Pikes Peak Flyfishers April 2026 Newsletter

March 28, 2026


THE PIKES PEAK FLYFISHERS

http://www.pikespeakflyfishers.com


President's Hatch
Click this link https://pikespeakflyfishers.com/ppf-2026-auction to go to the PPF website to see lists for the live and silent auctions.

A Gilded Spring and the Lean Summer Ahead
Spring has arrived in the High Country with an unusual, golden intensity. For the Colorado angler, the late March and early April windows are typically a game of dodging slush and waiting for the midday thaw. This year, however, the 
Blue Winged Olives are popping off with a fervor usually reserved for late April, and the trout—sensing a shift in the season's rhythm—are feeding aggressively in the crystal-clear, stable flows. There is a haunting beauty to these warm, t-shirt weather days on the Colorado River, but as we watch the banks, the underlying truth is hard to ignore: the "winter that wasn't" is leading us toward a very dry horizon.
The rapid snowmelt we are seeing now is not the start of a healthy runoff; it is the premature end of a record-low snowpack. While the fishing is technical and rewarding today, we must prepare for a summer where water will be our most precious—and scarce resource.   

By the Numbers: The 2026 Snow Drought
The data from the 
SNOTEL network and the USDA tells a sobering story. As of late March, Colorado is facing its worst snowpack in over 40 years, with some basins trending toward the lowest levels ever recorded.
River Basin % of Median Snow Water Equivalent (SWE) Peak Status
Statewide Average 38% Peaked early (March 8)
South Platte 52% Declining since March 17
Colorado Headwaters 43% Peaked March 9
Arkansas River 23% Record Low
Upper Rio Grande 24% Critical Low
"The conditions we are experiencing are unprecedented. We are roughly 7 to 8 feet of snow short of where we need to be." — Nathan Elder, Denver Water Manager of Water Supply

Predictions for the Colorado Summer
As we transition from a warm spring into what forecasts suggest will be a 
hotter and drier than normal summer, water managers and anglers alike are bracing for significant challenges:
  • Record-Low Runoff: State engineers predict this could be the lowest runoff in 50 years, which means the "high water" season in May will be short-lived and underwhelming.
  • Mandatory Restrictions: Denver Water has already declared a Stage 1 Drought, implementing mandatory watering restrictions starting in April. Expect other municipalities to follow suit as reservoir levels—currently around 80%—are expected to drop quickly without significant inflow.
  • Warm Water Hazards: For the fishing community, low flows mean water temperatures will rise faster and stay higher. We anticipate "Hoot Owl" restrictions (fishing closures during the heat of the day) could arrive much earlier this year, possibly by late June.   
  • Early Wildfire Season: With the snowpack peaking and melting nearly a month early, the "green-up" phase will be brief, leading to a potentially long and volatile wildfire season starting in the early summer months.
Annual Fundraising Auction: Saturday, April 11th
Mark your calendars for our premier event of the year! On Saturday, April 11th, from 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM, we will hold our annual fundraising auction. This year's lineup is staggering, featuring over 30 fishing trips spanning six states and international waters in Patagonia. Our silent auction will boast over 60 items, including high-end rods, premium fishing gear, and essential camping equipment.
As this is the sole fundraiser for the Pikes Peak Flyfishers, the proceeds are vital; they cover our total operating expenses and fuel our various community service projects throughout the year. To ensure the maximum amount of your donation goes directly to these causes, we kindly recommend paying via cash or check to help the club avoid the processing fees associated with credit cards. However credit cards will be accepted. If you have items to donate for the yard sale or silent auction, please drop them off starting at 12:00 PM (noon) or contact Kevin Thomason for pickup. 

Upcoming Club Adventures: Dream Stream & Deweese
We have two fantastic outings lined up to take advantage of the spring conditions. On Wednesday, April 15th, join us for a day trip to the legendary Dream Stream to chase spring spawners and enjoy the wide-open South Park skies. Following that, we have an overnight excursion to Deweese Reservoir in Westcliffe from May 1st–3rd. This trip offers the best of both worlds: we have plans for both Stillwater fishing on the reservoir and nearby river trips. See the full itinerary and logistics in the "Trip Details" section below.

