Where to Go South Platte River – Elevenmile Canyon
Current Reports
FALL HOURS 9am to 6pm Daily
Pikes Peak Trout Unlimited has installed water temperature sensors in 11 mile canyon. Check out the water temps HERE
Report Date: 12/29/2025
Current Conditions:
The recent warm weather has really kept things going at a good clip up here. The fish have pretty much transitioned into winter mode and are mostly occupying deeper and slower water. The flows are at seasonal averages at 66 cfs. We expect these flows to remain at or near this through the winter and into spring. The fishing has been fairly typical of winter fishing, but we have also seen some great activity around 1pm each day. This time of year the angler will want to focus on areas of the river that do see some sun. The low sun angle will "cut off large sections of the river. This is where you will see the most ice and snow build up. The areas that do see some sun will afford much more productive fishing. Cover ground and fish your areas throughly.
Hatches:
The hatches are winding down a bit and its pretty much turning into a midge game. On certain days we are still seeing a good number of BWO's, so be prepared for that!
Tactics:
Nymphing will be the staple, but we have had some great windows of dry fly fishing. Focus on dry fly fishing during the pronounced hatches. As the bugs start to emerge the fish will be consuming them at a high rate. Watch the surface closely and switch over to dries as necessary.
Weather:
Short Term- We had a short little break from our record warm temps over the weekend. Temps got pretty cold and we even saw a little bit of snow. Unfortunately, this is all going to be pretty short lived. After a cold start today, we will start to warm back up consistently. High temps this week will touch 50 degrees again, and unfortunately there will be quite a bit of wind through the week. Morning lows will still be cold, but not as cold as it usually is this time of year. Expect to see lows in the teens through the week. Unfortunately, the precipitation chances are also very low this week. We dont have any storms coming anytime soon. It appears 2026 will start much the way 2025 will end. Warmer than average, dry, and a good bit of wind. The silver lining is that we will have some very pleasant weather for fishing overall.
Long Term- Looking out past this week, there are not really any significant changes on the horizon. A few smaller storms may deliver some snow at higher elevations here and there, but it will not move the needle much. As much of the entire western US sits well below average snowpack, we are right at all time record lows in our statewide snowpack. Longer range forecasts dont really suggest any changes in that anytime soon. It looks like we will ride that record low snowpack line through at least mid January. Lets all hope (and do those snow dances!) for some significant changes to come our way soon. This time of year is instrumental on building that overall snowpack for our summer water.
Tips:
Pay attention to the rises when you see fish feeding on the surface, or what you may think are fish feeding on the surface. These fish love to eat high emergers or mayfly spinners. Think about sinking that dry fly to entice more eats*
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 full day trips here)
RECOMMENDED PATTERNS
For a custom fly assortment for this location, click here!
Our Top 6 Nymphs for Today:
- Foamback emerger, brown, sizes 24-20
- Mercury RS2, grey, Sizes 20-22
- Pale Ale midge, tan, sizes 20-22
- No Mercy midge, black, size 22
- Mercury black beauty, sizes 20-22
- Blindside midge, black and purple, size 22
Our Top Dry Flies for Today:
- Griffiths gnat, sizes 18-24
- Parachute Adams, natural, sizes 20-24
- Mole fly, olive or brown, size 22
Our Top Streamer Patterns for Today:
- Mini Boogeyman, black, size 6
- Baby Gonga, black, size 8
- Slumpbuster, Natural, size 4-6
- Wooly buggers, brown, sizes 6-8
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
- Head west on US-24 W/Cimarron St/Midland Expy toward S 21st St go 36.3 miles.
- Turn left in Lake George on Co Rd 96, go 1.1 mile, follow river into canyon