Cheesman Canyon Fly Fishing

Rob Hammer November 6, 2022

Fly Fishing Photography - Cheesman Canyon, Colorado - Prints

That old saying “you get what you put in”, or something there abouts, is one that always seems to resonate with fly fishing. Whether you want to call it a sport or hobby, there are a million different ways to do it. Well, 3, actually - bad, mediocre, and great. It always amazes me to see the guys who pull their truck up to a river, cast from the same spot for 3 hours without ever losing sight of said truck, then drive home. Different Strokes, I guess? Personally, I need a hell of a lot more than that. I want to get my ass kicked on a hike to some remote location, spend the whole day fishing/shooting, then get my ass kicked on a hike back to the truck where cold beer awaits in a cooler. Standing shoulder to shoulder with 15 other fly fisherman sounds like hell. Might as well go out on a half day Cattle Boat charter.

The South Platte River in Cheesman Canyon is a place I’ve been lucky to spend a good amount of time fly fishing and making photographs. Visually it’s a lot of fun and offers something for everyone. You can fish 30 steps from your truck if that’s your thing. Or, you can make a day of it, hiking into the backcountry as far as you please. Ensuring that you won’t see but one or two other people the entire time. That’s fly fishing.

Click here to see more of my fly fishing photography . Or contact me directly to purchase prints.

A fly fisherman hops from rock to rock on the South Platte River in Cheesman Canyon, Colorado

A person standing on top of a large boulder looks into the South Platte River during a day of fly fishing for rainbow trout and brown trout in Cheesman Canyon, Colorado

Overhead view of a Fly Fisherman casting into the South Platte River in Cheesman Canyon, Colorado

A fly fisherman walks through large boulders on the South Platte River in Cheesman Canyon, Colorado

A fly fisherman jumps from boulder to boulder on the South Platte River in Cheesman Canyon, Colorado

A large trout in the South Platte River in Colorado

A fly fisherman wades through a beautiful section of the South Platte River in Cheesman Canyon, Colorado

A photo with motion blur of a fly fisherman casting into the South Platte River in Colorado

A Fly Fisherman hiking up a rocky cliff in Cheesman Canyon, Colorado

A fly fisherman on the South Platte River casting near large rock cliffs in Cheesman Canyon, Colorado

A fly fisherman on the South Platte River navigates a rocky section in Cheesman Canyon, Colorado

A fly fisherman rigs up his rod while sitting on rocks in Cheesman Canyon near Deckers, Colorado

A fly fisherman on a beautiful rocky section of the South Platte River nets a fish in Cheesman Canyon, Colorado

A fly fisherman hiking into a remote section of the South Platte River in Cheesman Canyon, Colorado

Fly Fishing Blacks Beach - San Diego, CA

Rob Hammer August 22, 2022

Salt Water Fly Fishing Photography

Blacks Beach - Corbina - San Diego, CA

Had some fun last week in the surf at Blacks Beach in La Jolla. It’s one of those places you don’t want to share publicly because you don’t want hoards of people going there. A really special stretch of beach visually and for fly fishing, that’s kept special only because it requires effort to get there. There is no road or parking lot where you can just dump the beach toys and veg out for the day. Gotta put in some work.

If you’re looking for a fly fishing guide in San Diego, contact Tyler Vanosdell at Mission Bay Fly Fishing.

Tyler on Instagram - @missionbayflyfishing

Olivia on Instagram - @merlinoolivia

Click here to see more of my fly fishing photography

Two fly fisherman walking on a cliff overlooking the Pacific Ocean on Blacks Beach in San Diego, California. Patagonia Fly fishing.

Photograph of two fly fisherman hiking down a dirt trail to Blacks Beach to fish for Corbina in San Diego, California. Patagonia Fly Fishing.

A girl and guy laugh together on Blacks Beach before fly fishing for Corbina in San Diego, California. Patagonia Fly Fishing.

Photograph of a fly fisherman's rod bends as he connects with a Corbina on Blacks Beach in San Diego, California. Patagonia Fly Fishing.

Photograph of a female fly fisherman casts into the surf for Corbina at Blacks Beach in San Diego, California. Patagonia Fly Fishing.

A girl and guy walking down Blacks Beach to fly fish for Corbina in San Diego, California. Patagonia Fly Fishing.

A fly fisherman standing on a rock gets hit by a large wave on Blacks Beach in San Diego, California. Patagonia Fly Fishing.

A female fly fisherman stands in front of the cliffs on Blacks Beach early in the morning casting for Corbina in San Diego, California. Patagonia Fly Fishing.

Two fly fisherman hike up a dirt trail after fishing for Corbina on Blacks Beach in San Diego, California.

Fly Fishing Photography - Alaska - The Last Frontier

Rob Hammer April 3, 2022

Alaska Fly Fishing - Photography

Outtakes? Is that what these images should be called? If you’re only going on a fly fishing trip to tally up trophies to post on Instagram then you’re in it for the wrong reasons. And I want nothing to do with you. Is it fun to catch big fish? Damn right it is. Especially after those long stretches of getting your ass kicked and coming up with nothing. There has to be more than the catch though. If you were guaranteed to have fish in the net every day, what fun would that be? It wouldn’t. That’s why all the other things are so important. The people you’re with. The laughs. The scenery. The journey. The adventure. The culture. Working for it. Etc etc etc etc. That’s what these images are about. The in-between times.

Click HERE to see more of my fly fishing photography.

Click here to check out Zach Benson’s website (Alaska fly fishing guide, hunter, and duck decoy artist)

Contact me directly to purchase prints of my fly fishing photography. Wall Art is available is multiple sizes.

Beaver flight at sunset in Alaska

Zach Benson - Alaska Fly Fishing Guide

Alaska Fly Fishing

Photograph of a grizzly bear walking along a river in Alaska with snow covered mountains in the background - Fly Fishing - Photography - Adventure

Alaska fly fishing photography

Alaska fly fishing culture

Photograph of a fly fisherman in Alaska with a gun on his belt

Alaska fly fishing culture

Alaska landscape photography

Alaska fly fishing photography

Eastern Sierra Fly Fishing

Rob Hammer June 5, 2019

Fly fishing in the Sierra Nevada Mountains near Mammoth Lakes, CA.

Backpacking in the Flat Tops Wilderness - Yampa, Colorado

Rob Hammer February 5, 2016

Flat Tops Wilderness - Yampa, Colorado

Backpacking - Fly Fishing - Photography

Only about 6 months late on this post, so yeah. Trying to chip away at the piles of images gathering dust on my hard drives from the past year. These are from an incredible camping trip in the Colorado backcountry. Specifically in the backcountry of Yampa. A very small and very remote town that is only frequented by locals, and those lucky enough to know about it. Our "campsite" was about a 5 mile hike from the car. So not crazy, but certainly enough to get far away from everything. Mojo was with me on this one, and he had a blast to say the least. We got in a lot of fishing and a lot of eating. One thing the Yampa backcountry is famous for is the "Devil's Causeway" (seen below). It's part of a trail with a narrow strip of rock with very immediate and very long drops on both sides. If you fall, you're down. Walking up to it doesn't seem that bad, but once you're there, it gets in your head a little. I saw one kid completely freeze while trying to cross it.