In this report
Low and Tight: August at 112 CFS
At 112 CFS, Deckers is running well below its sweet spot. For this stretch, you want to see 150–400 CFS to have decent wade-ability, good holding water, and fish that aren’t laser-focused on your footsteps. Right now, the water is thin, clear, and honest—which is both the appeal and the price.
What this means on the ground: the riffles that normally roll along at a healthy pace are slow and shallow. The runs between the bigger rocks are still fishable, but they’re narrower and more defined. Your wading options expand (you can reach water you normally couldn’t), but so does the likelihood that a fish will see you coming from a mile away. The upside is that at this level, trout are concentrated in the deeper slots and tight behind structure—they have to be. You don’t have to cover water; you have to read it carefully and approach it like you’re stealing something.
Water temperature is also worth a hard look this week. Low flow + August heat means the South Platte here is warming through the afternoon. If you’ve got a thermometer in your vest, pull it out around midday. Fish are still actively feeding, but thermal stress tightens their window. Get there early and be done by early afternoon if temps climb much above 65 degrees. It’s not an excuse to stay home—it’s a reason to fish smart and put the rod down if you’re catching fish that are belly-up in slow water.
What’s Happening: Tricos, Caddis, and Midges in the Shallows
Mid-August on the Platte means the Trico spinner fall is your alarm clock. These tiny mayflies (#20–24) are at the heart of the morning game—usually a narrow window, 7 to 9 a.m., when thousands of them hit the water at once. At 112 CFS, that fall is happening in water that isn’t roaring, which makes it easier for trout to intercept and easier for you to see rises. Look for the spinners on the surface in the slower, glassy water near the banks and in the back edges of the riffles. A #22 or #24 Trico spinner tied sparse (Adams, Rusty Spinner, or a simple parachute pattern) will work, but you’ll need a steady hand and good light.
By mid-morning, the spinner fall is done. That’s when you pivot to subsurface work—the stuff that keeps Deckers honest all day: midges and emergers. At this flow and temperature, the #18–22 midge is your baseline. Black Beauty, zebra midge, RS2—all of them work. The water is clear enough that trout can pick them out, so presentation matters more than pattern. Tricos will still be present as nymphs in the film, too, and a #20 Trico emerger can be a reliable dropper all morning if you want to hedge your bets.
Come evening, caddis begin to show. August caddis on Deckers aren’t a wall-to-wall hatch like spring BWO activity, but they’re real—scattered adults over the water from around 6 p.m. on, with more activity as light drops. Olive and tan #16–18 caddis (adult patterns like an Elk Hair Caddis or a simpler CDC-wing dry) will draw takes in the slower, flatter water where the adults are laying eggs. Again, at 112 CFS, you’re not covered up, but if you’re here for the last couple hours and the air cools, it’s worth having a dry caddis on.
Terrestrials haven’t peaked yet, but warm afternoons still see ant and beetle activity. If you’re fishing midday—which is not ideal, given the heat concern—a small black ant (#16–18) in the slower edges might draw a reflex take.
How to Fish It: Tight-Line and Patience
At this flow, I’m fishing tight-line more than indicator. The water isn’t fast enough to build good tension on the swing, and an indicator is just clutter when you’re working slow current and shallow slots. Rig a small anchor—a Barr’s Ugly Bug, a tungsten midge, or a heavy nymph like a #16 Black Beauty—on the point and add a dropper 12–18 inches up on a 4x or 5x tag. Use a #20–22 RS2, Trico emerger, or soft-hackle CDC fly as your trailing pattern.
For weight, a single small split-shot just above the dropper is enough; at 112 CFS, you don’t need much to reach the bottom in the 2–3 foot slots where trout are holding. The goal is a slow, dead-drift through the deep water behind rocks and in the defined seams. Cast slightly upstream and let the flies sink as the current carries them. You’re hunting for the pause or the slight tug—misses are as likely as takes because the flies are tiny and the water is clear.
In the faster riffle sections, drop a #18–20 nymph in the pocket water—the churned areas where boulders break the current. Even thin, these spots hold fish during low water because they offer a break from constant pressure. A tight-line or very short-line nymph rig (indicator just 3–4 feet above the fly) will let you feel what’s happening and keep the fly in the zone longer.
For the morning Trico spinner fall, switch to a dry if you see rises. Upsize your tippet slightly to 5x (the sparse, smaller dry is less likely to turn over on finer stuff, and at 112 CFS you don’t need the confidence of 6x). A dead-drift is all you need—no mending, no drag. If the fish are eating, they’ll take. If they’re not, you’re probably standing too close.
Crowds and Stewardship at Low Flow
August is prime season, and Deckers is roadside accessible. Weekends will be shoulder-to-shoulder, especially near the bridge and the picnic area. Low flow makes it worse: fewer good spots and more anglers hunting the same water. If you can, go midweek or early in the day. And if you’re catching fish in water this thin and warm, do both you and the trout a favor—land them quick, keep your hands wet, and put them back gently. Fish at 112 CFS are living on the edge thermally; every second out of water costs them.
Remember that regulations here are 2 trout over 16 inches, flies and lures only—but always verify current regs with Parks and Wildlife before you go, since they can shift.
This is honest fishing: low water, clear vision, and trout that know you’re there. It demands focus and restraint, but the payoff is knowing exactly what’s happening. Get there early, fish the shallows and seams, and keep your line tight.