For the month of December, Matt Olmstead, Middle School English teacher and Outdoor Program trip leader, offers his pick for Front Range moderate to experienced fly fishing. Prior to becoming a teacher, Matt worked as a fly fishing guide in Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, Alaska, and British Columbia. During his time at CA, he and Upper School English teacher Stuart Mills have built the school’s fly fishing program.

 

Recently, they introduced a leaders-in-training program that encourages upper school anglers to help guide the school’s fly fishing trips and work with younger students.

 

 

“If you can fish in the Canyon, you can fish anywhere.” – Matt Olmstead Cheesman Canyon is located southwest of Denver and can be reached in about an hour.

 

From the Denver area, take US-285 south to HWY-126. At Pine Junction, head south. The trailhead is approximately 19 miles from the Pine Junction turn-off. There are two access points for the canyon: the Lower Gill Trail and the Upper Gill Trail. The Lower Gill Trail is accessed via a parking lot off HWY-126, and it is located a couple of miles above the town of Deckers.

 

To reach the Upper Gill Trail (Upper Canyon) one must take the dirt road near the parking lot for the Lower Gill access. This road heads up and towards Cheesman Reservoir. Matt says, “A quarter mile before reaching the reservoir, there is a parking lot on the left. Access to the reservoir was closed following 9/11.”

 

For those looking for less rigorous access to the canyon, The Lower Gill Trail offers the easier of the two hikes. The initial portion of the hike is through typical Colorado Ponderosa forest; however, upon reaching the river, one encounters a truly unique stretch of the South Platte. Massive boulders punctuate the serpentine river and create deep pools and ideal trout habitat. If covering ground is the goal, Matt suggests staying on the elevated portion of the trail as long as possible to avoid unnecessary scrambles up and down scree slopes; furthermore, he says, “Hike yourself into the canyon about a half a mile to a mile, and then start fishing your way upstream. You will see far fewer anglers and hikers… increasing your odds of fishing to fish that see fewer fishermen.”

 

The Upper Gill Trail is the more arduous of the two access points, but it receives far less pressure than the lower canyon. In roughly a mile, the trail changes elevation by as much as a thousand feet and covers irregular ground; however, the trail is distinct and easy to follow.

 

When asked about the hike, Matt grinned and said, “Don’t attempt this trip when fully suited in waders and boots; you’ll start sweating and be miserable for the rest of the day!”

 

Regardless of your choice, Cheesman Canyon is a tailwater. This means a steady flow of water is released from the dam, thus allowing the fishery to remain ice free and fishable year round. Large stretches of the river can be viewed from elevated portions of both trails, and in the words of Matt, “This affords anglers a nice opportunity to try and stalk a specific fish. You will see many fish in the flat, calm water sections, which offer a positive dry fly opportunity. However, these fish are extremely difficult to catch, unless the conditions provide for steady rising to adult fly patterns on the surface.”

 

Regardless of where one chooses to fish, Matt says, “Cheesman Canyon is ideally suited for a 4-6 weight rod, or a switch rod in the 11 for 5 class, especially if Czech nymphing. Check with your local fly shop for information about patterns to use before you go, but nymphing is generally the most productive method. If strikes= are minimal, reduce your leader/tippet size to 6 or 7x, and constantly adjust your weight.” Matt’s experience as a guide has taught him to always tell clients and students that participate in his Outdoor Program fly fishing trips, “My biggest rule of thumb, no matter where I am fishing, is to adjust my weight before making other changes.

 

Fish feed at varying levels in the water column, depending on conditions, so make adjustments here before switching flies or giving up and moving on to a new spot.”

 

Lastly, Matt’s parting advice is as follows: “… Cheesman Canyon is a difficult place to fish; however, it offers an incredible experience that every fly fisherman must pursue at some point in his/her fishing career.”