Cheesman Canyon

• Location: Near Deckers, CO
• Google Maps Link

• Description:
  Cheesman Canyon is one of Colorado’s most technical tailwaters, known for crystal-clear flows, steep canyon terrain, and highly educated trout. This is premium sight-fishing water where small flies, light tippet, and careful presentations matter. Anglers come here for a challenge and the real shot at large wild browns and rainbows.

  Water Type: Pocket water, deep slots, shallow glassy runs, boulder seams
  Difficulty: Advanced
  Best Season: Year-round; best clarity and consistency in spring and fall
  Best Techniques: Tiny midges, small emergers, sight nymphing, dry-dropper in summer
  Access Style: Steep canyon hiking from the Gill Trail; moderate to strenuous
  Crowd Factor: High on weekends and during low, clear flows; calmer on weekdays
  Why Fish Here: It’s the most rewarding technical water on the South Platte with trophy trout potential

Deckers Sections

• Location: Deckers, CO
• Google Maps Link

• Description:
  Deckers is one of the most accessible and consistent stretches on the South Platte. With easy roadside access, a mix of riffles, runs, and deep bends, this section fishes well year-round and is a favorite for both local anglers and visitors. It offers forgiving water for beginners and enough complexity to keep experienced anglers engaged.

  Water Type: Long riffles, classic runs, deep bends, pocket water near boulders
  Difficulty: Beginner to intermediate
  Best Season: Year-round; peak fishing in spring and fall
  Best Techniques: Nymphing with small midges and mayflies, attractor dries in summer, light streamers early and late
  Access Style: Very easy roadside pull-offs and short walk-ins along the river
  Crowd Factor: Moderate to heavy, especially on weekends and warm winter days
  Why Fish Here: Consistent flows, easy access, and dependable action across all skill levels
  Guide Tip: Fishing Deckers? Get paired with a guide who knows current flows, pressure pockets, and the stretches fishing best today.

Waterton Canyon

• Location: Near Littleton, CO
• Google Maps Link

• Description:
  A scenic walk-in fishery close to Denver with shallow runs, gentle gradient, and wild brown and rainbow trout. Great for beginners and hikers who want consistent action and easy access. Flows stay stable and the canyon offers some of the best after-work fishing near the city.

  Water Type: Long riffles, shallow glides, occasional deep pockets
  Difficulty: Easy to moderate
  Best Season: Spring through fall; winter midge fishing on warm days
  Best Techniques: Small midges, light nymph rigs, dries on calm evenings
  Access Style: Walk-in or bike; wide service road follows the river
  Crowd Factor: Busy weekends; quieter early mornings or weekdays
  Why Fish Here: Reliable water close to Denver with miles of easy walking access
  
  

Dream Stream(Charlie Meyers State Wildlife Area)

• Location: Between Spinney Mountain and Eleven Mile Reservoirs
• Google Maps Link

• Description:
  The Dream Stream is a world-famous meadow tailwater known for migratory trout and wide, open vistas. Long glides, slow bends, and subtle seams challenge anglers to fish with precision. In spring and fall, large browns and rainbows move through the system, offering rare shots at trophy fish in shallow water.

  Water Type: Slow glides, undercut banks, soft seams, long meadow bends
  Difficulty: Intermediate to advanced
  Best Season: Spring and fall for migratory fish; summer for hoppers and tricos
  Best Techniques: Small midges and emergers, leeches during migrations, delicate dry-dropper rigs in summer
  Access Style: Easy walking paths along flat meadow terrain with wide sight lines
  Crowd Factor: High during spring and fall runs; moderate in summer; light in winter
  Why Fish Here: Trophy trout potential in open, sight-fishing-friendly water

Eleven Mile Canyon

• Location: Near Lake George, CO
• Google Maps Link

• Description:
  Eleven Mile Canyon is a classic Colorado tailwater with granite walls, shaded pockets, and consistently clear flows. The canyon’s structure offers everything from gentle riffles to deep pools, making it a versatile fishery for anglers who like to move and explore. It’s one of the most scenic and reliable stretches on the South Platte.

