Deckers Canyon Fly Fishing Photography

Deckers, Colorado Fly Fishing Photography on the South Platte River

For many Colorado anglers, Deckers is more than a place to fish.

It's where they learned to read a river. It's where friendships were built during early mornings on the South Platte. It's the stretch of water they return to after work, on weekends, and throughout every season of the year.

Located southwest of Denver, Deckers has earned a reputation as one of the most recognizable and iconic fly fishing destinations in Colorado. Anglers travel from across the country to fish these waters, drawn by healthy trout populations, beautiful scenery, and the chance to experience one of the state's most famous rivers with easy access.

These photographs were made over multiple visits to Deckers and are part of an ongoing project documenting fly fishing throughout Colorado and the American West.

An angler moves across the rocks and current while fly fishing on the South Platte River near Deckers.

Why Deckers Is One of Colorado's Most Popular Fly Fishing Destinations

Few rivers are as closely associated with Colorado fly fishing as the South Platte River near Deckers.

Its accessibility makes it a favorite among Front Range anglers, while the quality of the fishery attracts visitors from much farther away. On any given day, the river might hold local anglers who have fished here for decades alongside travelers experiencing Deckers for the first time.

The result is a place that feels both familiar and iconic.

For photographers, that popularity creates opportunities to document not only the landscape, but also the people who continue to make the river part of their lives.

An angler works a rock-lined stretch of the South Platte River below the walls of Deckers Canyon.

Photographing the South Platte River Near Deckers

Deckers is a place that feels good not just because it’s beautiful, it’s also familiar, like an old friend. Unlike a lot of the Colorado backcountry, Deckers offers top tier fishing and views with minimal effort, which is nice every once and a while. You can pop in for a few hours on the way or way back from somewhere else. Sorta like stopping in your favorite bar for a quick beer. And despite it’s ease of use, the nature of Deckers still allows for a complete mental checkout. There’s nothing I love more than hiking far into the wilderness with a camera and fly rod. Sometimes though, a place like Deckers is more than enough to scratch the itch.

From a large rock above the river, an angler looks over a rocky stretch of the South Platte near Deckers.

Fly line runs through the angler’s hands beside the South Platte River near Deckers, Colorado.

A River That Changes with the Seasons

One reason anglers return to Deckers year after year is that the river never looks quite the same twice.

Spring brings changing flows and fresh green vegetation along the banks.

Summer offers long days and evening light stretching across the valley.

Autumn transforms the cottonwoods into brilliant shades of gold.

Winter often leaves the river framed by snow while dedicated anglers continue to fish through the cold months.

Those seasonal changes make Deckers one of the most rewarding places in Colorado to photograph throughout the year.

A cast reaches along the edge of the river below the rock walls of Deckers Canyon.

More Than a Fishing Destination

Places like Deckers become important because of the memories people build there.

Everybody loves a far off destination, but there’s something equally as special about knowing you can easily call a place like Deckers your home water without spending a fortune on airfare. Or if you are coming in from out of town, it feels good to know there is top tier fishing only an hour and a half from Denver.

Many of the anglers who fish Deckers can point to specific bends in the river and recall stories from decades earlier. The South Platte becomes part of their personal history.

Large rocks and canyon walls surround an angler fishing the South Platte River near Deckers.

Warm reflected light shows across the textured surface of the South Platte River.

Part of a Larger Colorado Fly Fishing Photography Project

These photographs are part of an ongoing effort to document fly fishing throughout Colorado and across the American West.

Other locations in this project include:

• Cheesman Canyon

• 11 Mile Canyon

• Rocky Mountain National Park

• Clear Creek

• Black Canyon of the Gunnison

• Colorado River

Together, these collections explore not only the landscapes of the American West, but also the people, traditions, and culture that make fly fishing such a meaningful pursuit.

Colorado Fly Fishing Photography Prints and Licensing

Many of my fly fishing photographs are available as museum-quality fine art prints for homes, lodges, fly shops, and collectors.

View the fly fishing print collection

Images from this project are also available for editorial, commercial, and advertising licensing for outdoor brands, tourism organizations, magazines, and agencies seeking authentic fly fishing imagery.

To inquire about prints or licensing, please contact me directly - rob@robhammerphotography.com

The South Platte River narrows between rocks as an angler fishes through Deckers Canyon.

Rocky Mountain National Park Fly Fishing Photos for Editorial and Commercial Use

Rocky Mountain National Park Fly Fishing Photography

Fly fishing in Rocky Mountain National Park doesn’t feel like most places in the West. The water is colder, the air thinner, and the environment can feel both timeless and apocalyptic. Light shifts quickly, weather rolls in without warning, and the fish demand precision.

These photographs were made while fishing and moving through the high country above the Front Range, primarily along the Big Thompson River and surrounding alpine water. Like most of my work, they weren’t staged or built around a production schedule. They came from time on the river—watching light, waiting on conditions, and working within whatever the environment gave back.