Volunteer Opportunities: Giving Back to the Water
Our community is only as strong as its volunteers, and we have several chances to help out this spring:
  • May 12th: (9:00 AM – 2:00 PM)We need volunteers for the D-49 Adapted Athletics fishing event for special needs children. This is an incredibly rewarding day at Homestead Park. Please contact Kevin Thomason to sign up.
  • April 16th: Trout Unlimited is looking for mentors to assist with fly tying classes at Ute Pass Elementary School.
  • May 14th: TU is also hosting a fly-fishing class in Green Mountain Falls for the Ute Pass Elementary school and needs experienced hands to help. You can sign up directly on the TU Website or contact me for more details.

Summer 2026 Outlook
"Eventually, all things merge into one, and a river runs through it." — Norman Maclean
Looking ahead, the Colorado Summer 2026 season will require an adaptive mindset. Due to the 
record-low snowpack, predictions show that peak runoff will be short-lived, concluding by mid-May. Anglers could anticipate personal and possibly mandatory limitations,  when water temps are close to 68-70 degrees (F) to be implemented as early as late June on major basins like the Upper Colorado, South Platte, and Arkansas. For the best success, prioritize high-altitude alpine lakes and headwater creeks where temperatures remain stable, and always carry a thermometer to ensure we are protecting the trout we love during this lean water year.
 
Kevin Thomason
President

Programs
  
April – No meeting (Annual Auction)

April 11 - Annual Auction
 
May 4 – Ken Iwamasa – Ken is an accomplished college professor, author, guide, instructor, artist, fly designer, and of course, fly fisherman. He will talk about some favorite flies and waters.
 
June – No meeting (Picnic)

Jume 6 - Annual picnic at Manitou Lake Pavilion
 
July 6 – Michele White – Michele will talk about her new book, The Bucket List, about fly fishing top private waters in the area.
Michele White is a prominent figure in the Colorado fly fishing scene, known for her expertise as a certified professional fly fishing guide, author, and outfitter of Tumbling Trout Fly Shop in Lake George, Colorado. She is also actively involved in conservation as the VP of Financial Development for the Pikes Peak Chapter of Trout Unlimited.
Michele has a diverse background - she initially pursued a symphonic career (bassoon) in New York City but ultimately shifted her path to geology. She holds a master's degree in Geochemistry of Hydrothermal Ore Deposits with a minor in Biology from the University of Colorado, Boulder.
Michele discovered her passion for fly fishing after moving back to Colorado from New York City through the tutelage of her future husband, Doug White. Together, they've been fly fishing and rowing their dory on the Great Rivers of the West for over 20 years. They are both certified boat handlers.
Fly fishing specialties - South Park. Michele specializes in guiding and exploring tributaries of the South Platte River in South Park, Colorado, including Tarryall River and the high alpine headwaters in the Mosquito Range. South Park is a high alpine (9,000 ft elevation) basin between mountain ranges of up to 12,000 ft.
Publications Michele White (nee Murray) was a contributing editor/writer for Mountain Gazette literary journal. Her humorous outdoors and traveling essays have been published in Discover the Outdoors, EQUUS, Fly Fishing World, Native People's Magazine, New Tribal Dawn, and The Aquarian (as Michele Murray). Her fly fishing books (Michele White) include:
  • "Subaru-able Brookie Venues in South Park, Colorado: Easily Drive, Park, and Fly Fish the High Country", (2021)
  • "Joe Schmo Can Catch a Big Fish", (2020)
  • "Between the Rivers", fly fishing stories with co-authors, Al Marlowe and Karen Christopherson, (2019)
  • "Lesser Known Fly Fishing Venues of South Park", (2017)
  • "Eulogies and Dead Horses", (2016)
Tenkara - Michele is a certified Tenkara guide, (fly fishing without a reel using soft hackle flies), she finds particularly suitable for senior citizens, or people with mobility issues (she enjoys guiding older anglers).
Fly Tying - Michele is an expert fly tyer and has participated in several fly tying clinics as a Featured Tyer, tying her personal patterns, such as the "Cancan Girl".
In summary - Michele White combines a technical scientific background and passion for the outdoors to share her knowledge and love of fly fishing, especially in the lesser-known waters of South Park, Colorado.
 
