Fly Fishing Colorado Springs, Colorado: Nearby Rivers, Lakes and Local Pros
Location Details / Colorado / Towns / Colorado Springs
Fly Fishing Colorado Springs, Colorado: Nearby Rivers, Lakes and Local Pros
Colorado Springs sits between two well-known tailwaters: the Arkansas River below Pueblo Reservoir, about an hour south, and the South Platte from Eleven Mile Canyon down to Cheesman Canyon and Deckers. Spinney Mountain and Eleven Mile reservoirs add big-trout stillwater, and Colorado Springs Airport (COS) is in town.
Colorado Springs is a working guide town. Local guides fish tailwaters, freestones and big reservoirs inside a few hours of the city because the summer tourist season alone will not pay the bills, and that variety is exactly what makes it a good base for a visiting angler.
This page covers the water within reach of Colorado Springs, when each piece fishes, and what Colorado Springs guide Brian Hilbert and stillwater angler Jon Easdo told us on the Fly Fishing Insider Podcast. For the rest of the state, start with the Colorado hub.
Top species
Brown and rainbow trout; trophy trout in the South Park reservoirs; kokanee in fall
Best months
Tailwaters year-round; reservoirs from ice-off in late March or April; June to September is peak season
Top nearby waters
Arkansas River tailwater at Pueblo, Eleven Mile Canyon, the Dream Stream, Cheesman Canyon and Deckers, Spinney Mountain and Eleven Mile reservoirs
Drive times
Arkansas tailwater at Pueblo: about an hour south
License and regs
CPW fishing license plus Habitat Stamp; water rules in the Colorado Fishing Brochure
Nearest airport
Colorado Springs (COS); Denver International (DEN)
Rivers and Lakes Near Colorado Springs
- Arkansas River tailwater at Pueblo: about an hour south of the city, per Brian Hilbert. From the bridge at Valco Ponds down to Pueblo Boulevard, Colorado Parks and Wildlife rules make it flies and lures only, and every trout 16 inches or longer goes back. Brian says the fish are sharp and often want size 22 to 24 baetis on light tippet.
- Eleven Mile Canyon: the South Platte from just below Eleven Mile Dam to the Wagon Tongue Gulch Road bridge at Springer Gulch is flies and lures only, with every trout released.
- The Dream Stream: the South Platte between Spinney Mountain and Eleven Mile reservoirs: Gold Medal water where every fish goes back, with portions that can close September 15 to December 31 for kokanee spawning work. Brian calls it a windy meadow stretch with excellent summer hopper fishing.
- Cheesman Canyon and Deckers: Gold Medal tailwater below Cheesman Dam, catch and release to the upper Wigwam Club line, and a two-trout, 16-inch minimum from the lower Wigwam boundary to Scraggy View Picnic Ground. See Fly Fishing Denver.
- Spinney Mountain and Eleven Mile reservoirs: the big stillwaters in South Park. Spinney Mountain is one of Colorado's three Gold Medal lakes. Brian fishes them with a 10-foot 7-weight for trout in the 24- to 28-inch range, using indicators and stripped flies.
When to Fish Near Colorado Springs
The tailwaters fish every month, and the lakes follow ice-off. Brian Hilbert told us the lakes open from about late March or early April, when trout cruise the shallow shorelines for scuds and the first warm-water bugs, then move deeper as summer heats up.
| Season | What fishes near town |
|---|---|
| Winter | The Arkansas tailwater and Eleven Mile Canyon with tiny baetis and midges on light tippet |
| Spring | Ice-off on the reservoirs: fish close to shore and shallow; blue-winged olives on the tailwaters |
| Summer | Hoppers and dries on the Dream Stream; deeper water on the lakes; the busy June to September season |
| Fall | Blue-winged olives; Dream Stream closures for kokanee work can start September 15 |
Brian Hilbert and Jon Easdo on the Springs
Brian Hilbert has guided full-time for more than 20 years and lives in Colorado Springs. On How to Have Versatility in Any Region or New Water he explained why he fishes everything within about five hours of the Springs: tourism peaks June through September, and a guide who wants to work all year has to learn every water type. His core skill is observation. Sit down, watch what the bugs, the fish and the water are doing, and build a plan before you rig.
Brian credits Jon Easdo with teaching him stillwater. Jon, a longtime Colorado Springs angler and guide, joined us on Migrating Your Fly Fishing to Stillwater to share midge stripping techniques and why so many river anglers are moving to the lakes, which are far less crowded than the South Platte and the Arkansas.
Hire a Local Pro in Colorado Springs
No FFIP Certified guide is listed in Colorado Springs yet. Local guides hold permits across many waters, so one guide can cover the river or the lake that is fishing best that week. Find a Pro lists every vetted guide, lodge and outfitter.
Tips from Podcast Guests
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Build a drop-shot nymph rig for faster sink
Heavy butt section to a barrel swivel, straight fluorocarbon below it, a tungsten jig fly on the point and two unweighted flies on tags above.
Brian Hilbert, South Platte and Arkansas River tailwater guide, on How to Have Versatility in Any Region or New Water
Nearby Fly Fishing Towns
Colorado Springs Fly Fishing Questions, Answered
Where can you fly fish near Colorado Springs?
The Arkansas River tailwater at Pueblo, about an hour south, is flies and lures only with trout 16 inches and up released. The South Platte offers Eleven Mile Canyon, the Dream Stream and Cheesman Canyon. Spinney Mountain and Eleven Mile reservoirs hold trophy trout for stillwater anglers.
When is the best time to fly fish near Colorado Springs?
Any month on the tailwaters. The reservoirs open from about late March or early April at ice-off, which is prime shoreline fishing. Summer brings hoppers on the Dream Stream and the busiest season from June to September, and fall brings blue-winged olives and kokanee.
Do you need a guide to fly fish near Colorado Springs?
No, but the local water is technical. The Arkansas tailwater and the South Platte both hold pressured trout that want tiny flies and good drifts. A guided day shortens the learning curve, and Brian Hilbert's advice is to pair one guided trip with your own research and practice.
Is Colorado Springs or Denver a better base?
Colorado Springs is closer to the Arkansas tailwater at Pueblo, Eleven Mile Canyon and the South Park reservoirs. Denver is closer to Waterton Canyon, Cheesman Canyon, Deckers and the city carp, and has more flights. Both work for the South Platte.
Sources: Regulations: CPW Chapter W-1 (November 2025). Gold Medal list: Colorado fishing regulations. Guest material: Brian Hilbert, Jon Easdo and Pat Dorsey on the Fly Fishing Insider Podcast.
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By Christian Bacasa, host of the Fly Fishing Insider Podcast. Last reviewed November 2026.
Seasons, flows, regulations, access and license rules change without notice. Regulations here come from the Colorado Parks and Wildlife rules in force at the time of writing. Confirm current rules with CPW, and trip pricing and availability with your Frontiers specialist, before you book.