Sportfishing Notes

Although this section of the South Platte River is stocked with rainbow trout, several species of fish escape through Chatfield dam into the river. These species include wall-eye, channel catfish, rainbow trout, and smallmouth bass

Smallmouth bass and brown trout sustain their river popu-lations through natural repro-duction

A major fish habitat improve-ment project was completed here within the past several years, narrowing the channel to create deeper water.

Most of the gamefish are in the deeper holes and along riprap river banks.

General Information: The South Platte River , with its headwaters in South Park, flows out of Water-ton Canyon onto the plains of the Denver Metro area just upstream from Chatfield Reservoir. After exiting the reservoir, the river flows through the metro area and then northeast past Fort Morgan, Sterling, and other eastern Colorado towns before joining with the North Platte River in Nebraska to form the Platte River. There is excellent public access in the Littleton section, which is located within South Suburban Park. Location: Littleton, between C470 and Reynolds Landing, nor th of the Carson Nature Center . Fishery Management: Cold and warmwater angling. Annual Survey Data: (see page 2)

Fishing Regulations General regulations apply

South Platte River, Littleton

FISH SURVEY AND MANAGEMENT DATA Paul Winkle, Aquatic Biologist, Denver paul.winkle@state.co.us / 303-291-7232

Amenities and General Info. Approximately 2 1/2 miles

of continuous public access within South Suburban Park by way of cement walking/bike path

Parking available at the junction of C470 and the South Platte River, and at Carson Nature Center

Restrooms at the parking lot at C470 and the South Platte River, and at Carson Nature Center

Previous Stocking

2019 Rainbow Trout

2018 Rainbow Trout

2017

Rainbow Trout

2016 Rainbow Trout

2015 Rainbow Trout

2014 Rainbow Trout

2013 Rainbow Trout

2012

Rainbow Trout

The figure on the left shows the proportion of the different species fish collected in the portion of the South Platte River between C470 and Mineral Avenue. White suck-ers comprised the highest percentage (45%). This spe-cies is native to the South Platte, and young fish pro-vide an important food source for predators such as brown trout and smallmouth bass. Walleye and small-mouth bass each comprised 14% of the sample. Wall-eyes are not stocked here, but escape through the Chat-field Dam. Stocked rainbow trout comprised 11%, and brown trout 3%. Brown trout are not stocked, but repro-duce naturally.

South Platte River, Littleton

FISH SURVEY AND MANAGEMENT DATA

Paul Winkle, Aquatic Biologist, Denver

paul.winkle@state.co.us / 303-291-7232

The figure below shows the length frequencies in 2015 of the various gamefish species. Walleyes up to 18” were col-lected, smallmouth bass to 14”, rainbow trout to 13”, brown trout to 12”, and channel catfish to 31”! Smallmouth bass originally got into the river from Chatfield Dam, but now sustain their river population through natural reproduction.

14%

14%

45%

3%

11%

13%

South Platte River, Littleton, 2015 Fish Survey

Walleye

Smallmouth Bass

White Sucker

Brown Trout

Rainbow Trout

Other

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19 21 23 25 27 29 31

Num

ber o

f Fis

h

Length (inches)

South Platte River, Littleton2015 Length Frequencies

Smallmouth Bass

Rainbow Trout

Brown Trout

Channel Catfish

Walleye