August 3 – Erin Hale, Cord 3 Outfitters – Idaho and Wyoming fly fishing.
 
September – No meeting due to Labor Day holiday.
 
October 5 – (tentative) Cat Toy, Blue Quill Angler – Cat is one of Colorado's most sought-after guides and innovative fly tiers. She will talk about her favorite patterns and waters.
 
November 2 – Annual Banquet – Greg Felt, Arkanglers – Greg is General Manager and CEO of the Upper Arkansas Water Conservancy District and will talk about the structure, hydrology, and other aspects of this important fishery.
 
December 7 -- Open
 
Charlie Huff
Program Director
 

Rod Building

All five participants have their handles and reels seats assembled.  We move on to some practice wrapping guides at our next class and they will move on to wrapping their guides at home.  

Charlie Huff
Dave Hoover

Trips
 
Club Trips & Adventures
Spring is here, and it's time to get back on the water. We've got a full lineup of trips to kick off the season—ranging from classic tailwaters to high-country Stillwater.

April 16 – Dream Stream (Day Trip)
Make plans to join us on Wednesday, April 15th for a day on the legendary Dream Stream. We'll meet at the first main parking lot at 8:00 AM and spend the day targeting trout in one of Colorado's most iconic fisheries.
Let's kick off the 2026 fishing season with a great day on the water, good company, and hopefully a few memorable fish.

May 1-3 – Deweese Reservoir (Overnight Trip)
We're planning a weekend outing to Lake DeWeese near Westcliffe from May 1st through Sunday, May 3rd
  • Departure: Mid-morning Friday 
  • Return: Mid-morning Sunday 
  • Camping: Dispersed camping on the west side of the lake (County Road 220) 
Bring your camper or tent and be prepared for possibly a fire ban in the area. 
Fishing opportunities include:
  • Lake DeWeese: Trout, tiger muskie, and smallmouth bass 
  • Nearby Waters: Grape Creek and the Arkansas River 
Boats, pontoons, and shore fishing are all great options. If you're unable to camp, feel free to join for the day. Westcliffe offers food and amenities nearby.
For more details or to sign up, contact Kevin Thomason at kuduhunterkudu@gmail.com. Updates will be shared as the trip approaches.

May 20 – Spinney Reservoir (Stillwater Trip)
Join us on Wednesday, May 20th for a Stillwater outing at Spinney Reservoir for Monster Trout. 
  • Fishing: Shore fishing and hand-launched boats 
  • Meeting Location: Parking lot near the second bathroom on the right after entering the park
This is a great opportunity to target quality fish in one of Colorado's premier Stillwater fisheries.

June 17 – North Catamount Reservoir (Day Trip)
We'll head up the pass on Wednesday, June 17th to fish North Catamount Reservoir.
  • Fishing: Shore fishing 
  • Meeting Time & Location: 8:00 AM at the parking lot at the end of Ed Lowe Road
This high-elevation fishery offers a scenic setting and excellent early summer conditions.

Looking Ahead
Currently, we are focusing on Stillwater lakes for our club outings. As the season progresses, we may adjust or add destinations based on river flows and water temperatures.
The South Slope Recreation Area opens May 28th, and we plan to schedule monthly trips there to take advantage of cooler, higher-elevation fishing opportunities throughout the summer.

We look forward to seeing everyone out on the water—tight lines!

