Colorado Rivers & Runoff

      Of all the rivers to be fished in Colorado, Cheeseman Canyon has proven to be one of the most difficult.  While its picturesque beauty is hard to overlook, the towering and daunting canyon walls and winding, roaring river is not the only intimidating factor when setting out to fish this classic Colorado waterway.  Part of the difficulties lie in the undulating 1.5 mile hike from the river’s main access point.  Then, once reached, it’s often another couple miles walk to jump the crowd of anxious anglers to find a solitary point to make a first cast.  And unless you find that pool where a school of trout are holding, there’s typically a continual hike to stay ahead and pursue some level of success.

      Fortunately, those pools can be found.  So can that success. 

      My most recent trip to the Canyon was greeted with treacherously high water – due to the annual season of snow melt.  As always, I kept hiking to find some separation from other anglers.  Between steps on a slippery, narrow walkway, I glanced at the river for any signs of feeding.  In between massive fallen boulders in a series of whitewater shoals, I noticed the glimmering of rolling and rising fish.  In an effort to give an athletic impression of myself, I’ll say I ‘ran’ down… but it was really more like sliding.

      When I was near enough to make a cast, I noticed an astonishing number of fish piled on each other in a small side-pool next to the rapids.  Hard to explain in words alone, these fish were feeding from currents coming up underneath their resting place.  My only theory was that the boulder was just deep enough to disrupt the flow, but not cut it off entirely.  The current was slowed, and was essentially “boiling” up from underneath.  With the level of the water, and the rate at which it roared, these trout has an incredible amount of food at their disposal. 

      It took a while to find the right depth, but after posting myself on the highest boulder - I used high-sticking to drift my size 16 Stone Fly with size 20 brown Miracle Midge dropper through the boils.  Admittedly, I’m usually very impatient and move locations within an hour, at best – but this pool was so intriguing, I fished for 6 hours on that boulder.

      With the water clear-as-super-clear-water, I watched that 21 inch rainbow roll into my Miracle Midge with flawless precision, coming from several feet below.  After entering the shallowest point of the pool, still chest-deep, and fighting for 15 minutes – the trout ended in my net.  My biggest advantage and disadvantage was the 6x fluorocarbon line at the end of my leader.  I truly believe this amount of stealth was necessary to lure the fish, but it took a heavy dose of delicacy to land.

      If you haven’t made it out to Cheeseman, do your bucket list a favor and go.  It’s gorgeous and difficult, and the rewards can prove to be great.  Look for pools and unusual flows to explore.  Definitely use enough weight when the water is high and fast.  

And, of course, Cast to the Other Side.