  Water Type: Deep pools, boulder pockets, riffle-run sequences, shaded canyon slots
  Difficulty: Intermediate
  Best Season: Spring through fall; good winter midge fishing on sunny days
  Best Techniques: Nymphing with midges and mayflies, dry flies during summer hatches, small streamers at low light
  Access Style: Drive-in canyon with numerous pull-offs and short paths to the river
  Crowd Factor: Moderate, with lighter pressure the farther you drive up canyon
  Why Fish Here: Diverse water types and consistent clarity in one of Colorado’s most scenic canyons

Spinney Mountain State Park

• Location: Near Hartsel, CO
• Google Maps Link

• Description:
  Spinney is famous for its stillwater giants, but the tailwater below the dam is its own small, underrated gem. Clear flows, broad meadow banks, and cold releases create a short but productive stretch that consistently produces large rainbows, browns, and northern pike. It’s windy, wide-open, and classic South Park water.

  Water Type: Tailwater, slow meadow currents, deep bends, weed-lined edges
  Difficulty: Intermediate
  Best Season: Spring opener, early summer, and fall; tough but rewarding in shoulder seasons
  Best Techniques: Stillwater chironomids and leeches on the reservoir, small mayfly and midge nymphs on the river below
  Access Style: Easy pull-off parking with long, open walks along grassy banks
  Crowd Factor: Moderate-to-high on reservoir openers; light on the river below
  Why Fish Here: A rare chance at oversized stillwater trout and consistent tailwater flows in the same location

Tomahawk State Wildlife Area

• Location: Near Fairplay, CO
• Google Maps Link

• Description: Tomahawk is classic South Park meadow water: wide, winding bends, undercut banks, and long grassy flats that feel untouched compared to the busier stretches downstream. It’s one of the quietest places you can fish on the upper South Platte, with miles of walk-in access and steady populations of browns and rainbows that thrive in the cold, meandering channel.

  Water Type: High-meadow freestone with slow bends, cutbanks, and shallow riffles
  Difficulty: Easy-to-intermediate; wind and stealth matter more than complex rigging
  Best Season: Late spring through fall; hatches shine on warm, calm days
  Best Techniques: Dry-dropper rigs, small mayfly and midge nymphs, tight-bank presentations on overcast days
  Access Style: Multiple parking pullouts with long, open meadows and minimal crowds
  Crowd Factor: Low; often feels like you have the river to yourself
  Why Fish Here: A peaceful, wide-open prairie experience with sneaky good trout and ideal dry-fly water

Scraggy View Picnic Area

• Location: Near Deckers, CO
• Google Maps Link

• Description: Scraggy View is one of the most overlooked stretches near Deckers. Just a short drive from the main crowds, this section fishes quieter and more technical, with a healthy mix of pocket water, deep slots, and shady banks tucked against the canyon wall. It’s an excellent spot for anglers who want the Deckers experience without the shoulder-to-shoulder pressure.

  Water Type: Riffles, pocket water, canyon bends, and deeper shaded pools
  Difficulty: Intermediate; more structure and faster transitions than the main Deckers run
  Best Season: Year-round, with especially strong midges and BWOs in spring and fall
  Best Techniques: Tight-line nymphing, small mayfly patterns, dry-dropper rigs in summer
  Access Style: Easy roadside pull-offs with short, rocky walk-ins to the river
  Crowd Factor: Low-to-medium; significantly lighter than Deckers Bridge
  Why Fish Here: Same productive trout water as Deckers with a fraction of the people and more structure to work

Badger Basin State Wildlife Area

• Location: Near Hartsel, CO
• Google Maps Link

• Description: Badger Basin is wide-open South Park water at its purest. The river snakes through big sky prairie, creating long glides, shallow riffles, and deep undercut bends that hold wild browns and rainbows. Flows are generally low and clear, making stealth and presentation more important than complex rigs. When the wind settles and the hatches line up, this stretch can fish far better than most anglers expect.

