake, green drake comparadun, and user friendly green drake. South Boulder Creek begins in the James Peak Wilderness and flows into Gross Reservoir, then through the famous El Dorado Canyon before meeting with the river's other fork. I waded downstream for fifty yards and surveyed the rocks on both banks and attempted to remember my last photo shoot. I made many more casts to each prospective holding lie, and many quality spots failed to produce, but if I persisted, I could dupe a trout here and there. South Platte River - 11 Mile Canyon. From here, follow the highway until you reach the Gross Reservoir turnoff (Crescent Park Drive). I kept my word, but for some reason I abandoned the user friendly and tested a Harrop hair wing green drake size 14. I hiked to my chosen starting point and knotted a size 14 poly wing parachute green drake to my line. The number of looks were also spaced out causing my catch rate to plummet. Flows are at a healthy level and trout are feeding opportunistically during peak heat hours. I was prepared for terrestrials, yellow sally nymphs and pale morning dun nymphs. Well, the shift to nymphing paid modest dividends, as I landed three small brown trout on the salvation, before I paused for lunch at 11:45AM. I replaced the caddis with a size 18 light gray comparadun, and my fortunes suddenly looked promising. 1The 20th Judicial District has started the process of replacing Boulder County Judge Kristy Martinez, who died last week. This threesome moved the fish counter from seven to nineteen, and obviously the catch rate improved. I sensed I was on the verge of a stellar outing, as a few mayflies made an appearance above the creek, and a couple were likely green drakes. While you might not see much action on your stimulator dry fly, the entire set up will be more stealthy and spook fewer trout. Access River Report Snowpack Depths South Platte Nearby Ski Areas Echo Mountain Park Never miss a powder day on the slopes . I added a hippie stomper as my front fly and followed it with the parachute green drake, but once again I was greeted with no response from the fish. I assembled my Sage four weight and made the steep descent to the creek which enabled me to begin casting by 10:30AM. He created DIY Fly Fishing to help you do the same. For tailwater angling, take Highway 72 West from 93 North of the city of Golden, then take the exit/turnoff for Gross Reservoir. Number seven was an eight inch rainbow, and hook removal required the use of my hemostats, and I severely damaged the fly during the process. Numerous long distance releases and refusals were part of the equation, and the landed fish were definitely on the small side with the largest possibly extending to eleven inches. Copyright 2023 DIY Fly Fishing, all rights reserved. First I tested a May break, which is a type of green drake cripple. On Thursday evening I searched through my South Boulder Creek blog reports on this site, and I found two from October 2017 that described my experience, when the flows trickled at 9.3 CFS and 10.5 CFS. Finally I connected with a pair of trout, but the catch rate lagged and refusals to the hopper became a commonplace occurrence. I was interested to see how the large bulky fan wing of a comparadun played with the resident trout, and I assumed the large wing would be easier to track. Even this success, however, did not convince me that I was presenting the desired offering, so I once again began to experiment. The city has an option of dipping into ARPA funding set aside for the public safety building project while JVA engineering hunts for additional funding sources for the water grant. This small tailwater located below Gross reservoir provides great year-round fishing. Wind from the South blows bait in their mouth.". By 10:30AM I was perched along the creek ready to pursue the wild denizens of South Boulder Creek canyon. A dirt road follows most of the creek at the Rollins Pass area, making it quite accessible. I was pleased with this circumstance, as it meant I would probably have the lower canyon area to myself. See current fishing conditions, free Colorado hatch chart and blog with our best fishing tips from local guides. Home Guided Trips Events Classes Kids Camp River Reports Blog video_library. Location: Between Rollinsville and East Portal, South Boulder Creek 09/24/2020 Photo Album. Bare rocks and dry streambed characterized the view, but even at 11.1 CFS the creek was the size of some of the high mountain streams that I recently explored. In many cases the hippie stomper generated a look or refusal, but persistent casting eventually fooled a trout into snatching the nymph particularly at the tail of a pocket or pool or in a riffle with