Skip to content

Where to Go South Platte River – Elevenmile Canyon

Current Reports

WINTER HOURS: 9AM TO 6PM DAILY

Angler's Covey Bug of the Month :

March- Soft Hackles!

Bug of the month videos here 

Visit the blog here 

 

FALL HOURS: 9AM TO 6PM DAILY

 

Report Date: 3/28/2023

Current Conditions: 

The flows in the canyon finally increased a couple of weeks ago and are currently at 135 cfs. This is awesome news and the flows are actually doubled from the winter flows of the last few months. With the remaining construction finishing up through April, we will not see the flows get any higher than 135 cfs. That being said, we should see flow rates right around that mark through April. Despite the bump in flows, the river is still fishing technical. Good, dead drifts right on top of the fish are key right now. Anglers will need to bring their A Game to the river right now. The dry fly fishing has still been good, so be prepared for that. The canyon has gotten pretty busy with the increase in flows. Even on the weekdays.

Lowhead dam construction update!

UPDATE- The construction project at the bottom of the canyon is mostly finished. The construction crews have completed all major work and the heavy equipment is gone. That particular area will remain closed at this time and they have a few minor things to address through April. This is great news and should allow for a normal flow rate next year! The canyon hasnt seen flows over 150 cfs for about 16 months now, so we are excited at the prospect of more water in there!

 If you're planning on fishing here be prepared for low flows and a lot of people. If you do plan to fish the canyon right now, you do not need to arrive early. The best window has been from about 9 am to 3pm. 

 

Hatches: 

We are seeing a lot of midge activity as expected. Fish are keyeing in on them in all life stages. We have started to see some spring BWO's as well. Their intensity will just increase as the weather continues to warm.

Tactics: 

Nymphing is generally the best method here, but the dry fly fishing can be good in the warmer parts of the day. Midges will hatch and the angler could find themselves with some decent dry fly opportunity. Smaller terminal tackle is the name of the game. 5x and 6x is a must. Anglers can expect challenging fishing at low flows.

Weather: 

Short Term-  Spring is here and it will certainly feel like it over the next several days. We will see a good amount of sun and high temps in the 40's and 50's through Easter (Sunday). Sunday itself will be pretty windy. On Monday we will see a small disturbance move through the area. Right now, precipitation chances look small, but you never know this time of the year. We always suggest watching weather forecasts closely this time of year as every storm we get in the spring has the potential to surprise. The weather is going to be GREAT in the short term. Get out and fish!!

Long Term-  After the disturbance next Monday, we will return to seasonal temps and sunshine. There will be chances of precipitation almost every day next week, but the temps will stay fairly warm. Longer range forecasts are hinting at some changes around April 5th. While its too far out to tell exactly what sort of impact this system will have, it does look there will be changes. We will be keeping a close eye on that and will update the reports as we get more information. The current snowpack in the South Platte basin is at 110% of average, which is actually the 2nd highest in the state. With April being one of the snowiest months we see in Colorado, we still have some time to build on that snowpack and give us a little more water through the summer.

 

Tips: 

The increase in flows has really helped the river. You can tell that the fish are happy. These fish have seen A LOT of pressure last year and are spookier than normal. It is not uncommon to have the fish move completely out of the way of your drifts.

This is an area we offer guided walk/wade trips, and we are one of the only outfitters permitted to do so in 11 mile canyon, please give us a call if you are interested! (We are currently only offering trips that start extremely early here)

RECOMMENDED PATTERNS 

For a custom fly assortment for this location, click here! 

Our Top 6 Nymphs for Today:

  • Pheasant tail, sizes 20-22
  • Miracle midge, cream,  Sizes 20-24
  • Money Midge, brown, 20-22
  • Blindside midge, black, purple. Sizes 20-22
  • Rainbow warrior, red, sizes 20-22
  • Rojo midge, red, sizes 20-22

Our Top Dry Flies for Today:

  • Mole fly. brown, green, sizes 22-24
  • Parachute Adams, brown. Sizes 20-24

Our Top Streamer Patterns for Today:

  • Laser legal, Natural. Size 4
  • Double Gonga, yellow. Size 4
  • Butt Monkey, brown. Size 8

 

Standard nymph rig set up for the South Platte:

Screenshot the diagram above to reference while you're out on the water!

 

BE SURE TO CHECK OUT OUR "WHERE TO GO" PAGE FOR DETAILED INFORMATION ON OTHER AREAS!

 

 

Elevenmile Canyon is our local gem. Any seasoned angler will agree that the South Platte River in Elevenmile Canyon is the place to go for unparalleled beauty. Elevenmile Canyon is also the place to go if you just want to catch a fish. Per mile this stretch of river seems to consistently hold more fish than any other river within an hour's drive from Colorado Springs. It is the place to go where you stand the best chance to get into one of the various beautiful species of trout that call the South Platte River home.

If you needing some extra help, Angler's Covey is the only full service fly shop with a permit to guide in Elevenmile Canyon and our Orvis-Endorsed guide would be happy to set up a trip for you.

Elevenmile Canyon is also a great winter fishing destination because it is a tailwater. A tailwater fishery is where a river comes out below a dam; consequently, during the winter months the water temps are just warm enough to stay relatively ice-free all year. If you can find a spot in the upper stretch of the canyon where the winter sun hits the water, you can find feeding fish. This time of year can be the most productive for solitude-seeking anglers who aren't afraid of using light tippets and very small flies.

This is an area we specialize in and are permitted to guide, so give us a shout if you have any questions or if you are interested in allowing one of our Orvis-Endorsed guides show you how best to conquer South Platte River – Elevenmile Canyon.

Interested in Booking a Trip?

Directions - 37.1 miles - 46 Minutes

  1. Head west on US-24 W/Cimarron St/Midland Expy toward S 21st St go 36.3 miles.
  2. Turn left in Lake George on Co Rd 96, go 1.1 mile, follow river into canyon