South Platte River

The South Platte is Colorado's most-fished trout river and the reason Denver is the only major US metro within ninety minutes of a Gold Medal tailwater. Three discrete fly-fishing destinations sit on the upper mainstem and all are fed by reservoir releases. The 'Dream Stream' runs between Spinney Mountain Reservoir and Elevenmile Reservoir in the high South Park flats — wide-open spring-creek meanders with cruising rainbows and big migrating browns and cutbows out of Elevenmile in fall. Below Elevenmile, the river drops into Elevenmile Canyon, a tight forested gorge with classic pocket water that fishes well from spring through fall. Below Cheesman Reservoir the river enters Cheesman Canyon — boulder-strewn, technical, walk-in-only water with selective rainbows over wild fish, and one of the most famous catch-and-release stretches in the West. Below the canyon at Deckers the river opens into a road-accessible gorge with consistent year-round trout fishing.

The South Platte is a tailwater system, which means the rivers fish year-round with stable flows and water clear enough that small flies are the rule. Midges are reliable in every month — sizes 20-26 are routine. BWOs run from late winter through May and again in the fall. The summer brings PMDs, caddis, and red quill mayflies, plus terrestrial fishing along the South Park flats. Mysis shrimp from reservoir releases (Frying Pan-style, less abundant) and abundant Trichos in late summer round out the bug list. Fish are conditioned to pressure — long leaders, 6X-7X fluorocarbon, and very small flies (#22-#26 midges, #20-#24 mayflies) are standard for selective fish on the Dream Stream and in Cheesman Canyon.

Main access points are along Highway 67 (Deckers/Cheesman Canyon corridor), County Road 96 (Dream Stream below Spinney), and Park County Road 23 (Elevenmile Canyon below the dam). Cheesman Canyon requires a hike — the Gill Trail down from the parking area is the standard approach. The town of Deckers has a fly shop (Flies and Lies) and basic services. Drive times: 75 min from Denver to Deckers, 2 hr from Denver to the Dream Stream / Elevenmile, 90 min from Colorado Springs to Elevenmile Canyon. Elevation is 6,200-9,000 ft so even summer mornings are cold and afternoon thunderstorms in July-August are routine — keep an eye on the sky.