Fly fishing guide tying a fly to his line before fishing in front of snow capped peaks

Fly Fishing in Colorado’s High Country

The headwaters of the Big Thompson River and the surrounding water in Rocky Mountain National Park offer a very specific kind of fishing. Tight pockets, fast current, and limited room to move mean every cast matters.

From a photography standpoint, that changes everything.

There’s no stepping back to reset a shot or adjusting positioning for better light. You’re often working in confined space, reacting to what’s happening in front of you rather than directing it. The best frames tend to come from small moments—reading water, adjusting line, moving carefully through current.

That’s what defines fly fishing here, and it’s what these images are built around.

Fly fishing in Rocky Mountain National Park

Big Thompson River Fly Fishing - Rocky Mountain National Park

Photographing Fly Fishing in Unpredictable Conditions

High-elevation environments don’t offer consistency.

Light can go from flat to harsh in minutes. Wind moves through canyon walls without warning. Temperatures shift quickly, especially in the early morning and late evening. All of it affects how the water looks, how the angler moves, and how the gear performs.

Photographing in these conditions isn’t about controlling the scene—it’s about staying responsive to it.

That approach leads to images that feel grounded in reality rather than constructed. For outdoor brands and editorial use, that difference matters. The details—wet fabric, glare on the water, uneven terrain—are what make the images believable.

Fly fisherman adding floatant to his fly with snow capped mountains in the background

Fly fishing the Moraine - Rocky Mountain NP

Backcountry fly fishing in Rocky Mountain National Park

Why Places Like Rocky Mountain National Park Matter for Outdoor Brands

The Rocky Mountains are one of the most recognizable landscapes in the United States.

For brands, that recognition carries weight. The terrain is immediately identifiable, but it still feels remote and demanding. It represents a version of fly fishing that’s both accessible and aspirational—something people understand, but still want to experience for themselves.

Photographing in a place like this adds context that goes beyond the product. It connects gear to a real environment—one that requires durability, movement, and adaptability.

That’s what turns a photograph into something usable for advertising or editorial storytelling.

Fly fisherman walking through a forest of burned trees in Rocky Mountain National Park

Frustrated fly fisherman after losing a fish

Fly fisherman netting a trout in a backcountry section of the Big Thompson River

Fly Fishing Photography for Commercial and Editorial Use

This work is available for licensing across a range of uses, including:

• Outdoor and apparel advertising campaigns

• Editorial features and publications

• Brand storytelling for web and print

• Tourism and regional marketing

Because the images are created in real conditions, they hold up across different contexts. They aren’t tied to a single moment or campaign—they’re part of a broader visual record of fly fishing in the American West.

Rocky Mountain National Park fly fishing

Smiling fly fisherman

Part of a Larger Fly Fishing Project

These photographs are part of an ongoing body of work documenting fly fishing across Colorado and the greater American West.

Additional work from other locations:

• Black Canyon of the Gunnison

• Colorado River

• Clear Creek (Winter)

Each location brings a different environment and a different set of challenges, but the approach remains the same—real anglers, real conditions, and an emphasis on the relationship between people and water.

You can view more here:
Fly Fishing Photography Gallery

Licensing & Commercial Work

I work with outdoor brands, publications, and agencies to create fly fishing photography that reflects how the sport actually looks and feels in the field.

For licensing or assignment inquiries please reach out directly: - rob@robhammerphotography.com

Authentic fly fishing photography

Fly Fishing - Crested Butte, Colorado

Crested Butte, Colorado Fly Fishing Photography

San Juan Mountains

Crested Butte, Colorado is hands down one of my favorite places to go fly fishing in the country. It’s just one of my favorite places period. Combine the stunning views with their mountain town culture and access to all sorts of fly fishing, and the place is hard to beat. Summertime anywhere in the San Juan mountains will seduce you whether you’re aware of it or not. The images are from a recent backcountry fly fishing trip with friends to a small creek that shall go unnamed for obvious reasons. There is plenty of easy fishing access around around Crested Butte on the Taylor River, East River, and Gunnison River, so blowing up such a remote spot like this would cause me to lose sleep. Just looking at these photographs is FOMO inducing. Can’t wait to get back out there.

Click here to see more of my fly fishing photography.

