Planning to fish this weekend but don’t want to waste time guessing where to go or what to throw? We’ve got you covered. In this episode of the Rise Beyond Fly Fishing podcast, we break down the top 5 places to fly fish within an hour of Denver right now—each with up-to-date conditions, detailed hatch charts, and dialed-in fly picks.

From canyon seams to tailwater trophy zones, we walk through exactly what’s fishing hot this week:

• Clear Creek: Hopper-dropper heaven through Golden and beyond Tunnel 1. Fish it tight to structure with Elk Hair Caddis, Prince Nymphs, and Golden Stonefly patterns.

• Bear Creek: A small-stream gem just outside Morrison. Active browns are rising to Parachute Adams and midges in the morning. Tight water, big rewards.

• Waterton Canyon: South Platte tailwater magic close to town. Think RS2s, Zebra Midges, and a bike ride to less-pressured pools.

• South Boulder Creek: Cold, clear, and productive. Caddis and BWOs are in play. CDC dry flies and soft presentations are key.

• Dream Stream / Eleven Mile: Big fish. Small flies. Trico spinner falls, foam hoppers, and streamer grabs are all in play depending on time of day and wind.

We’ll also cover:

• This weekend’s best fishing times for each spot

• Pro-level insights on when to fish dries, nymphs, or streamers

• Exact fly patterns and sizes you should be tying on

• How to dodge crowds and maximize success on pressured water

• Bonus tips on flow reports, licenses, and gear

This is more than a fishing report—it’s a weekend mission briefing for anglers who want results without guesswork.

So whether you’ve got a few hours before dinner or you’re planning a full-day road trip, this episode will help you fish smarter and land more trout.

Brought to you by Rise Beyond Fly Fishing – Your source for Colorado river reports, hatches, gear tips, and the best damn flies west of the Divide.

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This week’s River Whisper rolls into the Eagle River—a freestone masterpiece running cold, clear, and full of bugs.

From Avon’s riffles to Gypsum’s long glides, the river is giving up fish on caddis dries, tight-line nymphs, and dry-dropper setups if you can read the seams and keep moving. Flows are stable, clarity is perfect, and trout are ready to eat from dawn until dark.

In this episode, we cover:

• How to time the PMD hatch window (hint: it’s earlier than you think)

• Why the evening caddis explosion is your best chance for a surface eat

• What flies we actually fish from Wolcott to Gypsum

• Where to access consistent pocket water and riffle runs

• Tips for fishing freestone flows like a local, not a tourist

We also talk about how the Eagle is fishing better than most of the South Platte right now—and how to build a better freestone strategy in July.

Need the flies? We tie ‘em and test ‘em. Small-batch, Colorado-built.
Find them on Amazon or direct at RiseBeyondFlyFishing.com.

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This week’s River Whisper takes you deep into Cheesman Canyon—Colorado’s most technical tailwater and home to some of the smartest, spookiest trout in the West.

Flows are low. Water’s clear. And the PMDs and Tricos are hatching like clockwork. If you’ve fished Cheesman before, you already know: it’s not about volume—it’s about precision. A blown drift, a sloppy cast, or 5X tippet could be the difference between a take and a ghosted trout.

In this episode, we cover:

• How to fish the July PMD hatch without getting rejected

• Why Trico spinners in the early hours are the real sleeper hatch

• The dry flies, emergers, and micro-nymphs we actually fish here (not the ones old-school shops still push)

• Tight-line and euro-nymphing tactics that catch fish when indicators fail

• Access tips, trail breakdowns, and how to fish smarter—not harder—in this granite-walled gauntlet

We also explain why Cheesman Canyon is where good anglers go to get better—and what it takes to actually land a fish here.

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We tie them. We test them. We don’t sell fluff. Shop small-batch Colorado-specific flies on Amazon or direct from RiseBeyondFlyFishing.com.

Subscribe to the River Whisper Report for weekly condition updates, hatch charts, and sharp, honest advice from anglers who actually fish here—100+ days a year.

Fish better. Fish smarter. Rise Beyond.