Where to Go South Platte River – Dream Stream
Current Reports
Open 9 am to 6 pm Daily
Report Date 10/9/2026
Conditions:
The Dream Stream section of the South Platte River between Spinney Mountain Reservoir and Eleven Mile Reservoir is running low and clear around 78 CFS. Water temperatures are cooling rapidly into the mid-to-high 40s. With low lake releases, the meandering meadow channel is extremely shallow, pushing resident trout, migrating lake-run brown trout, and bright red Kokanee salmon into deep cutbanks, plunge pools, and dark bends. The broad, treeless landscape offers no cover for anglers, making all species exceptionally spooky to shadows and bank vibrations.
Guide Report:
Ted Demitriou 9/26/2026
"Crowded! At least 10 cars in each parking lot. Trico and BWO hatch, got a few on Caddis too. No dry fly action"
Weather:
Short Term -
High-country autumn weather brings harsh morning frosts to the South Park valley, with temperatures dropping into the teens and low 20s. Powerful, persistent winds routinely sweep across the open flats by mid-morning, gusting up to 25 or 30 mph. Cloud cover often rolls over the surrounding peaks by early afternoon, dropping ambient air temperatures into the 40s and creating optimal conditions for fall hatches.
Long Term -
As late October takes hold in South Park, early winter conditions settle in quickly with freezing winds and frequent snow flurries. Surface water temperatures will sink into the low 40s and upper 30s before the river margins begin icing over in November. Kokanee salmon will finish their annual spawning run and die off, while large brown trout consolidate into the deepest slow-moving bend pools to conserve energy for the coming winter.
Hatches:
Midges dominate the morning hours, drifting along quiet, slow-moving eddies. Blue-Winged Olives (BWOs) provide the most significant hatch during overcast or windy afternoons, emerging in size #20-24 patterns. Late-season terrestrials are mostly done due to heavy overnight freezes, but strong winds will occasionally blow residual terrestrial ants or small beetles off the high-prairie grass into the water on warmer afternoons.
Tactics:
Stealth and wind management are essential on this open stretch. Rig with 9-to-12-foot leaders tapering to 5X or 6X fluorocarbon tippet. High-visibility indicator rigs can easily scare fish in clear, shallow water, so opt for light yarn indicators, sight-nymphing, or euro-nymphing setups in deeper slots. Target migrating browns, Kokanee, and opportunistically feeding resident rainbows with a two-fly nymph rig using an egg pattern, San Juan worm, or small leech pattern up front, trailed by a size #22-24 midge pupa or Baetis emerger.
Tips:
Stay well back from the cutbanks and cast while crouching or kneeling to avoid throwing a long shadow across the open water. While Kokanee salmon add great excitement and color to the river during autumn, target them in deep holding slots rather than snagging them off shallow gravel. Use heavy wind gusts to your advantage by approaching pools while the surface is ruffled, which helps disguise leader entry, and always avoid fishing directly over active brown trout spawning redds.
Photo by Phil Tereyla
This is an area where we offer guided fly fishing trips. There is no better way to learn an area like the Dream Stream than hiring one of our Orvis-endorsed professional guides!
Recommended Fly Patterns
Dry Fly Patterns
- Para Midge, size #20-24
- "Greased" RS2, sizes #18-24
- Hackle Stacker, size #18-22
- Micro Chubby, sizes #14-16
- Juan's 180 Degree Trico, size #20-24
Nymph Patterns
- Juan's Bling Midge, size #20-22
- Tungsten Bead Pheasant Tail, size #18-22
- Manhattan Midge, Red, size #18-22
- Massacre Midge Brown, #20-22
- Barr's Emerger BWO, size #18-22
Streamer Patterns
- Baby Gonga, Black
- Flatliner, White
- Slump Buster, Olive
Anglers Covey Bug Of The MOnth:
BE SURE TO CHECK OUT OUR "WHERE TO GO" PAGE FOR DETAILED INFORMATION ON OTHER AREAS!
River Details:
The South Platte River below Spinney Reservoir is known to most local anglers as the "Dream Stream." This tailwater doesn't have many hold over fish and is subject to high wind speeds and inclement weather. The spring and fall have been the Dream Stream's saving grace because of the spawns. Large rainbows and cutthroat trout move into the river in the spring, and Large browns and kokanee salmon move in in the fall. There is no camping available next to the river; however, several great campgrounds are downstream along Elevenmile Reservoir. There is a $9 park pass fee to park in the last lot below Spinney.
"I love fishing the Trico hatch on the Dream Stream through September, as the hatches run strong though months end. Cover your bases with a parachute Trico trailed by a clear wing spinner throughout the morning hatch for best results!"
- Kenny Romero
This is an area we specialize and are permitted to guide in, 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 – Dream Stream.