| The "Dream Stream" section of the South Platte | | | | Tube, Chompers Ultra Tube, Strike King Bleeding |
| River is a beautiful winding stream that's filled with | | | | Bait Tube, Yum Wounded Mega Tube, and |
| trophy trout. Deep bends filled with large boulders | | | | Zoom's Big Tube, to name a few. Color schemes |
| and logs are typical fishing holes in this section of | | | | are endless, but the colors that produce the best |
| the South Platte. The nickname "Dream Stream" | | | | results are white with black flakes, black, and |
| is a perfect description of this tailwater | | | | pumpkinseed. Some people prefer to Texas rig |
| fishery.Like most famous tailwater fishing rivers, | | | | their tubes with an offset hook, but for fishing |
| the Dream Stream gets a lot of pressure from | | | | the Dream Stream the hooks made specifically |
| fly fisherman. It's not uncommon on weekends | | | | for using tube jigs are much more practical. With |
| for parking lots to be filled, and every bend of the | | | | the weight hidden inside the tube and the eyelet |
| first two miles of the river having a fly fisherman | | | | of the hook barely showing it makes for a more |
| in it...all in search of those trophy fish for which | | | | natural presentation.Before we get down to the |
| this section of water is reknowned.As a spin | | | | nitty gritty of fishing the Dream Stream, lets |
| fisherman, its intimidating to read the reports on | | | | cover an invaluable tool for stream fishermen. |
| the Dream Stream. All they usually talk about are | | | | Polarized glasses are a must for river fishermen in |
| these tiny little flies that the super educated trout | | | | Colorado. They not only protect your eyes from |
| "microscope over" before biting. While spin fishing | | | | harmful ultraviolet rays, but will help you see fish |
| its impossible to delicately present a tiny fly with a | | | | that otherwise would go unnoticed. Although they |
| drag free drift using a clear bubble. Your standard | | | | can be pricey, a good pair of polarized lenses will, |
| trout spinners and spoons will produce results | | | | without a doubt, will help you catch more fish. I |
| from time to time, but for the most part these | | | | never fish a river or stream without my polarized |
| big P.H.D. carrying trout will pass them up. So do | | | | glasses and after using them for the first time, I |
| you need to pick up a fly rod and learn how to | | | | strongly doubt you will either.When using spinning |
| use it in order to catch fish out of the Dream | | | | gear on the Dream Stream, there are a few |
| Stream? Of course not! With the method I'm | | | | different types of structure that will produce the |
| about to tell you about, there will be many times | | | | best results. The Dream Stream, from the dam |
| you will be catching fish and leaving the fly | | | | below Spinney Mountain Reservoir to the bridge |
| fisherman next to you astonished and | | | | close to Eleven Mile Reservoir has a great number |
| bewildered.Most of us have heard the phrase | | | | of deep pools usually located on one of the many |
| "match the hatch" while either learning how to fly | | | | river bends. The bottom of these deep holes |
| fish or just reading through fishing magazines. It's | | | | often has big boulders which are perfect ambush |
| simply matching your fly pattern to the insects | | | | points for the resident population of big rainbow |
| the fish are currently feeding on. It's a time | | | | trout, cuttbows, and brown trout. Targeting these |
| proven fishing method that can really put you | | | | boulders, cast your tube jig a few feet past them |
| onto countless fish in a single outing. However, | | | | and start with a slow retrieve with pauses just |
| sometimes hatches are so prolific that artificial | | | | before and after rocks. Many of your strikes are |
| flies get lost in swarms of emerging insects and | | | | going to be on the initial drop of your jig, so be |
| getting bites can be very difficult at | | | | ready!Another great location for spin fishing on |
| best.Sometimes during these hatches, trout feed | | | | the Dream Stream is right below the makeshift |
| exclusively on that particular insect, ignoring all | | | | dams made out of boulders located all up and |
| other aquatic life forms and any terrestrials that | | | | down the dream stream. Casting a minnow type |
| might fall into the water. Situations like these are | | | | jerkbait across these area's with a jerk, jerk, |
| what fly fisherman dream of, and why so many | | | | pause retrieve will without a doubt stir up some |
| of us have picked up the sport. Having your fly | | | | reaction strikes.With your polarized glasses, sight |
| rod and a fly pattern that matches the emerging | | | | fishing on the Dream Stream can be unreal at |
| insect can't be beat at times like these.Do trout | | | | times. Look for fish sitting in shallow rocky |
| feed in between hatches? The answer is yes, and | | | | bottomed water gorging themselves on bugs |
