Tarryall Creek: New Public Access on the Recently Preserved Collard Ranch

The headwaters of the South Platte River flow within the magnificent landscapes of South Park, a recreation mecca that offers a delightful blend of pristine wilderness and outstanding fishing opportunities. Colorado’s South Park region has lush valleys, meandering meadow streams, and majestic peaks that attract outdoor enthusiasts and anglers from all over the Centennial State and beyond.

Tarryall Creek, affectionately referred to as “the Tarryall” by local fly-fishing aficionados, is one of the South Platte’s key tributaries. Tarryall Creek begins its scenic journey high atop the frozen snowfields of Mount Silverheels, and flows southeast until it merges with the South Fork of the South Platte River approximately 9 miles northeast of the small town of Lake George.

Tarryall Creek plays a significant role in stockpiling snowmelt in Cheesman Reservoir, doing its part to fill the 80,000-acre-feet stillwater impoundment that is essential to meet downstream demand. Tarryall Creek’s contribution is especially important in the spring, when outflows below Spinney Mountain and Elevenmile Canyon reservoirs are low, and water authorities there hold back water to reach full pool to supply the day-to-day needs of a thirsty metropolitan area that is bursting at the seams.

Scenic Setting

Near the quaint community of Como, Tarryall Creek is small water, but it swells quickly as Michigan and Jefferson creeks add substantial amounts of mountain water as the creek sweeps its way through rich ranchland east of Highway 285. This stretch affords stunning views of Kenosha Pass and the Mosquito Range.

Tarryall Creek is characterized by its beautiful meadows with hairpin bends, thick stands of willows, wetlands, beaver ponds, and excellent trout habitat. County Road 77 parallels Tarryall Creek after it joins forces with Jefferson and Michigan creeks. As the crow flies, it flows roughly 8 miles from the confluence of Michigan Creek before it dumps into Tarryall Reservoir, a small stillwater fishery (7,217 acre feet) with plenty of angling opportunities of its own. Tarryall Reservoir is home to cuttbow, cutthroat, rainbow, and brown trout, as well as northern pike.

Completed in 1931, Tarryall Reservoir supplies water for household use, irrigation, and recreation. The outflows are a combination of bottom and top releases, creating profound effects on the fishery below. The dam’s configuration is similar to that of Elevenmile Canyon Dam, which was built in 1932.

A few miles below the reservoir, Tarryall Creek’s character changes—the valley floor narrows, and the creek carves its way through a rose-colored granite canyon lined with ponderosa pines. As Tarryall Creek exits the canyon, it winds its way through several miles of lush, low-gradient grassland before it swings northeast. Then it flows through another canyon before it merges with the South Platte River near the southern end of Wildcat Canyon.

Five Miles of Heaven

For 5 miles, Tarryall Creek meanders through the historic 1,860-acre Collard Ranch, which sits immediately off Highway 285 10 miles northeast of Fairplay, Colorado.  The ranch is adjacent to the existing Cline Ranch State Wildlife Area near the town of Como. For decades, the ranch’s trout water was held private, and in recent years, access was leased to RareWaters, a company that works with private landowners to secure private fishing access for paying fly fishers.

But the ranch owners wanted to sell, and in recent years the property was listed by various agencies for asking prices up to $9.7 million. To avoid the threat of development, subdivision, or worse, in December 2023 Western Rivers Conservancy (WRC) purchased the property to preserve this outstanding stretch of Tarryall Creek, and the rest of the ranch’s critically important wildlife habitat. WRC planned to convey the ranch to Colorado Parks and Wildlife in March 2024, so the public will have access to this site in perpetuity.

Fairplay is just 90 miles from Denver, the state capital, and South Park and the South Platte watershed are important recreation destinations for people from both Denver and Colorado Springs. Due to its proximity to the Front Range, the region is also at high risk of development. The preservation of Collard Ranch for public benefit is one of the most significant conservation wins in Colorado’s recent history.

South Park itself was designated a National Heritage Area in 2009 to preserve its rich agricultural legacy, and the basin is home to sizable herds of elk, mule deer, and pronghorns, which use the property as their primary route across Highway 285 onto the Cline Ranch State Wildlife Area during their annual north-south migrations.

Tarryall Creek, which flows from the 13,823-foot Mount Silverheels and meanders through the ranch’s open grasslands in beautiful horseshoe bends, is famous for its wild brown and rainbow trout. Beaver ponds line the creek on the property, and the wetlands created by these ponds attract diverse bird life. Lewis woodpeckers and mountain plovers—both imperiled species in Colorado—frequent the property. For both its biological importance and recreational values, Colorado Parks and Wildlife and Great Outdoors Colorado consider the ranch acquisition to be a significant victory for the Colorado public and for the nation.

