For one of my earlier adventures on Grape Creek, see http://hooknfly.com/2019/10/14/exploring-grape-creek-in-the-hidden-recesses-of-temple-canyon-near-canon-city-co/

Fall 2024

I am on my annual trip to the Wet Mountain Valley in southcentral Colorado.  It’s only an hour and a half drive from my cabin near Salida, Colorado, but a world apart.  The people population in Custer County that covers most of the valley is 5,000, dwarfed by the number of cattle grazing in the scenic meadows. There’s great fishing to go along with the scenery, rugged soaring peaks of the Sangre de Christo and Wet Mountains, and a distinctly different vibe. 

I am staying in my mobile fish camp at the fine Grape Creek RV Park just south of Westcliffe, the county seat, and will be here from Friday to Monday.

My plan is to sample several of my favorite trout streams like Grape and Medano Creeks…and maybe score a coveted grand slam—catching (and releasing) four different species of trout.  I will also take in some of the sights in this historic valley and chow down at several of my favorite restaurants après angling.

Custer County was named for the famous General Custer.  Like many mountain communities in Colorado, it owes its start to silver and gold mines in the late 1800s as witnessed by the name of the biggest town in the county, Silver Cliff, which abuts Westcliffe, and which sports a population of 747. Westcliff, population 435, was a railroad town serving the mining and cattle businesses.  But ranching has always been a big part of the picture, some early spreads boasting over 10,000 cattle that helped to feed the miners.  While the county has grown and Westcliffe sports artist studios, antique shops, and good restaurants, overall the valley maintains much of its old West atmosphere as witnessed by the fact it has been the of location of many western movies such as How The West Was Won featuring John Wayne, Cat Ballou with Lee Marvin, and Comes A Horseman with James Caan and Jane Fonda.    

Day 1:  Grape Creek At Bear Gulch

I decide on my first day of my grand slam quest to explore a remote section of Grape Creek below DeWeese Reservoir. The main stream in the valley, Grape Creek springs from the Wet Mountains and then flows north to DeWeese Reservoir.  Deweese has been a fixture in the valley since 1896 when it was created by damming the creek to provide a steady source of water for fruit and shade trees over 20 miles downstream near Canon City where it flows into the Arkansas River.  Bear Gulch, about seven miles downstream from the dam, and actually in Fremont County, is the only public access to just above Canon City and can be reached only by negotiating a rough 4wd road followed by a short but very steep hike down to the creek.  Not for the timid! 

I am on the road early, taking the Oak Creek Grade just east of Silver Cliff, a decent gravel road that takes about an hour to reach the turnoff to Bear Gulch.  It’s a scenic drive often featuring deer and other wild critters, not to mention those of the bovine kind.

But things get a little baffling at the turnoff thanks to misdirection from Goggle Maps and some confusing signage.  As illustrated in the photos below, the correct route is to turn north/left off Oak Creek Grade at the sign for Grape Creek Access then bear left (not right as directed by Google Maps) at the somewhat obscured “BLM Access” sign behind a big green electrical box, and finally to the right at the blue “To Public Lands” sign.  

Then buckle up and get ready for some thrills and chills on the several miles of rough road that follow. I suggest using a 4wd vehicle, one with good all-terrain tires, especially if the road is wet. 

Cars like a Subaru with all-wheel drive and good clearance can navigate it ok if the road is dry. 

In about 15 minutes and 4 miles later, I come to the parking area on a bench above the creek with some descriptive signage providing information about the Grape Creek Wilderness Study Area. 

I am the first one here today.  I suit up in my chest high waders and head down the steep trail to the creek, using my trusting wading staff to prevent me from slip sliding away in the loose gravel.  I am carrying two rods, an 8.5 footer-rigged with a #16 Chubby Chernobyl, a good hopper imitation, and #16 Dirk’s Delight green caddis larva, a proven favorite on Grape Creek.  The second is a heavier 8.5’ nymph rod with a #14 conehead stonefly and #16 Psycho Prince nymph to probe some of the deeper holes in the creek. 

