Arkansas River Fishing Report

ARKANSAS RIVER

General Conditions ~ Suggested Techniques ~ River Conditions ~ Hatches ~ Fly Patterns

ARKANSAS RIVER TAILWATER (below Pueblo Reservoir)

General Conditions ~ Suggested Techniques ~ River Conditions ~ Hatches ~ Fly Patterns

May 16, 2012

Arkansas River

General Conditions

Flows have been holding around the 400 cfs mark for the past few days and the stability of that plus warming weather have turned on the fish. There are a few Stoneflies hatching now, early or not, we have big bugs on the water. Fish have seen them now and are crushing a 10/12 Stonefly adult pattern. Add a bead head dropper and you've got action. For nymphing, stay with a rubberleg stone lead fly followed by the same bead heads and don't be afraid to add a third non beaded mayfly nymph. We expect these conditions to hold for a while. Some creeks may slightly discolor water later this week but it should not have much effect. Don't forget the egglayers late in the day after 4 PM.

Hopper/Copper/Dropper rigs: Chubby Norman, Pool Toy, Large Para Stimulator or PMX.......Tung. BH Chartreuse Prince, Tung. BH Caddis Larva, BH BWO Nymphs......Barr's Emerger, Skinnie Minnie, Iceberg Baetis

Triple Nymph Rig: Rubberleg Stone, Golden Stone, Tung. Stone, Jumbo John.....Tung BH Chart. Prince, Tung. BH Caddis Larva, BH BWO Nymph.....Barr's Emerger, Skinnie Minnie, Dark RS2, Iceberg Baetis

Caddis Egglayer patterns in the evenings and Streamers from a boat



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Suggested Techniques

Dead drift nymph rigs, but be sure when fishing in water producing Caddis hatches, to swing the Caddis pupa up to the surface from a position upriver from your target fish. Let the fish eat the bug and then set the strike upstream instead of lifting. Don't think too much......that takes the fun out of it.

River Conditions

Flows: Wellsville 397 CFS

Canon City 245 cfs

Temperature: 48 to 58 degrees

Clarity: green clear

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Hatches

Brachycentrus Caddis, Rachycophlia Caddis, BWOs

Fly Patterns

#12 Tungsten Twenty Incher, #12 Guides Choice Hares Ear, #12 Prince Nymph, #8 Rubberleg Stone, #8 Jumbo John, #20 Iceberg Baetis, #20 Splatte Baetis, #20 Skinny Mini, #20 Black Thunder, #20 Black Ice, #20 Sprout Baetis, #20 HiVIs Baetis, #16 Foam Caddis, #16 Clown Shoe, #16 Peacock Caddis, #16 Chart. CJ, #14 Metallic Caddis, #16 BH Pupa, #16 Bubble Pupa, #16 Sparkle Pupa, #16 Egglayers, #16 Spent Caddis

Arkansas Tailwater below Pueblo Reservoir

General Conditions

Great

The spawn is about over, but fish still have vibrant colors. A little higher flows result in more holding water. Fish will respond to standard attractor nymphs and you will see some sporadic BWO dry activity in the ealry afternoons. Nice fish and good conditions

Suggested Techniques

This fishery is best approached with a variety of mindsets. An angler needs to focus on heavy structure due to low flows during the nymphing time periods and then make a switch to Dry/ Emerger when bugs hit the water. Fish will bump out of structure and into deeper slack water and tailouts to feed on adults, so switch your focus to these types of areas as bugs come off. Bigger fish will remain tight to structure in deeper riffles/ seams/ and pocket water. Attractor nymphs, i.e. Egg Patterns and San Juan Worms are the ticket, trailing anything from a caddis larva to a midge pupa.....

River Conditions

Flow: 245 CFS

Temperature: 48-56°F

Clarity: 40 inches

Hatches

Midges; Blue Wing Olives

Fly Patterns

#18-20 Chartruese Prince, #16-20 Chartruese Copper John, #18 Splatte Roller, #20-24 Dorsey's Top Secret, #20-24 Grey Rs2, #20-26 Sprout Midge Adult, #18-20 Iceberg Baetis, #18-20 Skinny Mini, #18-20 Flashtail Egg, #14 Orange/ Pink Chewy Worm

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