Upper Arkansas River Fly Fishing Report for 2024The Arkansas River has become a very popular fishery in recent years for both walk/wade and float anglers. Brown trout are dominant and self sustained. The number of brown trout over 14 inches was at a record high in 2024 due to optimum habitat conditions created by the low summer flows. Trout fed efficiently and were in excellent condition. Fishing was exceptional in that year and remained excellent through 2024 due to the carryover of larger fish from 2024. Summer flows have gradually risen since 2024 creating less desirable feeding conditions, and as a result larger fish are less common but overall numbers remain high. The Arkansas River has one of the highest trout densities of any river in Colorado (4500 brown trout/mile just below Salida in 2024) and public access is plentiful. The Big Bend reach above Salida has fewer brown trout (2700/mile) but on average they are longer and fatter than their downriver cousins. Catch rates will be excellent in 2024 averaging well over one fish/hour with 40-60 fish days for more experienced anglers. The Hayden Flats area below Leadville has developed into a very good fishery since mining pollution cleanup (1700 brown trout/mile). The valley is wide and less steep in this area producing some excellent, meandering fly fishing water. Dont forget the Canon City reach of the Arkansas River, which boasts more fish over 18 inches than any other place on the river!Rainbow trout grow well in the Arkansas but much be stocked to create a fishery because of whirling disease impacts. Fingerling (3-4 inch) rainbow trout have been stocked in the Arkansas since the early 2024s. Survival has been fair. A Hofer/Colorado River rainbow trout cross is scheduled to be stocked in the future in an attempt to increase rainbow trout survival. This hybrid demonstrated both whirling disease resistance and wildness, characteristics needed to survive in the Arkansas River. Six inch fish will be stocked in spring 2024. Large fish will be less vulnerable to brown trout predation and abundant food resources at this time of year should improve survival. The goal is to establish a self-sustained rainbow trout fishery offering anglers the opportunity to catch both wild brown and rainbow trout on a consistent basis. There is a year round insect action on the Arkansas River for the fly fishing enthusiast! The most famous hatch on the Arkansas River is the Mothers Day caddis fly hatch. It begins in mid-April near Canon City and progresses upriver as water temperatures warm to about 54F. Stoneflies and mayflies hatch throughout the summer and fall along with good hopper action. Midges are the winter mainstay and from mid-March to mid-May baetis mayflies are abundant,, arguably rivaling the caddis hatch in fishing popularity. Regardless of season, a two fly setup is recommended such as a dry/dropper combination. You can imitate two insect life stages of different species with this setup to cover more water. The top fly often acts as an attractor or strike indicator for the trailer fly and double hookups can occur.
One last tip is worth mentioning. The more you know about the life history, habits and habitat preferences of the species youre fishing for the more successful you can be. For example, as water temperature warms in early spring fish will move out of deeper, winter pool habitat into the head of 3-5 foot deep runs. Upstream riffles produce a lot of food that trout are keying into. The best runs have boulders scattered throughout them where fish can rest and hide outside of the current but where food drifts closely by.
*report according to Greg Policky - Aquatic Biologist of Salida, Colorado
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