Fly Fishing Elevenmile Canyon on the South Platte River in Colorado
Elevenmile Canyon is an amazing place to fly fish. The Canyon is located near a small town called Lake George in Colorado. Elevenmile Canyon is a stretch of the South Platte River. Elevenmile Canyon is about 10 miles long and divided into two main sections, the catch and release of water near the dam and the lower part of the river. The catch and release section is about 4 miles long and contains most of the trout in the river. Rainbow, brown, and cutthroat trout can be found throughout the canyon.
Camping is permitted in the canyon during the warmer months of the year. Elevenmile Canyon has 4 campsites that can be reserved for camping. The Canyon is a year-round fishery. The water is released from the bottom of the Elevenmile Reservoir and keeps the trout in the river comfortable every day of the year. The number of fish in Elevenmile is staggering. The upper section is home to thousands of fish. This makes it a Gold Medal fishery, meaning it is catch and release only and no bait is allowed. The rainbow bore in the barrel averages 10 to 18 inches. Most of them fall in the 14-inch range. Brown trout can grow much larger. The average brown trout in the upper river is 16 to 22 inches. The lower canyon does have lots of small brown trout though. Cutthroat trout also grow at the top of the canyon. They average 15-20 inches, with many fish in the 18-inch range.
The aquatic insect life in Elevenmile Canyon is also amazing. During the summer months you will see amazing births of Trico, Pale Morning Duns, Blue Winged Olives, Yellow Sallies, Terrestrials and Caddis. The trout at Elevenmile easily catch dry flies during June, July, August, September and October. During the colder months, trout rely primarily on mosquitoes, aquatic worms, and scuds below the water’s surface.
A four or five weight rod is the ideal fly rod for Elevenmile Canyon. A reel with good drag is also a must. The flies for Elevenmile Canyon can be very small. It is very typical for him to use #16-24 size flies. You will want some small Pheasant Tails, Black Beauties, San Juan Worms, Parachute Adams, and Copper Johns. The tippet sizes are also very small. Four, five and six size tippet is standard issue for Elevenmile Canyon.
Elevenmile Canyon is one of the best fly fishing spots in Colorado. Not only is the fishing amazing, but the views and views are amazing too. The canyon is lined with beautiful pine trees and huge rock formations. Elevenmile is a great place for any fly fisherman to visit.