Fishing Strategies

The first 20 miles of upper Tarryall Creek is a freestoner, so it freezes during the winter. Ice-out typically occurs in early April (give or take a week) depending on cold snaps or warming weather. In the reaches below Tarryall Reservoir, the creek becomes ice-free in mid- to late March because numerous springs enter the flow.

After ice-out, fly fishers enjoy a short window of opportunity before the Tarryall is subject to spring runoff. For several weeks, Tarryall Creek may be outside its grassy banks and difficult to fish. The high-water season usually peaks in early to mid-June, depending on snowpack—then the creek shapes up nicely.

Small to medium-size wild brown trout (7 to 15 inches) are the real gems of this fishery. East of Highway 285, near the headwaters, it’s not uncommon to catch a few brook trout as well. The brown trout population is robust, and they are eager to eat an assortment of nymphs, drys, and streamers. Wild rainbows are fewer in number because the brown trout have outcompeted them over the years. However, in several locations stocked rainbows add to the thrill and excitement of this fishery, with some measuring upwards of 20 inches.

I typically fish with a standard nymphing rig during high flows because it’s nearly impossible to get the fish to look up. I recommend using a size 14 pink, red, or earthworm brown San Juan Worm, size 10 cranefly larva, size 12 Pat’s Rubber Legs, or a size 10 Pine Squirrel Leech trailed by a #16-18 Beadhead Pheasant Tail, Prince, Hare’s Ear, Copper John, Breadcrust, or Frenchie. Streamers are also effective when the water is high, fished down and across, tight to undercut banks. White Crystal Buggers, white and black Lightning Leeches, Pine Squirrel Leeches, olive and rust Slumpbusters, and white, black, and olive Meat Whistles are among my favorites.

For several miles below Tarryall Reservoir, it’s not uncommon to catch a northern pike that has escaped over the spillway from the lake above. White streamers are often the top producers for these toothy critters. When you’re walking along the streambanks, you’ll frequently spot a northern pike hugging the substrate. It’s a lot of fun to spot and stalk these voracious predators to add a little spice to your day.

Once the flows drop and stabilize, the dry-fly fishing is nothing short of excellent. When conditions are right, it’s absurd not to fish with a dry fly. Tarryall Creek has hatches of Blue-winged Olives, caddis, Yellow Sallies, Pale Morning Duns, and Tricos. Fishing these hatches resembles spring creek fishing, bringing out the best among serious dry-fly anglers. In the glassy pools and tailouts, one poor cast and the game is over. The riffles and runs are much more forgiving for novice anglers.

You can opt to fish with a single dry fly, double drys, or a dry/dropper combination. It’s a good idea to stock your boxes with #14-18 Elk-hair Caddis, #12-14 Yellow Stimulators, #10-14 Amy’s Ants, #16-20 Parachute Adams, #14-18 Limeades, #14-18 Royal Wulffs, #16-18 Mathews’s Sparkle Duns (BWO and PMD), #22-24 Stalcup’s Biot Trico Compara-duns, and a thorough selection of hoppers.

When you walk through the hayfields in August, hoppers are flying everywhere—it’s a quick reminder of their importance on Tarryall Creek! Some of my favorite hopper imitations include #8-10 Dave’s Hoppers, Joe’s Hoppers, Charlie Boy Hoppers, and Mimic Hoppers.

If you opt for a dropper, an assortment of small beadheads like Flashback Pheasant Tails, Copper Johns, Two Bit Hookers, and Frenchies will serve you well. It’s hard to go wrong with a size 14 tan Elk-hair Caddis with a size 18 Beadhead Flashback Pheasant Tail drifting underneath it. I have fooled hundreds of trout on Tarryall Creek with this combination. I tie my Pheasant Tails with both brass and tungsten beads, opting to use the latter if I’m looking to get down quick.

Don’t rule out beetles and ants, especially on the downwind side of a grassy streambank. Wind is often problematic in South Park, so have plenty of terrestrials handy to turn that handicap into an advantage.

Heavy afternoon rain showers, especially during the monsoon season, can cause a spike in water levels and discolor Tarryall Creek for a day or two. The good news is it clears up quickly and the trout get back to business as usual. If the stream is off-colored, nymphing or fishing with streamers is your best bet until the clarity improves.

Gear and Advice

A 7- or 8-foot 3-weight is my preferred rod for dry-fly fishing in the upper sections of Tarryall Creek, especially in areas with heavy brush. A 9-foot 4-weight rod works well on the stretches closer to Tarryall Reservoir for dry flies and nymphs because there is a little more casting room. I prefer a 9-foot 5-weight for streamers because it provides more backbone to cast the larger offerings.