| heavily. A common misconception is that trout | | | | being washed down by the current. The strategy |
| feed exclusively on small flying insects. A big | | | | here is not to provoke a strike out of hunger, but |
| portion of a trout's diet is indeed on small insects | | | | from anger. These fish are very territorial when it |
| that are in different stages of their life cycle, but | | | | comes to feeding lanes, and bigger fish defend |
| trout are also opportunistic feeders with hearty | | | | their feeding lanes violently. Cast your jerk bait |
| appetites that make crayfish, smaller trout, | | | | just past the feeding fish, bringing the lure past |
| grasshoppers, and even field mice the meal of | | | | him with a steady retrieve. Now stop your lure |
| choice. Another myth among anglers is that trout | | | | six inches to a foot in front of the feeding fish, |
| are finicky eaters that only eat certain flying | | | | letting the resistance of the current give your lure |
| insects. Trout, like most game fish are | | | | its swimming action. If you don't receive a strike |
| opportunistic feeders that find it hard to pass up | | | | right away, stay persistent. After a few casts, |
| an easy meal, or for that matter a big meal that's | | | | the fish's territorial instincts will kick in and it will |
| rich in protein.So how do spin fisherman take | | | | strike to protect its feeding lane.A couple things to |
| advantage of all the information stated above? | | | | consider while fishing the Dream Stream. Fish here |
| We "Crash The Hatch" instead of relying on | | | | can run anywhere from 10 inches to well over 10 |
| weather conditions for certain hatches to take | | | | pounds!!! Make sure you have a smooth drag |
| place and trigger a feeding frenzy. We are going | | | | thats set properly before taking even one cast. |
| to use the aggressive and territorial nature of big | | | | Every cast is a possible trophy when fishing this |
| tailwater trout to our advantage. Not only relying | | | | section of water. Watching a 10 pound plus |
| on hunger for strikes but also anger and territorial | | | | rainbow trout snap your line due to an improperly |
| responses that will put fish on the end of your | | | | set drag will surely turn your Dream Stream |
| line.While Crashing the Hatch, two different types | | | | experience into a nightmare.The water running |
| of fishing lures are vital to success. The first is | | | | through the Dream Steam is extremely clear. |
| minnow imitation jerk baits such as floating | | | | Smaller diameter fishing lines are a must if |
| Rapalas or Smithwick Rattlin Rouge Shallow Diver. | | | | monofilament is your preference. If you like using |
| A few other fishing lures to consider are the | | | | super fishing lines such as Spectra Power Pro or |
| Storm Thunder Stick, Bomber Long A, Rebel | | | | Stren Super Braid, make sure you attach an |
| Minnow, and Yo-zuri Crystal Minnow. I generally | | | | invisible fluorocarbon leader. I personally use P-line's |
| look for fishing lures with a tight wobble that run | | | | Fluoroclear in 8 pound test. It's a fluorocarbon |
| at a depth between 1 and 3 feet of water. Most | | | | coated copolymer which has great strength and is |
| of the lure companies have the running depth | | | | virtually invisible underwater.This section of the |
| printed on the box, but if not, you can always tell | | | | South Platte River that runs between Spinney |
| by the size of the plastic lip on the front of the | | | | Mountain Reservoir and Elevenmile Reservoir is |
| lure. The bigger the lip the deeper the fishing lure | | | | filled with trophy trout and serious fishermen. It |
| will dive. Between the different companies, there | | | | fishes well year round and is considered by many |
| are hundreds of different finishes, and all have | | | | to be the best trophy trout destination in the |
| certain situations in which they will shine. For the | | | | state. With the "flies and lures only" restriction and |
| Dream Stream stick with natural colors like a | | | | being a "catch and release" water it's perfectly |
| rainbow trout finish or a silver minnow finish.The | | | | managed to insure trophy trout opportunities for |
| next type of fishing lure we are going to discuss | | | | generations to come. A beautiful winding river filled |
| has been highly under utilized by trout fisherman | | | | with monster trout and a gorgeous mountain |
| for years. The tube jig!!! Bass anglers have been | | | | back drop, this section of the South Platte River |
| successfully using tube jigs in clear water for | | | | has certainly earned its nickname the "Dream |
| years. Tube jigs are extremely versatile fishing | | | | Stream."Eric Allee is a phenomenally successful |
| lures that produce when nothing else will. Some of | | | | fisherman in Colorado. He has a website dedicated |
| the most productive tubes include Berkley Power | | | | to helping anyone catch more and bigger fish. |