The South Platte River begins its journey high in the Pike National Forest near Hoosier Pass. The river continues its flow, sometimes quickly, sometimes lazily, through deep cannons, lush meadows, passing through several reservoirs before finally turning northeast through Denver and toward the Nebraska state line.

On a sunny spring day, water clarity can be 5 feet or more. That makes sight-fishing possible, but also makes it easier for the trout to see you. Photo by Brian Strickland.

Sections of this waterway fall into almost mythical categories: the Dream Stream, the Dream Mile, World Class, Gold Medal, Blue Ribbon . . . the list goes on and on. But the fame of these associations does not go unnoticed.

On any given weekend, you can expect to run into many anglers dipping flies and dropping nymphs in efforts to catch record-sized trout. There is a section of the South Platte River where the fishing pressure is not as great, and the water is still full of hungry trout.

Surprisingly, the location of this river section is closer to home than you might think. I'm speaking about the Cheesman Reservoir to the Strontia Springs Reservoir leg. Here you will find ice-free water and willing trout on any given day, and all within an hour of Denver.

SECTION BREAKDOWN
Although the Cheesman-to-Strontia segment of the South Platte is relatively small compared with the overall length and flow of the river, it has several sections of varying river conditions. There also are changing river regulations and preferred methods of fishing. That's why it's a good idea to look at each sectionindividually.

Cheesman-Wigwam
The waters below the Cheesman Reservoir are without question the best areas to target large fish. With more fish per mile and more restrictive fishing regulations, the trout living below the dam and swimming to the Wigwam Fish Club boundary grow large.

To get to the river above the fishing club, use the Gill Trail hiking path. This is the best way to get into the canyon. The closer you hike to the dam, the better the fishing gets. This fact is well known, so arrive early, or fish on a weekday to secure the best spots. Bring waders for access to some of the lesser-fished holes and pools.

Wigwam-Scraggy
Several years of drought and the Hayman fire took a large toll on trout in the South Platte River below the dam. The Platte became saturated with soot after the fire, and consequently, fish kills took a lot of trophy trout. Many anglers predicted that trout numbers would never recover. But active stocking programs by the Colorado Division of Wildlife have brought back the trout numbers to near their pre-fire levels.

From the boundary of Wigwam Fish Club, the Platte begins to wind downstream to Scraggy View picnic area. You'll find good access just north of Deckers. There are many turn-offs from Highway 67, and many are very close to the river.

Most of the best areas for river access happen after the small town of Trumbull, just a few miles north of Deckers. There are a few scattered sections of private land, so ask first or avoid these places before wetting your line.

Scraggy-Strontia
This area is the least-fished section of the river. The long and wide winding canyon opens up to a valley several hundred yards across. There are many sections of slow-moving water, large outcroppings of small to house-sized boulders, good vegetation, all surrounded by the Pike National Forest, and all providing a very picturesque fishing scene. Better still, there are a lot of trout to be had.

If you're looking for the quintessential one-man-on-the-river scenario, this is the section for you.