Fly Fishing Elevenmile Canyon on the South Platte River. Jon Kleis

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      Elevenmile Canyon (South Platte River, Colorado)

       Location: Southwest Colorado, 1 hour west of Colorado Springs and 1 ½ hours southwest of Denver. Both have major airports with direct flights.

      The South Platte River as it runs through Elevenmile Canyon is home to more fish per mile through the catch-and-release section than just about any other tailwater in

      Colorado. When anglers aren’t busy catching Snake River cutthroat, rainbows, or brown trout, they can look up and admire the unmatched beauty of their surroundings. In fact, the Canyon is considered so gorgeous that it attracts more than just anglers looking to harass fish. On a summer day you could see rock climbers, joggers, and hikers on the many trails; campers; artists painting images of steep canyon walls; and, depending on the flow, kayakers and others playing in the cool, clean water.

      In 2002, Colorado was dealing with the Hayman Fire, which was its largest fire to date and threatened a large portion of the South Platte River. Hayman brought with it a lot of attention directed at the health of the South Platte, and a new project called Trees For Trout was born. The goal was to take burned trees from the Hayman fire and use them to stabilize the banks of the South Platte, and to

      also provide winter homes and structure for fish. This was the first program of its kind, and a great way for the USDA Forest Service, Trout Unlimited, and local fly shops such as Anglers Covey to take a huge negative and try to turn it into a positive. Evidence of Trees For Trout’s benefits can be found throughout the Elevenmile Canyon corridor.

      The South Platte River as it runs through the Canyon is similar in size to the Dream Stream. It’s roughly 30 feet across at its widest, and has every form of structure and water type. There are slow-moving runs with an average depth of 2 to 6 feet, fast pocket water, and deep plunge pools beneath falls. Ideal flows for the best fishing are 120-240 cfs.