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