Clear Creek Fishing Report

[gjcordray]

Fishing was very good for small to average sized brown trout. Dry dropper in the morning until water warms a bit (Size 8-10 PMX, Royal Trude, Amy's Ant type patterns with a bead head pheasant tail dropped off). When sun is up high, switch to a double dry with the same lead fly followed by a size 18-20 parachute adams. Or nymph the deeper holes with a worm and a pheasant tail.

You will get a lot of looks, rejections, and inspections (I mean 30 or more). Expect to catch multiple fish, up to 15+ depending on how long you fish. Cover lots of water with no more than one or two casts to each typical holding area. They will move on it or they aren't home.

Biggest fish of the day.

Cheers,

Gary

 

[gatortransplant]

Nice report, Gary! Succinct, with the right info, and a good hook in the form of a beautiful handful of brown!

 

[gjcordray]

Glad you like. This is a great little stream that is close to many people's homes. And, it is a tremendous success story after mining ravaged the thing for nearly a century. It has more and more fish every year it seems.

 

[cgrphoto]

Wow nice report. I recently went up there after the rain we had and hooked one medium sized brown, but that was IT. Went to my old reliable spot and zero activity... was using similar setups like you mentioned including the grey RS2 - as the BWOs are coming off - was humbled to say the least. Began to wonder if it was time to pack it in for the season.

This report gives me hope though. Just the remaining question is: where? Up high like Bakerville/Georgetown, midway, like Idaho Spgs, or closer to Golden on US 6?

 

[gjcordray]

I always stay in the canyon from the first tunnel up to about a mile below Kermit's. I think the key is covering lots of water. Cast a few times, make two or three good drifts over each fishy spot, and move on. Most people find a pullout and walk right down and fish the water close to the car. Work the water that others don't. And work the faster water as well the typical seams.

 

[vitesse304]

I fished it on Saturday past tunnel 3. Fished about a 2 miles stretch and moved up and down the river. Managed lots of fish. No takes on dries, but lots on WD40's, Hare's Ears, and a Soft Hackle Pheasant Tail.

Fish were parked in predictable places, overhangs, tailouts, and seams.

 

[gjcordray]

I fished it on Saturday past tunnel 3. Fished about a 2 miles stretch and moved up and down the river. Managed lots of fish. No takes on dries, but lots on WD40's, Hare's Ears, and a Soft Hackle Pheasant Tail.

Fish were parked in predictable places, overhangs, tailouts, and seams.

We should have carpooled! Great half day getaway, though, isn't it.

 

[vitesse304]

We should have carpooled! Great half day getaway, though, isn't it.

Ha! Yes, I just noticed that you are down in Parker. We should hook up for some fishing adventures...I make a quite a few trips down to Pueblo and lots up into the mountains as well.

I could use some help around Deckers...it's so close, yet I never seem to catch lots of fish there...

 

[son_of_simon]

Nice brown for CC. For sure one of the best quick get aways. It's always fun to be able to fish a double dry fly rig. I'm looking forward to hitting the canyon soon, especially now that I've got a 2wt rod.

 

[gjcordray]

That brownie was only about 12-13 inches, but it was by far the prettiest fish I caught all day. Most were a little washed out. But they were all healthy feeling, firm and not mushy. And just tons of little guys 4-6 inches.

 

[cgrphoto]

I thought I'd revive this thread because I've been actively fishing Clear Creek quite a bit lately before the winter blues set in, and have had some success in the Canyon.

Just last week I was up about 4 miles west of Golden, water was about 80cfs, temps were in the mid 50s, and the fish were really active. I fished from 11am-2pm. I used a tandem nymph rig, with a #20 grey WD40 and a #20 grey RS2 emerger, and one BB above the WD40 to help get the rig down fast. Finally a small thingamabobber rounded out the setup.

Allow the rig to drift out downstream and flop it over into the runs and along the seams; likely to be someone in there interested in eating some bugs. This technique reduces snares and also you don't have to worry about snagging vegetation.

In about 90 minutes, a good 10-12 fish were landed - including a really nice brown - by far the largest fish I've ever landed in Clear Creek. I moved downstream about a mile and found two rainbows - which allegedly makes up about 5% of the trout population in Clear Creek.

Get out there while you can!

13" Brown

Nice little 10" Bow: