Field NotesFishing 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 overlooked seams.
Rocky Drift Co. — Colorado Tailwater
Blog.
River guides, fly selection, and field notes from the South Platte — written from the water, not a desk.
Page 4
Field Notes
Field NotesWet 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 ditch the waders more than you'd expect.
Gear ReviewI 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 GuideThe 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.
Gear ReviewFly Fishing Essentials for Beginners: The Honest Minimum
Most beginner gear lists are upsell guides. Here's the real minimum a new fly fisher actually needs — and what to skip until you've fished a few seasons.
Gear ReviewWhat I Bring to the River: An 80-Day-a-Year Angler's Day Pack
Real gear from 80-plus days a year on Colorado tailwaters. The pack, the rod, the fly boxes, the tools, the layers, and the small stuff that makes the day work.
Fly GuideThe 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 all winter.
Fly GuideThe 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 it works year-round on Deckers and Cheesman when standard PTs fade.
Fly GuideMayer'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 swung streamers on South Platte tailwaters.
Gear ReviewMy Fly Rod Quiver — Five Rods, Five Jobs on the South Platte
What I fish on the South Platte and why each rod earns its spot — plus the hand-built Sweetgrass cane I'm adding to the quiver this fall.
Fly GuideOlsen'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 and green, and how to fish it tight-line.
Fly GuideThe 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.
Page 4 of 9