The Euro Nymph Box: What Actually Earns a Slot on the South Platte
The handful of euro nymphs that earn a slot in my South Platte box — Blowtorch, Perdigon, Frenchie and the rest — plus how I size them and fish them deep.
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South Platte
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Building a Euro Nymphing Rig from Scratch
Step-by-step build of the euro nymphing rig I actually fish: Diamondback 10'7" 3wt, Maxima Chameleon mono, sighter, tippet ring, and the two flies that do the work.
Fishing Pressured Tailwaters — What Actually Works on Deckers
Deckers is the most-fished tailwater on the South Platte. Here's what actually catches fish — small flies, light tippet, clean drifts, and the seams nobody else works.
Wet Wading: Why I Leave the Waders at Home
Wet wading on the South Platte isn't for everyone. But once you understand when and how to do it right, you might find yourself ditching the waders more often than you'd expect.
I Run a Riversmith — and I'm Eyeing a Switch to Trxstle's CRC Euro
I've carried my rods on a Riversmith River Quiver for a while now. Lately I'm highly considering switching to Trxstle's CRC Euro. Here's the honest why.
Fly Guide
The Zebra Midge Torch — My South Platte Midge
The standard Zebra Midge catches fish. My version — black tungsten bead, orange tag, tied on a Fulling Mill jig hook — catches more. Here's the Torch.
Fly Guide
The Duracell Jig: Red Wire, Silver Bead, and Why It Runs the South Platte in Winter
Craig McDonald's Scottish jig nymph — red wire rib, UV brown body, silver bead. Named after the battery. Why it dominates Deckers and Cheesman November through April.
Fly Guide
The Frenchie: Lance Egan's Competition Jig That Never Left the Guide Box
Lance Egan's UV pink hotspot Pheasant Tail jig — competition-bred, guide-proven. Why this pattern works year-round on Deckers and Cheesman when standard PTs stop producing.
Fly Guide
Mayer's Mini Leech Jig: The Small Dead-Drift Leech That Out-Catches Streamers
Landon Mayer's pine squirrel mini leech on a jig hook. Dead-drift, jig-style — why this small pattern out-fishes traditional swung streamers on South Platte tailwaters.
My Fly Rod Quiver — Five Rods, Five Jobs on the South Platte
What I fish on the South Platte and why — from the do-everything Scott Centric to the Diamondback I now reach for most, as I move more toward euro nymphing.
Fly Guide
Olsen's Blowtorch: My Favorite Fly and the Variations I Tie
My favorite fly. Devin Olsen's competition jig with a hot-tag and opalescent rib. Why I tie the Blowtorch in orange, green, with and without CDC — and how to fish it tight-line.
Fly Guide
The Perdigon: Why the Fastest-Sinking Nymph on the South Platte Works
Spanish competition nymph with a UV resin body that sinks 40% faster than traditional patterns. The anchor fly that gets your rig to depth before the current wins.
Fly Guide
The RS2: Rim Chung's South Platte Emerger That Defined a Tailwater
Rim Chung tied the RS2 in the 1970s for the South Platte. Fifty years later it's still the most-fished emerger on Deckers, the Dream Stream, and Cheesman.
Fly Guide
Walt's Worm: The Pennsylvania Nymph That Belongs in Every South Platte Box
Walt Young's 1984 Pennsylvania limestone nymph — buggy hare's ear body, cigar profile — imitates scuds, cased caddis, and crane fly larvae all at once on Deckers.
Fly Guide
The Wooly Bugger: The Most Copied Fly in History and Why It Still Works
Russell Blessing's 1967 Pennsylvania pattern is the most-tied fly in fly fishing. Why the Wooly Bugger still earns its place in a South Platte box for fall browns and high water.
A Cigar on the South Platte — The Best Use of the Midday Lull
Between the morning midge hatch and the evening caddis, there's a dead window on the South Platte where the fish go quiet. I stopped fighting it. Now I bring a cigar.
Fly Guide
Barr's Slumpbuster: The Streamer John Barr Built for Big Browns
John Barr's Slumpbuster is the most versatile streamer in Colorado fly fishing. How to fish it, when it works, and why the pine squirrel does things a Woolly Bugger can't.