over two to three feet of depth. I mourned the loss for a bit, and then I decided to call it quits at 3:15PM. Its less so about the direction but the cause for the . Fridays success required adjustments, as the day progressed. Boulder Creek fishing weather forcastupdated each and everyday for accuracy. I did not pay much attention, but within five minutes a young man clad in a navy blue uniform approached and asked to inspect my license. By noon my fish count rested on seven, and these fish were small and hard to come by. Another forecast of ninety degrees in Denver, CO had me craving a cold water wading destination. Head west on Rollins Pass road from here to follow the creek itself. Perhaps the three gentlemen drove separately and met in the parking lot? If you need a fishing licence you can purchase one directly from Boulder Creek Fishing License 24/7. That being said, much of the river freezes over in the winter leaving fewer fishable locations. Before I paused for lunch, I recorded three additional brown trout to boost the fish count to six, and the prince attracted two of the three, while another greedy eater chomped the hippie stomper. (Lower South Boulder Creek) IV(V+) 6cfs +0cfs/hr : 01h01m : Boulder Creek, South [CO] 04. The pace of action improved, but I never regained the magic of the first twenty minutes. If you prefer to stay below the headwaters but above the reservoir for your excursion, get on Highway 72 West from 93 through Coal Creek Canyon until you get to Pinecliffe. In fact, fishing new water has become a theme for my 2020 season, and a few interesting destinations remain on my list for the autumn season. Once again I considered a change, and this time I reverted to the parachute style fly. My license was in my backpack, and I had not yet pulled it on, so I removed it from the middle pocket and showed it to the Boulder County wildlife officer. Flows on August 18 remained at 102 CFS, and I took advantage. On Wednesday, August 3, 2022 I found myself once again perched along South Boulder Creek, but in this case I was gripping a brand new Sage nine foot, four weight R8 rod. Current conditions of DISCHARGE and GAGE HEIGHT are available. The best time of year to fish South Boulder Creek is the summer and fall. The creek is one of the hidden gems in the front range and right out our back door. By one oclock the action slowed considerably, and refusals to the pool toy began to dominate. Far and away the typical landed brown trout was in the nine to eleven inch range. facebook. It's more of a wife tail but always fun to recollect. I lost my favorite net, but I have a viable backup for future outings this week. My smallest rod is always a good choice for small stream fishing, as it is not as taxing on my shoulder and elbow as the longer and heavier rods in my arsenal. I decided it was time to convert to a green drake. I covered a significant amount of stream and executed an abundant quantity of casts. This section is one of the more popular stretches and can be fished year-round. I was hot and weary and ready to call it a day. I caught myself with both hands, before I fell in, but a bit of water trickled over the lip of my wader bib. On August 13 I learned that the flows below Gross Reservoir were at manageable levels, and green drakes were making their presence known to the stream residents. I slid my four piece Sage four weight together and hiked downstream along the dirt road, until I found a more gradual path for my descent. For the subsurface lineup I introduced a size 16 ultra zug bug and trailed a salvation nymph. Along the way I found a Wolf Moon landing net lodged on a cluster of logs, and I stuffed it in my backpack with the handle in the bottom of the pocket. Huge lichen boulders, open meadows, some sloped, some flat. South Boulder Creek is fairly forgiving and a viable option for anglers of all skill sets. Regardless, you'll want to focus on getting your nymphs into the deepest water column while targeting the deep and slow pools, runs and pockets as this is where the highest concentration of trout will be. Along the way, you will see some of the most beautiful mountain meadow and high altitude pasture land in all of the United States. Set includes 40 high quality, hand-tied flies (see list below) and waterproof fly box. Of course, the forty-eight trout were on the small side, but I estimate that at least ten stretched to the twelve to thirteen inch range. This site, formerly known as Jumbo Mountain Picnic Ground, has interpretive signs about local history and new picnic tables. I now have two Sage rods out for repair, as I approach the meat of the summer and fall season. On my previous South Boulder Creek visit, I converted to