In this post, we reveal 15 of the best flies for Cheesman Canyon. So before you hit the trailhead, be sure to fill you fly box with these winning patterns.
If your Colorado fly fishing itch has you jonesing to get out of Denver and knee-deep in a breathtaking, canyon-bound tailwater fairly quickly, the Cheesman Canyon section of the South Platte River is made to order.
It’s common to hear that if you can catch trout on the South Platte through Cheesman Canyon, you can catch trout anywhere. We wholeheartedly agree! Flowing from Cheesman Reservoir, this lovely stretch of pristine river winds and cascades down through, between, around and over huge boulders and, as such, features tons of pocket water, deep runs, rocky banks and a plethora of other swirly, twirly riffles.
But since, for many of us, a trip to the Canyon is a two to three times a summer excursion or a sneak-out day-trip for a Denver area businessperson or convention attendee — in other words, not Cheesman Canyon regulars — you may be wondering which flies you should stock to ensure the best chance of success.
If you’re like me, your first inclination is to go to a trusty local fly shop and buy just about every pattern (and variation thereof) a trout could possibly eat that day. But this usually results in too many purchased flies, a depleted wallet, a propensity to change patterns too soon and too quickly, and general fly confusion. Who needs that?
Depending upon time of year, river flows, atmospheric conditions and about six billion other factors, a persnickety Cheesman Canyon trout’s appetite can and does change from one minute to the next. Therefore, and not unlike many rivers, fly selection for the South Platte through Cheesman Canyon can make you feel like you must stock every one of a daunting array of popular patterns.
It’s like one of those restaurants we all know that features a three-ring binder sized menu that looks more like the federal tax code than it does a list of food choices at a local eatery. These kinds of menus bombard you with page after page of choices, variations, combos and specials. Before you know it, you’ve either spent twenty minutes browsing and never deciding, or you’ve landed on the same choice you always go with because, well, you just trust it.
So, in an attempt to help you narrow your choices and, in so doing, save your wallet, this post, in no particular order, lists 15 of the best flies for Cheesman Canyon.
Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning we will receive a small commission (at no cost to you) if you click through and make a purchase.1. Blue-Winged Olive
As perhaps the most frequently-occurring cross-season aquatic fly hatches on most every river in the state, no Colorado fly box is complete without a solid selection of Blue-Winged Olive imitations. Cheesman Canyon is no different in that regard. However, trout in this particular tailwater are selective, ultra leader-shy and smart. Generally speaking, a variety of BWO patterns will work, but lean toward small ones for the best year-round results. Light tippet and delicate, well-drifted presentations will get rewarded, while the slightest bit of sloppy equals no fishy.
2. BWO Barr’s Emerger
You won’t get much argument about our belief in the Barr’s Emerger as perhaps the most consistent BWO emerger pattern in Colorado. And since BWOs emerge a lot on the South Platte, it stands to reason that the Barr’s imitation would see a lot of action too. If you happen to be blessed with an overcast day or a stretch of less-than-optimal weather conditions, be quick to drift a size 20 or 22 Barr’s emerger tied to a section of 6 or 7X tippet as a dropper, or as the lead fly on a tiny-fly double nymph rig. Cast gently!
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3. Caddis
Caddisflies are another prevalent aquatic borne fly, imitations of which should occupy a fairly significant portion of your Colorado fly arsenal. Although it’s been our experience that Caddis larva imitations tend to produce better than do their adult dries in Cheesman Canyon, as the days get warm, always be ready for a Caddis hatch. When Caddis are taking wing, I like a dry-dropper rig with a size 16 to 18 olive body Caddis trailed by an olive RS2 or Stalcup’s Baetis.
4. Caddis Larva
Caddis larva imitations are, as a general rule, amazingly realistic. Some of the available patterns look more like a cast mold of the actual thing than they do a tied fly. That said, at your local local fly shop, you will undoubtedly find a ton of good Caddis Larva flies from which to select. Lean toward size 18 to 20. Although Cheesman Canyon trout don’t often lose their head in a mindless feeding frenzy, keep an eye out for the signs of a pending Caddis hatch, and hit it with a well-drifted Caddis Larva or two.
5. Juju Baetis
Since we recommend this fly so much, you may think we just like to say “Juju Baetis,” but, while definitely fun to say, it’s simply one of our favorite patterns. Why? Because it works! And when a fly works so often, and on so many different fisheries, we tend to hold it in high regard. In other words, if it’s on the menu, we trust it.
Furthermore, this is going to sound like a broken record, but when it comes to nymphing in Cheesman Canyon, stay small with your Jujus (20 – 22s) and light with your tippet (6 to 7X). If you can avoid the hopeless gnarls small tippet often begets, Cheesman trout fooling comes a lot easier on such angel-hair tippets.
6. Stalcup’s Baetis
The Stalcup’s Baetis is one of those flies that will work on a whole slew of rivers. To me, these flies look a whole lot like a slightly stretched olive body RS2 (another one of our favorite flies… see below) but this is a must-have staple in your Cheesman Canyon nymph section. As the second fly in a double-nymph rig, we like a tiny Stalcup’s Baetis trailing behind either a bead head Flashback Pheasant Tail or Rainbow Warrior. You’re welcome.