Fly fishing in Crested Butte, Colorado

Fly fisherman wading up a river in Crested Butte, Colorado

A fly fisherman climbing over a pile of trees and branches on the side of a river outside Crested Butte, Colorado

Fly fishing a picturesque stream in the San Juan Mountains

Cans of Coors Banquet chilling in river water during a fly fishing trip in Colorado

Catching trout on a backcountry stream in Colorado

Backcountry fly fishing in Colorado

A fly fisherman netting a trout in a small stream surrounded by canyon walls in Colorado

Fly fisherman laughing after a fun day on the river in Crested Butte, Colorado

Fly fishing wading boots and wading socks drying on a tree

Los Angeles River Fly Fishing

Los Angeles River Fly Fishing

Urban Fly Fishing for Carp - Photography

It’s hard for a lot of people who have never been in LA to believe that there is a river running through the city. Even harder to believe that said river actually holds fish and people are willing to stand in the water to try and catch them! Here is proof! This particular day was with my buddy Tyler Vanosdell of Mission Bay Fly Fishing and Lino Jubilado - aka the Mayor of Los Angeles River fly fishing. We had a great time, but it was one of those days on the water where you do everything right but it still doesn’t add up to anything. Perhaps that’s what keeps people coming back? Go pick up a copy of The Drake Magazine to read the article.

Click here to see more of my fly fishing photography

Los Angeles River Fly Fishing

Alaska Fly Fishing Photographs

Authentic Moments of Fly Fishing Adventures in the Remote Waters of Alaska

If you ever get the chance to fly fish in Alaska, don’t think twice, just go. It’s one of the last truly wild places left, and every trip feels like stepping back into a world untouched by time.

Up there, adventure isn’t a side note, it’s part of the deal. The rivers that hold the biggest rainbow trout, the brightest Dolly Varden, and the hard-fighting king and silver salmon aren’t lined with parking lots or lodges. They’re remote, winding through endless stretches of wilderness where the only way in is by float plane. You lift off from the lodge in Iliamna, and before long, you’re flying low over dense forests, braided rivers, and snow-dusted peaks, searching for a sliver of water that could be the site of your next great story.

When that plane skids to a stop on a remote lake or river bend, it’s just you, your gear, and the wild. No roads. No crowds. Just the sound of the current and maybe the distant call of a bald eagle overhead.

Of course, you’re not the only one fishing those waters. Spend enough time wading a remote Alaskan river, and you'll likely be forced out by a grizzly or two doing a little fishing of their own. It's humbling, to say the least. Encounters with bears are a part of the experience — a sharp reminder that you're a visitor in their kingdom. Give them space, respect their presence, and you’ll walk away with stories that last a lifetime.

The fishing itself is nothing short of legendary. Big, bruising rainbow trout that crush mouse patterns in the twilight hours. Dolly Varden dressed in their fall colors, flashing pink and orange like living jewels. Silvers leaping clean out of the water, their sides flashing like mirrors. And kings — heavy, relentless, and every bit as powerful as you’ve heard.

But beyond the fish, it's the feeling that hooks you the hardest. Standing waist-deep in a crystal-clear river, surrounded by wilderness that stretches to the horizon in every direction, you realize Alaska offers something rare: true solitude. True connection to the wild. No cell service. No distractions. Just you, the river, and the fish.

If you’re looking for something more than just another fishing trip — if you want an adventure that shakes you up, fills your lungs with clean air, and leaves you with memories stamped deep into your soul , Alaska’s remote rivers are the answer.

Click HERE to see more of my fly fishing photography.

Click HERE to shop my fly fishing prints and contact me directly about licensing these Alaska fly fishing photographs for editorial or commercial usage

Sunset over volcanoes in Alaska

Alaska Fly Fishing

Alaska Grizzly Bear

Aerial view of Alaska

Alaska grayling fly fishing

Fly fishing in Alaska

Float plane ride - Iliamna, Alaska fly fishing

Iliamna, Alaska fly fishing guide

Every day carries in Alaska

Fly fishing a remote river in Alaska

Silver Salmon fly fishing - Iliamna, Alaska

Fly fishing lake Iliamna, Alaska

Fly Fishing - Crested Butte, CO

Taylor River Fly Fishing

Fly Fishing Photography - Colorado

Sometimes you think the sun is going to help with the cold and on certain days is does. For all the rest of the days, it’s easiest to just accept the fact that you won’t feel your hands again until you get back to the truck. At which point you’ll need to put a koozie around your beer just so they don’t get any worse. Thankfully this wasn’t one of those. It’s only the middle of October but that doesn’t matter. If you spend time in the mountains then you know an early summer morning can feel oddly similar to winter. It’s got to be part of that whole love/hate thing.

It’s safe to assume that most western fly fisherman, in the beginning at least, are only concentrated on the rainbow trout. It’s put up on a pedestal. The trophy. The goal. Won’t deny having those same feelings, but that’s all changed over time, as everything does. Now, in my opinion, brown trout are king. Their colors and markings are really special.Now, In the name of transparency this isn’t my fish, but my friend caught it while I was shooting. Which means I was sort of catching it vicariously through him. That’s the only way I’ve found to calm the urge to set the camera down and replace it with a fly rod. It’s a vicious cycle that I’m trying to be at peace with. On the scale of problems, it’s a good one to have. Snowboarding is the only thing I do that absolutely won’t involve a camera unless it’s the one on my phone. Fly fishing on the other hand is a constant battle.