When I get down the slippery slope to the water, I have a choice to either go downstream where the fishing pressure is lighter but with fewer big fish or upstream into a canyon stretch that has some deep pools and stout brown trout.  Today I opt for going upstream since I got here early and will be the first one on the water in the canyon.  I walk about a mile, hoppers whirring about me in the deep grass, and then come to the first deep pool at the foot of a sheer cliff that also features a big back eddy where I have fooled some good fish in the past.  But not today.  After a dozen casts with both rods, I come up empty handed.  The same story repeats itself in several more good-looking pools for the next twenty minutes.  Puzzling.  The water is cool and appears to be in good shape.

By 10 a.m., the sun has started to warm things up under a beautiful Colorado bluebird sky, and finally the fish get hungry.  I fool a scrappy 11-inch brownie on the caddis larva dropper, but things then go quiet again. 

I manage a long-distance release and a few more strikes, but nothing to the net.   Puzzling.  Soon though I come to a honey hole bend pool that has been a sure thing on earlier trips, and what to my wondering eyes does appear but a thick blue-wing olive mayfly hatch.  What look to be big rainbow trout are cruising and dimpling the surface as they slurp down the mayflies.  I try a few casts with the dry/dropper rig and manage a few half-hearted rises before the hatch subsides and things go dead.  I was too slow in changing flies.  Grrr.  Okay, it’s noon and time for lunch and an attitude readjustment.   

That seems to do the trick.  On the first pool upstream, I trick another scrappy brownie in some fast water then a chunky 14-incher, both on the green hotwire caddis larva.  Now it’s steady action the rest of the afternoon.  In one pool a couple of feisty 12-inch rainbows gulp down the larva and a brownie falls for the Chubby. 

The further upstream I go, the better the action gets along with bigger fish.  I net two 14-inch browns where the creek splits around an island and 10 minutes later two more of the same measure in a beautiful pool upstream.  

I am thinking that nice brownie is the last fish of the day, but see some good looking pools upstream. Who can resist?!? I work up another 20 minutes and get another half dozen browns in shallow stretches before heading back downstream towards my SUV. It’s after 3 p.m. and the hike back to the trailhead will take at least an hour even for this buff (creaky?) septuagenarian.

On the way back, I come to the big, deep mayfly hatch pool where I bungled things earlier. But now it’s calm and quiet.  Worth a try after being skunked here earlier?  Of course….and on my second cast my dry is yanked under as a big rainbow feasts on the Dirk’s Delight caddis larva.  The battle is on.  He has a lot of room to thrash back and forth.  When he lunges and pulls to the right I apply pressure and turn him back to the left.  Hither and yon we fight, and finally after a worthy bout a beautiful 15-inch rainbow slides into my net. 

He soon is finning back to his hideout.  I decide that would be a good way to end the day, but then see a rise on the far side of the main current and of course decide just one more cast.  The Chubby floats jauntily down the riffle into the pool, and the trout smashes it, is on, then thrashes free!  I have to smile and shake my head.  A good reason to come back.  It’s almost 4 p.m. now and a good 30 minutes back to the trailhead.

On the easy jaunt back I enjoy the fall landscape, the soaring cliffs, the imposing thick stands of bristly thistle plants—some 4-5 feet tall, cholla and prickly pear cactus, and even a big wolf spider that I first mistake for a frog as he surprises me rustling through the underbrush. Be sure to watch out for rattlesnakes during the summer!!

I arrive at the trailhead around 4:30, just in time to be greeted by six campers, two whom are fisherman. All are setting up their tents in the shady camping area along the creek for the weekend.  A reminder of why I come here during the week.  And one couple has even made it in driving a Subaru!

The hour’s drive home is relaxing, featuring a series of beautiful vistas. Then I stumble on what may be the new secret Tesla product being tested in the backcountry, a travel trailer that appears to be a match for the famous CyberTruck. And I catch a glimpse of someone skulking inside. Maybe Elon himself?? Who knows in these days and times?!?

As the sun begins to drop below the Wet Mountains, I pull into my spot in the RV campground, stow my gear, and relax, soaking in the view and enjoying a glass of Pinot Grigio. I’m contemplating Day 2 of the Grand Slam Challenge. Two different trout today–browns and rainbows–and two more to go–maybe a brookie and a cutthroat. But I am a tad tuckered out after a long day on lower Grape Creek and my right arm sore from catching so many fish, so I decide to take tomorrow morning off and do a little touring in Westcliffe and Silver Cliff. Then in the afternoon I will pursue some of the wily brook trout that inhabit upper Grape Creek that just happens to run right through the RV park. How convenient for an angler of senior vintage!