Sign inSign up free Sign inSign up free Sign inSign up freeShared by DepthScout anglers. Exact spots stay private, always.
Deckers. Colorado's technical tailwater rainbows. The river tops out around 8 ft. The contours are modeled from the water's real shoreline and maximum depth. Treat them as a rough guide, and never use them for navigation. Here is how the season plays out for each species, straight from the data behind the map.
The outline encloses 259 acres, worked by 29.5 miles of shoreline. A development index of 13.1 means a maze of bays and points: far more casting targets than a round bowl of the same size. There is no deep basin to speak of — the entire surface is under ~15 ft, prime weed water end to end. Call it 11.2 mi long by 1.2 mi wide at the broadest reach. It sits in Jefferson County. If the bite dies, Strontia Springs Res is 7 mi to the northeast.
When the water first warms, rainbow trout slide up into 2 to 8 ft. There's no big seasonal slide here — summer means 2 to 8 ft, winter 2 to 8 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Horse Creek confluence (Deckers): an inflow / creek mouth around 6 ft that scores prime in spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Keep a dodger + spoon (deep troll) or a flutter spoon rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | dawn & dusk | Horse Creek confluence (Deckers) (6 ft) | Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon |
| Summer | 2 to 8 ft | dawn & dusk | Horse Creek confluence (Deckers) (6 ft) | Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon |
| Fall | 2 to 8 ft | dawn & dusk | Riffle & run (mile 7.5) (3 ft) | Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals |
| Winter | 2 to 8 ft | dawn | Outside-bend hole (mile 3.1) (6 ft) | Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white) |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: brown trout in 1 to 8 ft. The depth story barely changes: 2 to 8 ft through summer, 1 to 8 ft in winter. The spot to know is Horse Creek confluence (Deckers), an inflow / creek mouth in about 6 ft of water that rates prime for brown trout in spring. Plan around after dark and early morning in the warm months. Summer baits: a spoon at the thermocline or a deep stickbait (night) gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 8 ft | dawn & dusk | Horse Creek confluence (Deckers) (6 ft) | Stickbait off planer boards (shallow), Small spoon along mud lines |
| Summer | 2 to 8 ft | night & dawn | Riffle & run (mile 7.5) (3 ft) | Spoon at the thermocline, Deep stickbait (night) |
| Fall | 1 to 8 ft | dusk & dawn | Horse Creek confluence (Deckers) (6 ft) | Jerkbait over gravel, Casting spoon |
| Winter | 1 to 8 ft | dawn | Horse Creek confluence (Deckers) (6 ft) | Jigging spoon, Small stickbait (slow) |
7 pieces of structure are mapped here — Horse Creek confluence (Deckers), around 6 ft, is the deepest of them.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Colorado waters are set by the Colorado Parks & Wildlife — and special regulations can apply to South Platte River specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Colorado fishing regulations →
South Platte River is about 8 ft (2 m) deep at its deepest point. The contours here are modeled from the water's real shape and maximum depth, so treat them as a rough guide.
Anglers target rainbow trout, brown trout on South Platte River.
Horse Creek confluence (Deckers) is the top-rated area: an inflow / creek mouth in about 6 ft of water that rates prime for rainbow trout in spring. Scroll up to the map for the complete spot list by species and season.
For rainbow trout, the summer bite is best in early morning and the evening. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.
Fishing on South Platte River is regulated by the Colorado Parks & Wildlife. Check the official Colorado regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Strontia Springs Res 7 mi · Cheesman Reservoir 11 mi · Chatfield Reservoir 16 mi · Chicago Lake Lower 30 mi · Berkeley Lake 32 mi · Rocky Mtn Lake 32 mi · Eleven Mile Res 33 mi · Spinney Mtn Res 34 mi · Jim Baker Reservoir 34 mi · Arvada Reservoir 34 mi · Murray Lake 35 mi · Standley Lake 37 mi
See how South Platte River stacks up: best rainbow trout lakes in Colorado · best brown trout lakes in Colorado
More water nearby: Jefferson County fishing maps (5 charts). Browse all Colorado fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. How we build these maps. Fish here with a sonar unit that logs? Send us your depth data and we'll improve this chart, credited to you. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.