There is a 5 mile stretch of Gold Medal water just two hours away from Denver that everybody refers to as the Dream Stream. This is one of the most popular and well known sections of the South Platte River, and its public water is a frequent destination for fly fishermen and women from Denver, the State and beyond. With a reputation for harboring trophy rainbow, cutthroat and brown trout, this meandering high prairie water truly is a Dream Stream for both novice and experienced anglers.

The fly fishing guides from Minturn Anglers in Denver have persuaded me that this is also a Dream Stream for the fish who live there. This part of the South Platte follows a winding path from the Spinney Mountain Reservoir through windswept mountain plans as it flows to the Eleven Mile Reservoir. For the most part, this is a slow running stream, about 30 feet wide. For the fish who call this water home, conditions are ideal:

• This is a tailwater fishery, fed from the Spinney Mountain Reservoir; this means relatively constant water temperatures, levels and flow throughout the year
• Over its run, the stream provides a good selection of slower pools, riffles, banks and deeper ponds which the fish love to explore
• There is an abundance of food constantly being provided by the washout from the Spinney Mountain Reservoir
• Conditions are ideal for a plentiful supply of food in the stream itself, including mayflies, scuds, midges, caddisflys, as well as trout fry, eggs and hoppers
• Clear waters make it easier for the fish to see and match wits with the many fly fishermen who work these waters
• The Colorado Department of Wildlife is continually working to preserve and enhance the vibrancy of the fish population in this section of the Platte

Spend a day on the Dream Stream, and you will soon agree that it is aptly named for both anglers and the fish which live there!