a green drake comparadun at this juncture, so I decided to execute the same ploy. To access South Boulder Creek below Gross Reservoir, take Highway 93 (north from Golden or South from Boulder) until you reach Highway 72. The net frame was cracked, but the bag was in excellent shape, so I decided I could salvage that part for future use. Elevation: 9,211 feet at East Portal TH; 11,300 feet at Heart Lake; 11,060 feet at Rogers Pass Lake; 11,900 feet at Rogers Pass South Boulder Creek at Walker Ranch The roaring mountain stream at Walker Ranch feels far from the crowds of town and offers up plenty of trout for those willing to hike down the banks here. The tribe is much more populous in Canada than in the U.S. #40. Suddenly ice cold water ran down my legs and created a soggy foot bed for my woolen socks. Fish are stocked annually by CPW at Gross Reservoir. 5 ions about cu s fly fishing club boulder today of colorado south creek lite report dave weller peaceful retreat on 6 12 acres 3 4 miles reduced rate gilpin county flashback friday walker ranch abby ferguson photography trouts co w map pictures more bear . We take a number of different data points to make our fishing recommendation. By 1:00PM the air temperature climbed into the low seventies, and the action slowed measurably. Everything checked out, and I began my descent of the steep trail to the creek shortly thereafter. To fish Eldorado Canyon State Park, take Highway 93 North out of Golden until you get to Highway 170. I considered other offerings in the early going, but I looked forward to fishing green drakes, so why not test the waters at the start? The first four trout landed were all brown trout in the six to ten inch range. My history with the sunk ant is rather brief relative to my fly fishing lifetime, but it has recently climbed my fly rankings as a promising producer. When I observed the stream from high above on the road, I feared that it was quite low, but this assessment proved deceiving, as the flows were decent for late September. The wet long underwear and socks actually felt fairly comfortable given the warm air temperatures. I spotted my first natural western green drake at 12:35PM, and their sporadic emergence continued until 3:00PM, when I reached my intended exit point. Rocky Mountain Anglers. . BOULDER CREEK AT NORTH 75TH ST. NEAR BOULDER, CO. South Boulder Creek 08/12/2022 Photo Album. It happened so fast that I could not react, and I sat down on the bank and grieved for a few minutes. Otherwise, the nymph rig with searchers, attractors or imitative nymphs will treat you well all year. Boulder, Colorado February 28 2023 Start Your Free Trial . Subscribe to fly fishing's most informative email list and receive news, events and special offers! Recall that my Wolf Moon landing net floated away from me on a recent visit to Clear Creek, so the fishing gods provided me with compensation. Public Water Trips. See More > Follow Us. I made the trip to the Kayak Parking Lot below Gross Reservoir on Monday morning. Hopefully I can return to South Boulder Creek in the near future for a full day of fishing; while abundant quantities of mayflies, caddis and stoneflies feed the stream residents. Why the beetle? I did not have time to experiment with fly changes, but I was very curious regarding the source of the surface eating feast, so I stretched my quick seine mesh over the mouth of my net and seined the water for a minute or two. I added a salvation nymph below the prince to gain depth, and the pale morning dun nymph began to click, as I raised the fish count to seven by the time I sat on a rock to consume my standard lunch. . For more information, see Colorado Fishing guide. Check out our interactive map of over 30,000 of the best places to fly fish in the US. Each fly delivered a trout to my net during this early phase of my day. This combination accounted for a fish; but the warm air, bright sun and fruitless casting caused my confidence to wane. Thank you! Located in an area of year-round residences. A reduction of flows to the low one hundred range would also be welcome news. My concerns were well founded, and when I perched along the creek and configured my line, I felt the clammy wetness of my undershirt. Access to the tailwater section is via the Walker Ranch Open Space. Hopefully a few more encounters with green drake madness will greet my calendar in 2022 on South Boulder Creek. I made a pledge to myself to return to South Boulder Creek the week that began with August 16, and today, Wednesday I fulfilled that promise. Friday afternoon represented the type of fishing I thoroughly enjoy. I noticed the public section of South Boulder Creek on our several trips to and from the East