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I'll be camping at the Blue Mountain Campground just south of Lake George in Colorado the first week of August. I've never fished this area and about all I know is the South Platte and Elevenmile Canyon is nearby. Any help on hatches, flies, other streams in the area, helpful websites, etc., would be greatly appreciated. Also - was this area hurt by the fires around Colorado Springs from a couple of years ago?
Thanks in advance.
Joe
Possibilities of big fish and lots of them if you get it right. We did well with PMDs in Elevenmile Canyon about that time of year last year, but OMG are those areas hammered. Couple of fly shops in Woodland Park are closest, Royal Gorge Anglers outside Pueblo, Anglers Covey in Co Springs. I would get a guide at least first time.
Hire a guide to get the best out of the area. There are so many miles of stream, it's a daunting task to pick just 1 mile to fish. Everyone knows, even in the blue meddle streams, not all stream sections are equally productive. A guide changes the learning curve to hours instead of days. I value my fishing time more than the money to hire a guide to get me started in a new area. Pat Dorsey, Blue Quill Anglers, is probably the best known guide for that area. He has written many books and articles on fishing that area.
Check out Pat Dorsey's website. As Rizeye says, he's the guru on the S. Platte and has books, hatch reports, fly recommendations and articles on Deckers, Eleven Mile and Cheeseman Canyon.
http://www.patdorseyflyfishing.com/
The fires hit this area and fishing in some stretches like Deckers were greatly affected. The good news is those areas have recovered and are fishing well.
Thanks to everybody who helped me with their information. I talked to Pat Dorsey on the phone Sunday morning. Really nice guy and very helpful. He said the problems with Elevenmile Canyon are going to be the hordes of people and the very great possibility that there will be a very low, very warm flow there this summer. He said they desperately need more snow in that area this spring.
Thanks again for all your help.
Joe
So, just curious - where do you plan to center your efforts?
Since my friends booked this particular campsite and it is apparently just outside the entrance to Elevenmile Canyon, I guess that's where I'll do most of my fishing - crowds, low water, and all. I've been doing a little research about other spots fairly nearby but nothing has jumped out at me yet.
Joe
The Arkansas is fairly close - maybe 50 miles. Also Tarryall Res. and you can get a daily fee access to some ranches on Tarryall Creek with a group called South Park Anglers. You're not too far from Deckers and that zoo. All the South Park lakes, Antero, Eleven Mile and Spinney, especially if you have a float tube. But it's hard to beat being close to the action - and it's not too bad during the week. Everybody bashes the Dream stream, but there are some who do very well there.I'd say 90% of the crowds at Elevenmile are guides with people who generally leave Colorado Springs around 8:00 and get into the canyon about 9:00, so if you have your parking place before that you should have a spot. If you go up about 8 miles you will get into the catch and release area and lose some of the bait guys.
11 Mile Canyon is beautiful. The stream is full of boulders the size of cars, and even houses. The fish are generally small, but it is fun fishing. You may well find yourself sitting, or lying, on a boulder and drifting dries to rising fish.
Can get crowded on weekends from the Denver area.
Hope you have a good trip.