In this report
Low and Warm — Fish the Margins, Keep It Short
We’re sitting at 59 CFS this week on Eleven Mile, which is honestly where this tailwater lives most of the time. But here’s the thing: that’s below the ideal dry-fly band of 150–250 CFS, and it’s even below the typical range this water usually runs in. The upshot is real. Fish are compressed into the better holding water — the deeper slots and behind the bigger rocks — and they’re going to be hypersensitive to wade pressure and a sloppy cast. The low flow also means less current push to help turn over emergers and small dries, so you’ll be stripping and working the fly more than you would at higher water. And with June heat building and the reservoir running low, water temps are climbing earlier in the week than usual. If you’re coming down, plan to fish the canyon early (dawn through mid-morning) and be done by early afternoon. Fish welfare matters, especially at these levels.
Pale Morning Duns Into Midge Switches
PMDs are the headline for June, and they should start showing up in genuine numbers by late morning—typically between 10:30 and 1:00 p.m., depending on cloud cover and how strong the sun is that day. At 59 CFS, the hatch won’t be a flush; expect a steady trickle of duns coming off the slower water and the inside bends, with fish rising cautiously and selectively. Bring #18 and #20 emergers and duns—not #16, which runs large for this water. A #18 Pale Morning Dun emerger or Sparkle Dun works better here than a traditional dry; the emerger sits lower in the film and matches what the fish are actually keyed on at low, spooky flows.
That said, don’t ignore the midge game. Midges are hatching all day year-round on Eleven Mile, and when PMDs thin out (they will, by 2:00 p.m. at the latest), you need to be ready to switch. A #22 or #24 Black Beauty or simple Zebra Midge, fished either as a dry in the film or as an emerger just below the surface, will keep you in fish when the obvious hatch ends.
Caddis (#14–16) will be a factor in the evening hours, and at this flow they’ll pull some aggressive takes. If you’re staying late, that’s your window for a little more confident casting and stripping. But for most of a June day at Eleven Mile, you’re splitting time between PMD emergers and tiny midges.
Rigging for Low, Spooky Water
This is where the week demands precision.
Start with a two-fly nymph rig: a #18 or #20 PMD emerger (Barr’s Emerger or a thin-bodied pattern) as your point fly, 18 to 20 inches below that a heavier anchor—a #16 Barr’s Graphic or a small tungsten-bead midge pattern in the same size. This anchor does two jobs: it reaches the bottom of the deeper slots where trout will be holding, and it lets you fish the emerger at the ideal depth without adding clumsy amounts of shot.
Use a 0X or 1X butt section, then drop to 4X tippet for the whole rig. At 59 CFS and with trout on edge, you need the tippet to break off cleanly if you snag the bottom—and you will snag in the pockets—rather than tearing out a fish’s mouth on a tight line. The finer stuff also drifts more naturally in the slow current.
Fish tight-line, not an indicator. The low flow means you’re not getting much depth without drifting very slowly, and an indicator adds drag and visibility at these levels. Mend aggressively upstream as you drift, keep your rod tip low and tracked with the fly, and learn to feel the anchor tick-ticking the bottom. When you feel weight, you’re in the zone.
For PMD dry-fly work during the hatch window: 5X tippet (the #18 emerger is small enough that 4X will spook fish in this gin-clear, low water), and cast to the slower inside bends, the soft water behind bigger rocks, and any spot where a trout can hold without burning calories fighting current. At 59 CFS, the pocket water is still productive, but the deepest pools and the slower edges are where most of the fish will be.
Where to Spend Your Time
The 3.8-mile Quality Waters stretch is small and intimate—closer to a big mountain creek than a full river once you step away from the dam. At this flow, favor the deeper pools and the long, glassy runs. The pocket water that usually carries half the fish is less attractive now; trout need to conserve energy, and they won’t stay in a current seam if they can hold in quieter, deeper water instead.
The slower inside bends and the darker slots against the canyon walls are where you’ll find most of your takes. Fish them methodically, but don’t waste time on the shallows or the thin runs where there’s not enough depth for a trout to hide and rest. The access pullouts along the canyon road mean you can hop in and out easily; use that to your advantage. Fish a section, then move to the next productive stretch rather than working every inch of mediocre water.
Access and Stewardship This Week
The $11 day-use fee at the entrance station is still your gateway in—remember, that’s a U.S. Forest Service fee for Pike-San Isabel NF, and it’s separate from any Colorado State Parks pass. Bring cash or be ready for a card reader.
At 59 CFS and warming temps, keep your sessions short and your wading deliberate. The trout in this canyon are seeing low, warm water; they’re already stressed. Catch what you’re meant to catch, then step out and let the resource breathe. The canyon’s roadside access is a gift—use it to spread pressure across the best water rather than pounding one pool.