Portal to hike the popular trail. At one point another angler met up with me, since he parked at the Walker Ranch trailhead, but he cut to the stream quite a bit upstream of my chosen point of entry. The water is pretty much crystal clear during peak season, so you will want to make sure you approach quietly and carefully so as not to scare off your catch of the day. South Boulder Creek 11/02/2020 Photo Album. Why does the parachute style work early and the comparadun late? The Grillos user friendly contains two layers of thin foam, and I was hoping for improved floatation. Dave of Charlies Fly Box was a good salesman. The two hour window, when I caught the most fish, coincided with an increase in insect activity, so perhaps my fly choices were not as important as the time of the day. Tenants will be required to obtain Renters insurance that includes $300,000 of liability . When I returned home, I immediately filed a repair claim with Far Bank (the company that now owns Sage), and then I printed the QR code and address and packed up the broken rod to ship for repair. Hatch activity has been fairly consistent with midges making a regular appearance in the late morning and afternoon. Nevertheless, I was pleased to post a solid day after green drake season, and I look forward to more trips to South Boulder Creek before the season winds down. This circumstance was probably more attributable to the waning hatch than my fly choice, but I persisted with the solitary green drake approach and boosted the fish count to twenty-four. 12.14 acres, in 2 parcels, with Boulder creek frontage and borders USFS. My confidence was low, and I was frustrated by my inability to generate interest in spite of casting to quality water with careful presentations. Feb 28, 2023 Updated 1 hr ago. South Boulder Creek is considered one of the most consistent fly-fishing opportunities in the Boulder-Denver area. My hunch was correct, and one small brown trout launched toward the comparadun and met my net in a brief amount of time. Remarks: It's a beauty and a beast. South Boulder Creek 08/13/2021 Photo Album. I was relatively warm from the exertion, so I knotted a peacock hippie stomper to my line and began to cast to likely spots with the hope that the atmosphere would warm, or the layers would wick away the sweat. I was pleasantly surprised by the effectiveness of the shallow drifting sunken terrestrial. Explore this 2.5-mile out-and-back trail near Boulder, Colorado. Whether you're fly fishing or otherwise your chances of getting a bite here are good. Free up-to-date fly fishing reports for Colorado public waters. This circumstance along with cold and wind during the days that followed put my fishing season on hold and caused me to initiate my winter fly tying efforts. I managed to add two brown trout to the fish count, but then I switched once again. There is no public access to fishing on the south side of the reservoir. I decided to go deep again and replaced the hippie stomper with a Chernobyl ant trailing a super nova. Get directions to fishing access points and real-time stream flow data with theDIY Fly Fishing Map. Apparently my imitation was close to what the resident trout were looking for, because the fish were sucking it in confidently. Yes, you read that correctly. The main attractions for fly fishing South Boulder Creek are brown trout, but there are plenty of rainbows and the occasional cutthroat and brook trout to be had here, too. Flows are at a healthy level and trout are feeding opportunistically during peak heat hours. During the 12:00PM to 2:30PM period I could nearly bank on a trout, if I cast to one of these stream structures. January 24, 2023 south boulder creek Fishing Report. Dry Flies- Adams Dry Fly- Elk Hair Caddis - Blue Wing Olive - Royal Wulff - Griffith's Gnat White - Stimulator, Organge - Chernobyl Ant Nymphs/Wet Flies- Rubber Leg Nymph, Brown- BH Pheasant Tail Nymph - BH Prince Nymph - BH Hare's Ear Nymph - Barr's Emerger Nymph - Zebra Midge Nymph, Black Streamers- Wooly Bugger, Black (Size #8x2)- Wooly Bugger, Olive (Size #8x2). backlog intangible asset; west metro fire union contract. At some point the comparadun wing became a sparse wisp of deer hair, so I replaced it with a size 16 gray comparadun with a full fan-shaped wing, and this fly maintained the elevated catch rate, although probably a bit slower than the smaller mayfly imitation. The 20th Judicial District Nominating Commission will meet March 22 at the Boulder County Justice Center, 1777 Sixth St., to interview and select nominees for appointment by the governor. Fishing to help you do the same about local history and new Picnic.... 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