I carry several rods with different setups to maximize fishing time. I set up one rod with a nymphing rig, another with a dry/dropper, and a third with a streamer to save time and employ a wide range of tactics and techniques.

In most cases, a 9-foot leader tapered to 4X is sufficient for dry-fly fishing. I add an additional 18 inches of 4X tippet to prolong the life of my leader, then attach my fly to the terminal end. This also gives me the flexibility to downsize my tippet when I need to imitate Blue-winged Olives, Pale Morning Duns, and Tricos.

I use a short leader terminating in 3X for streamers and a 9-foot 4X leader for nymphing. On my lanyard, I carry spools of 2X through 5X fluorocarbon (for streamers and nymphing) and spools of 4X to 7X nylon for dry-fly fishing. I recommend using a micro yarn strike indicator for nymphing so it lands on the water softly. Bobber-type strike indicators tend to spook fish in this small water because they hit the surface hard.

I use both paste floatants and dry desiccants to keep my dry flies dressed properly. I recommend using a paste floatant (Aquel) to start with, then a desiccant such as Dry-Shake when your flies become waterlogged.

The Approach

Meandering meadow streams require a different approach than boulder-strewn tailwaters or large freestone streams. You cannot pound the same stretch of water over and over. Instead, you must cover the water methodically and with purpose. The best tip I can offer is to keep moving—don’t get trapped in a rut and stay in the same location for extended periods of time. Repeated casts in the same area have diminishing rates of return on this type of water.

I typically fish a mile or more of water over the course of the day on a small meandering meadow stream. If there are other anglers close by, it’s worthwhile to communicate with them so that you’re not fishing water that has just been fished and beaten to a froth.

Wear drab-colored clothing and fish upstream as much as possible. If you’re fishing dry flies or dry/droppers, an upstream delivery stacks the odds in your favor from a stealth perspective because you’re casting from the trout’s blind spot. Unless trout are cruising, they face into the oncoming current, but keep in mind the flow is not always upstream. Back eddies present a whole different set of challenges.

A delicate cast with defined accuracy is critical for success. Keep your false casting to a minimum and to the side of your target so that you do not spook fish. I like to use a roll cast pickup, one false cast, then lay my fly back on the water. Watch your backcast—the dense walls of willows on Tarryall Creek in places can frustrate the best of anglers.

A distinct advantage to an upstream delivery is that the fly gets pulled back into the trout’s jaw when you set the hook. The biggest mistake most anglers make is setting the hook prematurely and pulling the fly away from the fish. This is an easy fix: Pause for an additional moment after the fish has eaten your fly and allow its head to dip below the surface of the water before you gently lift the rod tip.

In some situations, you may need to cast up and across or down and across, which requires mending your fly line to offset conflicting currents. Drag is your worst enemy when you’re trying to fool discerning trout that are feeding on the surface.

When I use this approach, I typically keep a low profile by getting down on my knees before casting. If I use a down-and-across delivery, I use a reach mend so that the first thing the trout sees is the fly, instead of the leader or tippet. A fly that precedes the leader and tippet is a deadly tactic for dry-fly anglers. If you’re achieving a drag-free drift but still getting refusals, you may need to downsize your tippet.

When I nymph fish small, meandering meadow streams, I typically fish the deeper holes and oxbows because I can cast upstream at a 45-degree angle and remain stealthy. It’s important to target the point bars and midchannel shelves (drop-offs) as well as the outside bends on the opposing streambank because they are the deepest parts of the stream.

Streamers require different tactics and techniques. I use a weight-forward floating line and streamers with beadheads, coneheads, or lead eyes. I typically use a tandem fly rig with a white streamer as my lead fly trailing a darker pattern behind it. If I feel like my fly is not getting down, I often put a 3/0 split-shot above the eye of the hook to achieve a quicker sink rate.

I’m a huge fan of using a nonslip mono loop knot on the upper streamer to liven it up a bit. I use a standard clinch knot on my trailer. A white streamer is a good attractor and helps you locate your flies during the retrieve. This is especially important if a trout grabs your offering between strips. When you feel the strike, or see a flash near your fly, set the hook!

Make sure you use a strip-set to impale the fly in the trout’s jaw. If you’re not getting strikes, vary the speed of your retrieve until you find something that entices a grab.

Tarryall Creek is the perfect place to explore the scenic surroundings of South Park. The Tarryall has something for everyone, whether you’re seeking tranquility or looking for that unforgettable small-stream experience.

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Pat Dorsey is a co-owner of The Blue Quill Angler and has been a guide on the South Platte River for more than 32 years. His most recent book is Favorite Flies for Colorado: 50 Essential Patterns from Local Experts (Stackpole Books, 2022).

Instagram: @patdorseyflyfishing | bluequillangler.com, patdorseyflyfishing.com

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