Seasonal
Colorado's Worst Snowpack in 40 Years — What It Means for the South Platte
Colorado is sitting at its lowest snowpack on record. For tailwater anglers on the South Platte, here's what's actually changing this season and how to adjust.
Seasonal
South Platte in May — The Best Month to Fish Colorado Tailwaters
Why May is the best month to fish the South Platte — all hatches overlapping, manageable crowds, and what to expect week by week.
The South Platte Caddis Hatch — Timing, Flies, and Where to Be
The caddis hatch on the South Platte runs May through July and triggers the best dry-fly fishing of the year. When it happens, what to throw, and which sections fish best.
Fly Guide
Barr's Emerger: The PMD Pattern Every South Platte Angler Needs
John Barr's classic emerger imitates mayflies stuck mid-hatch. Recipe, rigging, and when to fish the PMD and BWO versions on Deckers and the Dream Stream.
Diamondback Gen IV 10'7" 3wt Review — The Best Euro Nymphing Rod I've Fished
The Diamondback Gen IV 10'7" 3wt is my euro nymphing rod on the South Platte. Here's why it's the best contact nymph rod I've fished and what it did to my catch rate.
The Dry-Dropper Rig on the South Platte — How to Fish It Right
The dry-dropper is the most versatile South Platte setup. How to build it, when to use it over a straight nymph rig, and which fly combinations work at Cheesman and Deckers.
Seasonal
Fishing the South Platte During Spring Runoff
How to fish the South Platte when flows spike — which sections stay fishable, tactics for high water, and what the runoff window means for the rest of the season.
Fly Fishing the South Platte in the Rain
Rain changes everything on the South Platte — what it does to the fish, which hatches it triggers, and how to dress and fish when the weather turns.
Sitka Gets Into Fly Fishing — And It Makes Complete Sense
Sitka built the best hunting gear on the market. Now they're in fly fishing. Here's what they're bringing to the category and why it matters.
Fly Guide
PMD Hatch Guide — Pale Morning Duns on the South Platte
The complete guide to Pale Morning Dun fishing on the South Platte — hatch timing by section, exact patterns, and how to adjust for refusals.
Euro Nymphing the South Platte — A Practical Guide
How to euro nymph the South Platte's technical tailwater — leader setup, fly selection, reading current seams, and where it outperforms indicator fishing.
Ross San Miguel Reel Review — Sealed Drag, Old-School Character
The Ross San Miguel is the reel on my Winston Pure 2 — sealed carbon drag, beautiful machining, made in Montrose Colorado. Here's why it pairs perfectly with the Winston.
How to Read Water on the South Platte
The current seams, structure, and holding lies that matter on South Platte tailwater — how to find fish in Cheesman Canyon, Deckers, and the Dream Stream.
Gear Review
Wading Boots for the South Platte — Brands, Soles, and What Actually Works
The Pikes Peak granite at Cheesman and the cobble at Deckers demand the right wading boot. Four brands compared, felt vs. rubber per river section, and what Renato fishes.
Fly Guide
Mercury Midge: Pat Dorsey's South Platte Staple
Recipe, tying notes, and how to fish Pat Dorsey's Mercury Midge — one of the most consistent midge patterns on pressured tailwaters.
Ross LTX Reel Review — Made in Colorado, Built to Last
The Ross LTX is the reel on my Scott Centric — fast drag, precise, built in Montrose, Colorado. Same town as the rod it pairs with. Here's why this combo works.
South Platte Nymph Rigging — Leader, Indicator, and Fly Setup
The exact nymph rigging I use on the South Platte — leader construction, tippet sizes, indicator selection, and how to adjust for Deckers and the South Platte canyon sections.
South Platte Hatch Calendar: What's Hatching Every Month of the Year
Month-by-month hatch guide for the South Platte River tailwaters — Deckers, Cheesman, Dream Stream. Flies, timing, and what actually matters each season.