7. Parachute Adams
Here we go again! In a Colorado fly box, the Parachute Adams should be as common as gum at the grocery store’s checkout stand. Small patterns — although, for those of us with, uh… gray accents… can be hard to see — are certainly the ticket when it comes to imitating many of the adult mayflies you’ll see on the Canyon.
During a BWO emergence, we’ve also had success trimming down both the hackle and the parachute and fishing an Adams as an emerger.
8. RS2
For a traditionally tiny midge pattern, the RS2 might be, pound-for-pound, the most productive all-around fly in our FFF boxes. Elegantly simple, we like the black sparkle wing variety for Cheesman, but simple black, olive and tan bodied versions are standard go-to fare as well. Trout have a thing for small, dark, nondescript midgy kinds of flies. RS2s check all the boxes.
9. Dorsey’s Mercury Midge
Along similar lines as the RS2, the Dorsey’s Mercury Midge should be a Cheesman Canyon definite. With its pale body, single copper wire ribbing and crystal bead head, the Dorsey’s Mercury Midge will become the silent assassin in your Cheesman Canyon fly box. Keep it small, of course: 20 to 22s, but use it often.
10. Rainbow Warrior
I sometimes think that the Rainbow Warrior is the fly box equivalent of Dennis Rodman. Flashy, unkempt, off the beaten track, and certainly marching to his own drummer, the Rainbow Warrior is as deadly good as Rodman was on the hardwood. Some experts speculate that the Rainbow Warrior, with its amazingly compact little package of red, pearly turquoise-flash and crystal bead, mimics some sort of emerging midge or baetis pattern, but we think trout are just drawn to it because it reminds them of the Tiger King, and they simply can’t help themselves.
11. Copper John
Many years ago, a guide asked me if I’d ever used a Copper John. Apparently, at the time, they were new on the fly-fishing scene and taking it by storm. This sexy nymph pattern — the Mustang of the nymph scene — has since found many colorful variations, most of which produce fish by the buttload.
On the South Platte, we recommend the original copper color, but we’ve had a lot of success with the gun, red, blue and chartreuse patterns as well. I love a red Copper John, size 18 or 20, as the lead bug on my “Merry Christmas – Double Nymph Set – Cheesman Canyon Variation” (MC-CCV for short), with a trailing olive RS2 or Caddis Larva.
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12. Flashback Pheasant Tail
Holy cow, we recommend this fly a lot. And, for those of you who might be a little slow on the uptake, it’s because the dang thing works! A well-drifted Flashback Pheasant Tail, in the requisitely small Cheesman presentation, is a trout strike insurance policy that you simply shouldn’t be without in the Canyon. Good thing there isn’t a fly shop in Colorado that doesn’t have a gazillion of them to choose from. Go standard FPT, with or without bead head, and lock down a few from size 18 to 22. If you go a little overboard, you won’t have any trouble finding other rivers on which they’ll produce great results.
13. Pat’s Rubber Legs
If this bizarre but incredibly effective stonefly pattern had been named Matt’s Rubber Legs, I would have concluded that its inventor must have met me right after one of my yoga sessions. That notion aside, my hat’s off to Pat!
This “fly” looks like one of those fuzzy brown caterpillars we all knew as kids, but with a bunch of long, wiggly, spidery legs sticking out of it! When these crazy looking bugs are on, hang on, because they are one of the few patterns for which Cheesman Canyon trout break their snooty character.
If you don’t catch Cheesman trout on it (and, you will), here’s a fun idea! Try placing one on your wife’s pillow just before bed, then stand back and watch the fireworks. Oh, and, should you venture down this dangerous road, you better clear a spot next to Fido for the night… or month.
14. Amy’s Ant
An incredibly productive terrestrial pattern, and one of only a few big flies Cheesman Canyon trout will react to, the Amy’s Ant pattern is what happens when extraterrestrials crossbreed Albert Einstein with a peacock and a king size foam mattress. And for some reason, when in-season, choosy Cheesman trout can’t deny them. We think it’s because the aliens infuse them with a radioactive isotope that renders trout temporarily stupid and hungry. Heck, maybe it just makes them stoned! It is Colorado, after all.
15. San Juan Worm
Though we list this patten last, the San Juan Worm might just be the Cheesman Canyon slump-buster you need and, therefore, must stock. We recommend a standard SJW in red, brown or pink.
If nothing else seems to be working, I like dropping a red one on them first. If that doesn’t draw fire, brown comes next. Pink might be considered “the nuclear option,” but I won’t hesitate to go to it to get Cheesman trout to drop their highbrow veneer.
And, if you feel the urge to go full Rodman, bust a Rainbow Warrior off the back of a Pink SJW. I mean, desperate times require desperate measures, right? And, if it works, what a story you’ll have to tell! What do you care if no one else believes it?
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Tying It All Down
So there they are, the 15 best flies for Cheesman Canyon. Of course, if you feel the need to build beyond this foundational selection, we at Fly Fishing Fix absolutely encourage you to do so. There are several great Colorado fly shops that guide the Cheesman Canyon. And we always encourage you to fortify your fly fishing arsenal with more flies and greater variety, as recommended by the local experts.
Also, if you’re willing to reveal some of your secrets for the benefit of your fellow anglers, we invite you to share your best Cheesman Canyon fly fare in the comment section below.
Come on, we know you want to, so, go ahead, spill your goods on a bunch of other fly fishing nutbags! We promise to tip a cold one to you at the end of a great day fly fishing Cheesman.
Tight lines!
