The Water
Where Cole guides
Front Range tailwaters, the upper Arkansas, and the southern Colorado river he grew up on.
Five rivers, from 4,660 ft on the Arkansas at Pueblo to 8,110 ft in Eleven Mile Canyon. Each page carries a live reading from its USGS or Colorado DWR gauge, plus the flow band that stretch fishes best in — 60 cfs on the Conejos at the low end, up to 1,200 cfs through Browns Canyon.
Deckers
South Platte River · Front Range
A tailwater stretch of the South Platte in Pike National Forest, southwest of Denver — one of the closest pieces of trout water to the Front Range.
7,970 ft · fishes best 80–250 cfs
Eleven Mile Canyon
South Platte River · Front Range
The South Platte below Eleven Mile Reservoir, running through a granite canyon west of Lake George.
8,110 ft · fishes best 80–300 cfs
Browns Canyon
Arkansas River · Upper Arkansas
The Arkansas near Nathrop, between Buena Vista and Salida, inside Browns Canyon National Monument.
7,660 ft · fishes best 250–1200 cfs
Arkansas at Pueblo
Arkansas River · Southern Front Range
The tailwater below Pueblo Reservoir — the lowest-elevation water Cole guides, and the one that fishes longest into the cold months.
4,660 ft · fishes best 150–800 cfs
Conejos River
Conejos River · Southern Colorado
The river Cole grew up on, in the San Juans of southern Colorado, where his grandparents owned a lodge. Fished on specialty and destination trips.
7,940 ft · fishes best 60–400 cfs
Common questions
Which rivers does Cole Atchley guide?
Five: Deckers on the South Platte, Eleven Mile Canyon, Browns Canyon on the Arkansas, the Arkansas at Pueblo, and the Conejos River in southern Colorado.
Which of these rivers is lowest, and which is highest?
The Arkansas at Pueblo is the lowest at about 4,660 ft. Eleven Mile Canyon is the highest at about 8,110 ft, with Deckers and the Conejos both near 7,950 ft.
How do I check flows before a trip?
Every river page carries a live reading from its USGS or Colorado DWR gauge, updated through the day, alongside the flow band that stretch fishes best in.
Does Cole run float trips on these rivers?
No. Every trip is walk and wade — on foot and in the water.