South Platte - Eleven Mile Canyon

About South Platte - Eleven Mile Canyon

The South Platte River in Eleven Mile Canyon offers a highly productive tailwater fishery below the Eleven Mile Reservoir Dam. Access is straightforward from the canyon bottom, starting in the town of Lake George. The river itself tumbles and twists through a majestic canyon, characterized by a mix of riffles, runs, shelves, gravel bars, and abundant pocket water. Anglers will navigate around significant structure, including logjams, huge granite boulders, and fallen trees, with waterfalls adding to the visual landscape. Spillway Campground, located about 500 yards below the dam, provides a convenient starting point for exploring this section. This stretch of the South Platte is known for its excellent fishing, particularly in the upper two miles directly below the dam. Ideal flows for fishing here range between 150 and 250 cfs. Be prepared for company; this water is popular and can be crowded, especially on weekends, with anglers often spaced every fifty yards. The fish here are educated and selective due to this consistent pressure, demanding careful presentation and attention to detail. The canyon holds an abundance of large, healthy trout, primarily great rainbow and brown trout, along with cut-bows. Most fish average between 12 and 17 inches, but the upper reaches below the dam regularly produce larger specimens, with some fish pushing 17 to 24 inches. This is technical fishing, requiring light tippets and tiny flies to consistently connect with fish. Anglers should focus on matching the sporadic hatches of midges, BWOs, and PMDs that occur here. When fishing Eleven Mile Canyon, a selection of small patterns is critical. Effective choices include the #20-22 Top Secret Midge, #20-22 Manhattan Midge, #20-22 Jujubaetis, #20-22 Top Secret Baetis, #20-24 Chocolate Foam Wing Emerger, and #18 Micro Egg. For subsurface work, consider a #16 UV Scud, #18 Micro San Juan Worm, #20-22 Red Larva, #20 Mercury Blood Midge, or #20 Flashback Mercury Black Beauty. Dry fly anglers should carry #16 PMD, #22-24 Trico Spinner, #14-16 Elk Hair Caddis, #20-24 Griffith Gnat, #22 Mole Fly, #22-24 Parachute Adams, and #18 Gray Dunn. Work the entire river, not just the obvious pools or deep water, and ensure you have a variety of these small patterns on hand.