Where to Go South Platte River – Elevenmile Canyon

SUMMER HOURS 6 am to 6 pm Daily

Report Date: 8/21/2026

Conditions:

The Canyon has been fishing great this year. The Trico hatch in Elevenmile has been one of the best compared to other sections of the South Platte River. The flows have recently dropped a bit, however. This will add to the technicality of the fishing while the fish settle into these new flows. On top of the lower flows, as the summer progresses, the fishing does get a bit tougher due to the amount of pressure these fish have seen.

Guide Reports:

Cheyne Landrum - 8/9/2026

The canyon is a wondrous place to be in the summer. The hatches weren’t as prolific today, but the fish were looking up. Neil’s Tricos on top and small RS2s below. Expert casts aren’t as necessary as expert drifts, but it’s pretty technical overall. Water temps higher in the canyon stayed in the lower 60’s.

Kaitlin Boddington - 7/30/2026

The tricos are thick! The fish are looking up, and they are not picky during the thick of it all. They were rising for hoppers, elk hairs, and pretty much anything black and white. Flies that worked well: #14 morningwood hopper, #16-20 Elk hair, #20-22 tails up trico. Subsurface: #14 olive or tan Caveman Cranefly, #20 Chocolate Perdigon, #20 Buckskins

Weather:

Short Term -

Today is warm and cloudy with no callout for rain. The temperatures will hover in the mid-70s, making for a very pleasant day to spend outdoors!

Long Term -

Things turn over on the latter half of the weekend. Rain is moving back in and is expected to stick around for a few days. These afternoon rain storms have been our saving grace throughout the last few weeks of summer. Temperatures are set to remain warm and will be in the low to mid 70's for the next week or so.

Hatches: 

Summertime is great but can also create challenges. August is a buggy month! There are still Tricos around. Word is they have begun to move down the canyon a bit. In addition to those tiny mayflies, we are also seeing Caddis and PMD's in the system. In the canyon, there is always an opportunity to see BWOs and Midges as well. Time to check the bushes and watch for what the fish are really eating.

Tactics:

Dries! Fish dry flies! Fish in the canyon love 'em, so why not! You may have to put the puzzle together as things change throughout the day. In the early morning, look for midges. As things warm, the Tricos come up. As things heat up, the Caddis and PMD's make their way in. If it is a drizzly day, check for the BWOs.

Tips:

Look for feeding fish! The fish in Elevenmile Canyon are not spooky persay but are very aware. The deeper, slower water areas tend to be a little trickier when it comes to fooling fish and staying stealthy.

This is an area where 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 full-day trips here)