 
Kevin Thomason
President

Fly Tying
 

While perusing fly tying articles and videos, I came across a video of Tim Flagler and Brian Flechsig of Mad River Outfitters that piqued my interest. The video, Fly Tying a Pheasant Tail Nymph with tightlinevideo posted to the Mad River Outfitters YouTube channel, talked about a new book titled Pheasant Tail Simplicity. The reason I was interested in the book was that Dennis Erenberger had just given me a number of pheasant tails from a recent hunting trip. The book provides only fly patterns made primarily from pheasant tails. So I picked one up from the Peak Fly Shop and started tying.
Pheasant Tail Flymph
The first fly in the book is the Pheasant Tail Flymph:
"It is not a nymph.  It is not a fly.  It is a "Flymph"  and the word was coined by Vernon S. (Pete) Hidy to describe that stage of an insect's life when the nymph leaves the rather comfortable surroundings of the stream bed and swims up through the water column to hatch into the dun on the way to adulthood.  Today you might know it better as the emerger stage."

https://www.oldhatflytying.com/what-is-a-flymph.html
The difference between a pheasant tail flymph and a pheasant tail soft hackle is the hook. A flymph is tied on a 1x heavy hook and the soft hackle is tied on a lighter dry fly hook. Recipe for the Flymph:
  • Hook: 1x heavy wide gap #8 to #20 (Umpqua UC610BL)
  • Thread: 8/0 olive
  • Ribbing: X-small to med. gold copper wire
  • Tail: 4-8 pheasant tail barbs (4 for #14)
  • Body: pheasant tail barbs
  • Thorax: Peacock Ice Dub or peacock hurl
  • Hackle: Gray Hungarian partridge or quail or other soft hackle substitutes
Steps to tie the Flymph:
  1. Start with the thread just behind the hook eye and tie in the gold wire.
  2. Tie in the pheasant fibers for the tail and wrap the thread forward to about 1/3 behind the hook eye (leave plenty of space behind the eye!).
  3. Using the same fibers as the tail, wrap them forward and tie off at the 2/3 point.
  4. Wrap the wire forward to lock in the pheasant fibers and tie off at the 2/3 point.
  5. Add the Peacock Ice Dub (or peacock hurl), stopping just behind the hook eye.
  6. Tie in the tip of a partridge or other soft hackle feather and wrap no more than two times and tie it off.
  7. Build a small head and whip finish.
In the video mentioned above (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMJKYVTCDvs&t=866s), Tim provides some tips and tricks for tying this fly, especially how to choose and tie in the soft hackle feather. Highly recommend watching the video if you choose to tie this fly.
Happy tying!

Greg Walters

Mike Van Epps with a big Dream Stream Cutbow on a trip with Blue Quill Anglers purchased at the 2025 PPF auction
Steve sleight with a Green River Brown
Kevin Thomason with a Green River Rainbow
Steve Sleight with a Green River Brown

2026 Board of Directors


President  - Kevin Thomason - kuduhunterkudu@gmail.com - 910-617-4714
Vice President - Dave Hoover -
trouthunterdave@gmail.com  -719-330-2907
Secretary - Ed Buck - edward.f.buck@gmail.com
Treasurer - Dennis Erenberger -  derenberger63@gmail.com
Programs - Charlie Huff - chuff59@earthlink.net
Membership Director - Open
Trip Director -  Kevin Thomason - kuduhunterkudu@gmail.com - 910-617-4714
Web Master - Greg Walters - pwdrhound@pcisys.net
Newsletter Editor - Dave Hoover - trouthunterdave@gmail.com
Fly Tying - Greg Walters - pwdrhound@pcisys.net
Gear - Tom Mitchell - raftmanmitch@yahoo.com
Fly Casting - Open

Member at Large - Lou Lathon - loulathon@comcast.net 
Member at Large - Paul Gorley - pgourley53@yahoo.com 
Member at Large - Jim Davis - jpd_davis2007@yahoo.com


Support our Sponsers!!

Special Shout Out to our most excellent sponsor
 
The Peak Fly Shop

5632 Academy Blvd Colorado Springs, CO 80918

(719) 260-1415




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