Anglers encounter an abundant population of trout when fishing in the South Platte River. Here you’ll find 4,000-7,000 rainbows and browns per mile. The pristine environment is brush-free along a few areas of the river, making it easy to fish from rocks, bars, or the shore. Anglers rate this river as a haven to fish. The river area from Watertown Canyon to Deckers resides in the Pike National Forest, which you can easily access.
The Dream Stream flows between the Spinney Mountain and Eleven Mile Canyon Reservoirs for 3.8 miles and is one of the best sections of the river for fishing. This part of the river flows through a meadow with plenty of shoreline fishing opportunities accessible to the public. The best time to visit the Dream Stream is during spring and fall during the migration of the monster trout.
Beyond the Eleven Mile Reservoir lies the Eleven Mile Canyon – another excellent fishing location along the South Platte. This stretch of river runs along Colorado road 96, offering easy fishing access and dotted with campgrounds. The 2-mile section between the dam and Springer Gulch Bridge is for fly fishing only and holds about 3,500 fish per mile. You can also follow the river north via Highway 67 for excellent fishing among the boulders of Cheesman canyon.
There are also many supreme fishing spots along the South Platte in the stretch between Deckers and Waterton Canyon to the north. This section offers easy access along the North Fork and Waterton Canyon trails which are also popular for mountain biking and hiking. You can also try fishing from the shoreline near the Strontia Springs Reservoir, although the steep banks can make access challenging near its lower end.