  Water Type: Meadow freestone with long runs, cutbanks, and glassy flats
  Difficulty: Intermediate; technical dry-fly and light-nymph presentations are key
  Best Season: Late spring through fall, especially during mayfly and terrestrial windows
  Best Techniques: Dry-dropper, small mayfly nymphs, hoppers in mid-summer, slow streamer swings on overcast days
  Access Style: Multiple parking pull-offs with long, exposed walks along pastureland
  Crowd Factor: Low; huge acreage spreads anglers out naturally
  Why Fish Here: Massive views, solitude, and sneaky productive trout water that rewards patient, thoughtful fishing

Overland Park

• Location: Denver, CO
• Google Maps Link

• Description: Overland Park is one of the most accessible urban fishing stretches on the South Platte. The river here mixes restored habitat with soft riffles, slow meanders, and deeper holding water that supports trout, smallmouth bass, carp, and seasonal warmwater species. It’s the perfect spot for a quick after-work session, a scouting walk, or a technical day chasing picky urban trout in surprisingly clear water.

  Water Type: Urban riffles, pocket water, engineered runs, deeper mid-channel troughs
  Difficulty: Intermediate; clear water, pressured fish, and urban noise make stealth essential
  Best Season: Spring and fall for trout; late summer for warmwater species and carp
  Best Techniques: Small nymphs, emergers, light dry-dropper rigs, carp-specific patterns, slow streamer retrieves
  Access Style: Easy paths, bike trails, and park walk-ins with ample parking
  Crowd Factor: Medium; shared space with cyclists, walkers, and local anglers
  Why Fish Here: Quick access inside Denver, multi-species opportunities, and surprisingly good sight-fishing when the river runs clear

North Fork of the South Platte

Location: Bailey, Pine, and Shawnee areas

Google Maps Link
Description: The North Fork fishes like a hybrid between mountain pocket water and high-meadow freestone. Above Bailey it’s tight, shaded, and bouldery; below Pine Valley Ranch it becomes wider, smoother, and more approachable for beginners. Cold flows from Roberts Tunnel stabilize water temps, and the public water from Bailey downstream provides long stretches of accessible, productive fishing.

Water Type: Pocket water, canyon seams, and lower meadow-style runs
Difficulty: Easy-to-intermediate depending on stretch
Best Season: Spring through fall; winter midge fishing can be excellent during warm spells
Best Techniques: Attractor nymphs, small mayflies, tight-line setups in the upper canyon
Access Style: Designated pull-offs, park access, and short walk-ins
Crowd Factor: Medium; locals fish it heavily but it’s rarely overcrowded
Why Fish Here: Close to Denver, varied water types, and consistent flows from the Roberts Tunnel

Middle Fork of the South Platte

Location: Between Alma and Fairplay
Google Maps Link

Description: The Middle Fork is classic high-country meadow water that flows through open ranchland, willow-lined bends, and shallow riffles. This stretch offers some of the best light-line dry fly fishing in South Park when flows are right. It’s overlooked, windy, and technical — which is exactly why the fish here are often less pressured than nearby Tomahawk or Badger Basin.

Water Type: Shallow meanders, cutbanks, slow glides, and willow tunnels
Difficulty: Intermediate; stealth and light rigs required
Best Season: Late spring to early fall; hoppers in July and August
Best Techniques: Dry-dropper, small PMDs, midge nymphs, hopper-dropper rigs
Access Style: Several BLM pull-offs and fence crossings with clear signage
Crowd Factor: Low; one of the quietest stretches in the basin
Why Fish Here: True South Park solitude with surprisingly willing browns

South Fork of the South Platte

Location: Above Antero Reservoir toward the high country
Google Maps Link

Description: A tighter, colder, and more forested fork than the others, the South Fork offers pocket-water fishing, beaver ponds, and small-stream trout that are aggressive and eager. It’s a great option for families, beginners, or anyone who wants simplicity and action instead of pressure and complexity.

Water Type: Narrow pocket water, beaver ponds, tight willow-lined stretches
Difficulty: Easy
Best Season: Summer and early fall
Best Techniques: Small attractor dries, small streamers, beadhead nymphs
Access Style: Forest pull-outs and dispersed camping corridors
Crowd Factor: Low; mostly locals and hikers
Why Fish Here: Fun, forgiving small-stream fishing with high catch rates