Gear Review
Scott Centric 9'0" 5wt Review — The Best Tailwater Rod Made in Colorado
Two seasons on the Scott Centric 905/4 at Cheesman and Deckers. Fast action, Colorado-built, and the benchmark for South Platte nymph and dry-fly fishing.
Gear Review
Scott Centric vs Sage R8 Core — Which Tailwater Rod for the South Platte?
Scott Centric vs Sage R8 Core for South Platte tailwater fishing — action, nymph performance, dry-fly accuracy, and which to buy.
How to Choose a Fly Rod for South Platte Tailwater
What actually matters when choosing a fly rod for South Platte tailwater — weight, length, action, and the specific demands of Deckers and the canyon sections.
Gear Review
Skwala RS Waders Review — Two Seasons, Every Season
Two seasons in Skwala RS waders on the South Platte. Proprietary 4-layer laminate, fourchette seams, buckle-free yoke — and genuinely excellent in cold Colorado winters.
The South Platte Day Trip Gear Checklist — What's Actually in My Pack
Exactly what I pack for a South Platte day trip to Cheesman or Deckers — not the aspirational gear list, the actual one built over years of getting it wrong.
Gear Review
YETI Hopper M30 Soft Cooler Review — Day Trips on the South Platte
Two seasons with the YETI Hopper M30 on South Platte and Arkansas day trips — ice retention, packability on the trail, and honest cons at $350.
Fly Fishing with Kids on the South Platte
The complete guide to getting kids into fly fishing in Colorado — the right water by age, gear that helps, ice fishing, safety, and keeping the day fun.
Seasonal
Winter Fly Fishing on the South Platte
December through February on the South Platte — midge fishing in Cheesman Canyon, gear for cold-weather wading, and why the off-season crowds are gone.
Colorado Fishing License — What You Need for the South Platte
How to get a Colorado fishing license, what a South Platte Habitat Stamp costs, Gold Medal designations, and the regulations that matter for tailwater fishing.
Photographing Fly Fishing on the South Platte — How to Get Shots Worth Keeping
How to shoot better fly fishing photos on the South Platte — gear, light, release shots, and the one rule that protects the fish while you get the image.
Seasonal
Fall Streamer Fishing on the South Platte
Fall streamer fishing on the South Platte — when to throw them, the patterns that work at Cheesman and Deckers, how to fish them, and ethics around spawning browns.
Fly Guide
Trico Hatch on the South Platte — Late Summer Fly Fishing Guide
When and how to fish the Trico hatch on the South Platte — July through September spinner falls on the Dream Stream and Deckers flat.
Seasonal
Fall BWO Season on the South Platte — October Fly Fishing Guide
Fall Blue-Winged Olive fishing on the South Platte — why October BWOs beat spring, hatch timing, the patterns I fish, rigging, and how to read the rise.
River Guide
Eleven Mile Canyon Fly Fishing Guide — Everything You Need to Know
A complete guide to fly fishing Eleven Mile Canyon on the South Platte: access, best beats, hatches by season, gear, and what makes this stretch fish differently than Cheesman.
The Best Fly Shops Near the South Platte
The fly shops worth stopping at before your South Platte trip — local intel, guided options, and who actually knows the river you're fishing.
River Guide
Cheesman Canyon Fly Fishing — The Complete Access Guide
Everything you need before your first trip to Cheesman Canyon — directions, the hike, Gold Medal regulations, best beats, and timing.
Gear Review
Best 4-Weight Fly Rods for Tailwater Fishing in 2026
The five best 4-weight fly rods for tailwater fishing in 2026 — Scott, Sage, Winston, Orvis, and a budget pick. Specs verified, honest takes.
Riversmith River Quiver Euro 4-Banger — Four Rods on the Roof, Zero Drama
The Riversmith River Quiver Euro 4-Banger holds four rods on the roof — rigged, ready, zero noise at highway speed. Here's why it changed how I get to the water.
Fly Guide
South Platte Fly Box — 12 Patterns Every Tailwater Angler Needs
Twelve fly patterns every South Platte tailwater angler needs — midges, dries, nymphs, and streamers with sizes and when to use each.