In this report
8 CFS: Low but Workable—If You Respect What That Means Here
The gauge is reading 8 CFS right now, and that’s genuinely lean for Above Spinney. Your reference point matters, though: this is a small freestone meadow stream, not a big tailwater. On the Middle Fork up here, 8 is noticeably low but not a crisis. It means the water is moving slowly through those open meadow stretches, it’s concentrated in the deeper runs and slots, and the trout have nowhere to hide—which cuts both ways. You’ll see fish, but they’ll see you first.
The real consequence is twofold. First, wading gets easier; you can pick your way into position without fighting current or drowning your boots. Second, every move matters. Trout in shallow, slow water are hypersensitive. A shadow, a false cast that lands too close, a footfall on the bank—any of it sends them ghosting into the next hole. If you’re used to the South Platte tailwaters downstream where higher flows give you some margin for error, reset your expectations. Here, presentation and stealth are not optional.
Temperature-wise, low flow in August is a concern worth checking. Slower water warms faster. If you’re seeing trout hugging the deeper slots or looking listless, or if the water feels genuinely warm to the touch, give the fish a break during the heat of the day. Morning and evening are your best windows right now, and midday may not be worth the stress on the fish.
Tricos and PMDs, Plus Steady Midge Work
August on this water is still anchored in the small-fly game. Trico spinner falls in the early morning—those tiny #20–24 black spinners—are probably your best shot at consistent rising fish, but only if you’re there at first light and willing to sit tight through the window. The falls don’t last long, and in slow water like this, trout are selective.
Parallel that with PMD emergers and duns in the #16–18 range. They’re still around and still productive during the warmer part of the morning and the last couple of hours before dark. A #18 PMD emerger is a reliable call—tie it to a 5X or 6X tippet (the small flies demand fine tippet, and at 8 CFS you have no flow excuse to skip it) and fish it either as a dropper under a heavier nymph or as the point fly if you’re tight-lining.
Don’t sleep on caddis, either. Late evening (7 to 9 p.m. or until legal shooting light closes it down), small tan and brown caddis in the #16–18 range can draw strikes from trout that have been ignoring you all day. It’s not a heavy emergence, but the water is small and slow enough that even a modest hatch moves the needle.
The unseen constant, though, is midges. Black Beauty, Mercury Midge, and zebra midge in #22–24 will produce trout all day, every day, especially in the deeper runs and slots where the current is holding water. A lot of anglers overlook midges because they’re not flashy, but on a headwater stream this size with water this slow, a small midge emerger fished just subsurface is often the highest-percentage move.
How to Rig and Fish It
Point fly and dropper: Start with a heavier anchor—a Barr’s-style searching nymph in #16 or #18, a gold-ribbed hare’s ear, or a pheasant-tail in natural colors—as your point fly. Tie a #18 PMD emerger or #22–24 midge about 18 inches above it on a short dropper of 5X tippet. This gives you search depth without getting hung up constantly in 8 CFS.
Weight and indicators: Split shot is your friend at this flow. Add one or two small split shot just above the point fly, enough to tick bottom in the deeper slots but not so much that you’re snagging every rock. If you’re an indicator angler, a small foam indicator or yarn glob works fine; if you prefer tight-line or euro nymphing, this slow water actually suits that technique well—the lack of current means you can feel takes more easily.
Tippet: Stick with 5X for the droppers and point fly. At 8 CFS, you don’t need heavier; the fish aren’t moving aggressively, so you won’t hook and lose them because of tippet grade. What you will do is land more fish with a finer tippet because they’re less likely to see it in the gin-clear water.
Where to Actually Fish
The meadow character of this water is everything. You’re looking for the deeper slots and pockets where the current slows—they’ll be obvious even at 8 CFS because they’re where the water darkens slightly and the bottom drops away. The open, shallow flats are where trout are, yes, but they’re also where they’re on high alert. Fish the deeper runs and the inside bends where water pools. That’s where fish can hold without burning energy, and where they can feed without being in the open.
Avoid the wide, shallow spreads during the heat of midday; wait until evening or head there at dawn. The narrow constricted sections where the current runs through a tighter bottleneck are always worth a careful approach—the water is better oxygenated there, and trout hold with more confidence.
Access and Stewardship
Remember that a valid Colorado fishing license or SWA pass is required on both the Tomahawk and Badger Basin areas. Also be aware that seasonal spawning closures do apply to portions of this water at certain times of year; check current regulations to confirm where you can fish. And at 8 CFS with warm August days, keep your sessions short during the heat hours and release fish quickly and gently. This stream is small enough that cumulative pressure from repeated handling matters.