South Fork Above Antero Reservoir

South Fork Above Antero — Fishing Report for April 26, 2026

Quick Stats

Flow: 10 CFS | Trend: Rising | Fishability: Unfishable | Weather: Chance T-storms, High 48°F; snow likely tonight and Monday

The Bite

Spring is still a rumor up here. At 10 CFS — the very bottom of the seasonal range — the South Fork above Antero is barely a trickle through the South Park meadows, and with water temps almost certainly hovering near freezing (gauge data isn't available, but the 3-day forecast of overnight lows in the upper 20s and 30s tells the story), the fish are sluggish at best and locked down at worst. This is a stretch that rewards patience, and right now patience means staying home.

The broader basin context reinforces that picture. Snowpack across the South Platte basin came in at just 16% of normal this season — a dramatically dry water year. That means the modest late-April rise you'd normally see from snowmelt is going to be muted and short-lived. The good news: a light snow year often translates to an earlier, cleaner transition into fishable summer conditions. But that transition is still weeks away.

A few early Mother's Day Caddis scouts may be drifting over any open water by late afternoon — this hatch builds toward a May peak — but insect activity at this elevation in late April is negligible. There's no meaningful surface window to target, and nymphing water this cold and this shallow is a tough sell. The thunderstorm and snow shower forecast for today through Tuesday adds another layer of discouragement for anyone considering the long drive in.

What to Fish

• Caddis Pupa (green) #14–16 — If you're determined to fish, dead-drift through any deeper pool with a slow, natural presentation near bottom
• Elk Hair Caddis (olive) #14–16 — Late-afternoon dry, on the off chance a caddis or two appears over open water
• Zebra Midge #20–22 — Sparse midge activity is possible at midday; fish it as a single on light tippet in any slow, open run
• RS2 (gray) #22 — Midge emerger, trailing 12–18" below a small indicator in the slowest pools

Tactics & Rigging

If you do find yourself on this water — perhaps you're already in the area — keep it simple and slow. A single small nymph like a Zebra Midge or RS2 on 6X fluorocarbon, fished under a small indicator through the deepest available pool, is your most realistic option. The fish aren't chasing anything. A drag-free drift at the pace of the current, right along the bottom, is the only presentation worth trying. Don't expect much.

For any caddis dry work in the late afternoon, a size 14–16 Elk Hair Caddis on 5X is fine — the fish aren't leader-shy in this cold water, and the stream is small enough that presentation matters more than tippet diameter.

Access & Logistics

The South Fork above Antero sits at the end of a long dirt road through upper South Park. Mixed public and private land means access boundaries matter — look for signed BLM and State Land Board parcels and respect posted private property. Road conditions after this week's snow showers could be soft or muddy. Verify current regulations with CPW before fishing, and check access conditions before committing to the drive.

Stop by Antero Anglers or Spinney Mountain Ranch Outfitters for current local intel and flies if you're passing through the area.

Looking Ahead

The snow showers forecast through Tuesday won't help conditions in the short term, but the gradual warming trend into the low 50s suggests the South Fork will begin its slow climb toward fishable flows through May. Keep an eye on this stretch around mid-May when the Mother's Day Caddis hatch should hit its stride — that's when this meadow water really earns the drive.