South Platte Above Spinney Mountain Reservoir

South Platte Above Spinney Mountain Reservoir — Fishing Report for April 27, 2026

Quick Stats

Flow: 21 CFS | Trend: Rising | Fishability: Unfishable | Weather: Chance snow showers, high 51°F

The Bite

This is one of those reports where the honest answer is: not yet. The South Platte above Spinney is technically flowing — 21 CFS, ticking slowly upward as early snowmelt begins to work through the meadow — but water temps are almost certainly hovering in the low-to-mid 30s°F, shelf ice still grips the shaded banks, and the broad South Park meadow soil is saturated and fragile underfoot. Fish this time of year are sluggish and holding tight to the deepest undercut banks, barely feeding and largely unreachable without doing real damage to the streamside vegetation and soft meadow edges.

The basin-wide snowpack is running at just 16% of normal — a dramatically dry water year — which is actually the one piece of good news here. Runoff will be modest and short-lived rather than a prolonged blowout. That means this section could open up meaningfully earlier than a typical spring, potentially by mid-to-late May rather than June. Worth keeping on your radar.

If you're itching to fish the South Park area this week, the Dream Stream below Spinney or the Eleven Mile Canyon stretch will be in far better shape. Save this meadow section for when the soil firms up and the water warms — you'll have a much better day, and the banks will thank you.

What to Fish

(For reference when conditions improve — not recommended for fishing today)

• San Juan Worm (wine) #12 — anchor fly in a double-nymph rig; effective as water rises
• Ray Charles #16 — scud/sow bug hybrid; natural presentation along the bottom near weed edges
• Scud (orange/pink) #16 — dead weight dropper, 12–18" behind the San Juan Worm
• Caddis Pupa (green) #14–16 — worth having as Mother's Day Caddis scouts begin appearing late afternoon in May
• Elk Hair Caddis (olive) #14–16 — dry fly option for the surface when caddis activity builds toward May peak

Tactics & Rigging

When this section does come into shape, the classic approach is a double-nymph rig with a weighted San Juan Worm or stonefly pattern on point and a scud or Ray Charles trailing 14–18" above on a tag. Fish the deep undercut banks and slow inside bends — that's where the browns hold year-round in this meadow water. Use 5X fluorocarbon and keep your drifts slow and natural through the pools; this isn't fast-water nymphing.

As caddis activity builds into May, a dry-dropper setup with an Elk Hair Caddis carrying a Caddis Pupa dropper 16" below can be productive in the late afternoon window. But none of that applies today — the water is too cold and the banks too soft to fish responsibly.

Access & Logistics

Access is through the Spinney Mountain SWA. The dirt roads into South Park can be soft and rutted after snow and freeze-thaw cycles — a high-clearance vehicle is worth having this time of year. Verify current regulations with CPW before fishing, particularly near the Spinney Mountain SWA boundary where special regulations may apply. When you do visit, clean, drain, and dry all gear thoroughly — New Zealand mudsnails have been documented in the South Platte drainage and this section is worth protecting.

Stop by Antero Reservoir Fly Shop or 11 Mile Sports for local intel and flies when you're ready to make the trip.

Looking Ahead

Snow showers are in the forecast through Wednesday with overnight lows in the mid-20s°F, which will keep snowmelt slow and flows modest for now. With a very light snow year in the basin, expect a quick and early runoff pulse — check back in mid-May, when warming temps and firmer ground should bring this meadow section into its early-season window.