Fly Fishing South Platte River - Waterton Canyon

Overview

The South Platte below Strontia Springs Dam passes through Waterton Canyon in a mix of flatter runs, boulder pockets and deeper pools. Brown and rainbow trout use the sheltered seams within the broken current. The gravel canyon road follows the river beneath rocky slopes, with bighorn sheep and other wildlife part of the setting.

Canyon Presentations

The quieter runs call for a careful approach and a controlled first drift. Keep a low profile beside a feeding lane, and avoid casting repeatedly across several currents. A 4- or 5-weight rod and a long leader offer one approach to smaller flies, while nymph depth and weight should suit the particular pocket.

Zebra midges, RS2s and jujubee midges provide cold-season nymph choices. A Griffith’s Gnat or parachute midge offers a surface alternative for fish taking smaller insects. Blue-winged olives add spring and fall options on overcast days. Pale morning duns, yellow sallies, tricos and caddis provide summer choices, with hoppers, ants and beetles along the willow banks.

A double-nymph rig can cover a deeper run, and a dry-dropper can search a short pocket. Tight-line presentations help manage the varied currents. A woolly bugger or slumpbuster offers another approach to a deeper pool when surface feeding is quiet.

Denver Water releases from Strontia Springs influence the canyon’s depth and current. Study each run and adjust the presentation to its holding water rather than assuming a familiar pool will fish the same way on every visit.

Access

Use the Waterton Canyon trailhead parking lot off Waterton Road, then follow the canyon road on foot or bicycle to the river’s fishing areas. Denver Water identifies a fishing pier about 1.25 miles up the canyon, with priority for anglers with disabilities. Public motor vehicles and dogs are not allowed on the canyon trail. See Denver Water’s visitor information and canyon map.