Good times on the Taylor River that day.

Click here to see more of my Fly Fishing photography

Fly Fishing the Taylor River

The beautiful markings of a brown trout

Fly Fishing Photography - 11 Mile Canyon - South Platte River

11 Mile Canyon Fly Fishing Photography on Colorado's South Platte River

The South Platte River has no shortage of famous stretches of water, but 11 Mile Canyon has always felt a little different to me.

Maybe it's the granite walls. Maybe it's the winding road that follows the river through the canyon. Or maybe it's because the farther you move away from the parking areas, the easier it becomes to forget how close you actually are to Denver.

These photographs were made during several days spent fishing, camping, and exploring the canyon with friends. Rather than focusing on fish counts or fishing reports, the goal was to document the experience that keeps people returning to places like this year after year.

Fly fishing road trip in a classic Bronco

Why 11 Mile Canyon Is One of Colorado's Most Photogenic Fly Fishing Destinations

Located below Eleven Mile Reservoir near Lake George, Colorado, this stretch of the South Platte River combines clear water, enormous granite boulders, steep canyon walls, and healthy trout populations.

The result is a landscape that feels uniquely Colorado.

For photographers, the canyon offers something different around every bend. Early morning light reflects off the cliffs, afternoon thunderstorms build over the ridges, and the river constantly changes character as it moves through the canyon.

It's the kind of place where you can spend an entire day with a camera and never make a cast.

A fly fisherman prepares his gear standing next to a classic Ford Bronco

Fly Fishing the South Platte River Beyond the Crowds

One of the best things about 11 Mile Canyon is that the experience changes dramatically depending on how far you're willing to walk.

The areas closest to the road are popular for good reason. Access is easy and the fishing can be excellent.

But some of my favorite photographs have come from the less-traveled sections where the canyon narrows, the crowds disappear, and the only sounds are moving water and wind through the pines.

Those stretches feel more like backcountry fishing than a roadside destination.

Massive granite walls rise directly from the South Platte River, creating one of the most scenic and recognizable stretches of fly fishing water in Colorado.

Scenic Colorado fly fishing on the South Platte River in 11 Mile Canyon

Black and white photograph of a fly fisherman in 11 Mile Canyon with storm clouds building in the distance

Camping and Fly Fishing in 11 Mile Canyon

Many anglers visit the canyon for a day trip, but staying overnight changes the pace entirely.

Spillway Campground offers easy access to the river and makes it possible to fish the morning and evening windows without spending hours driving.

The best moments often happen outside the fishing itself.

Coffee before sunrise.

Rigging rods beside camp with frozen fingers.

Afternoon rainstorms rolling through the canyon.

Drinking beer with friends around a fire after a long day on the water.

Those moments are every bit as important to the story as the fish.

Take a break on the South Platte River

Fly fisherman on a scenic section of the South Platte River in 11 Mile Canyon, Colorado

Photographing the Culture of Fly Fishing

One reason I've continued photographing fly fishing for so many years is that the sport extends far beyond the act of catching trout.

Road trips.

No cell service.

Off the grid camping.

Stories.

The unknown and unexpected.

Places like 11 Mile Canyon provide the backdrop, but the people and culture surrounding the sport are what continue to draw me back.

Fly fisherman walking through a tunnel in 11 Mile Canyon, Colorado

Netting a trout on the South Platte River

Part of a Larger Colorado Fly Fishing Photography Project

These images are part of an ongoing body of work documenting fly fishing across Colorado and the American West.

Additional locations include:

• Rocky Mountain National Park

• Cheesman Canyon

• Black Canyon of the Gunnison

• Clear Creek

• Colorado River

Each river has its own character, but the goal remains the same: documenting real anglers in real places rather than staged outdoor imagery.

Black and white photograph of a fly fisherman netting a trout on the South Platte River

Boulder hopping in 11 Mile Canyon

Fallen timber, polished granite, and swift current create the kind of structure that makes every run in 11 Mile Canyon worth fishing carefully.

Fly Fishing Photography Prints and Licensing

Many of the photographs from 11 Mile Canyon are available as fine art prints for homes, offices, lodges, and fly fishing enthusiasts.

View the collection of fly fishing prints

The collection is also available for editorial and commercial licensing for outdoor brands, publications, tourism organizations, and advertising agencies.

For print or licensing inquiries, contact me directly at rob@robhammerphotography.com.

Early morning fly fishing in 11 Mile Canyon

Afternoon rainstorm in Colorado

Fly fishing in 11 Mile Canyon is often less about covering water and more about slowing down, reading the current, and appreciating the landscape around you.

End of the fishing day - 11 Mile Canyon