Spring Is Here
Looking upriver from the Big Bend boat ramp on Thursday March, 14 2024.
Overview:
Spring is here. The weather is quite a roller coaster this time of year, but the really cold nighttime temperatures are probably behind us. So, the fish have started to spread out away from their winter habitat which will make them more susceptible to a wider variety of tactics in a wider variety of spots along the river. So, get out and fish.
In my opinion, you can’t do much better than the Arkansas River. Its first 150 miles is the longest stretch of Gold Medal fishing in Colorado. Which means it probably has more fish than any other river in the state. The Ark’s wild brown trout may outnumber rainbows 10 to 1, but the rainbows can often be of trophy size. With different types of water from meandering meadows to swift pocket water to deep pools, there is something for every angler on tons of public lands. It also offers some of the best whitewater in the world and you should expect fast and technical rafting and not a lazy drift.
Weather:
As I write this, it is starting to snow, and we are expecting this storm to be one of the biggest so far this year. This is the time of year that our area gets its biggest storms. With that said, in between storms has been in the 50–60-degree range and so the snow melts pretty quick. Look for possibly a slight boost in flow and lower clarity this weekend due to melting snow from this storm. Especially, below Salida.
The weather in the Arkansas Valley is some of the best in the state. Known as Colorado’s “Banana Belt” it is characterized by sunny days and a rain shadow created by the numerous 14,000 foot peaks on the west side of the valley. So, the summers are cool, and the winters are much warmer and drier than the rest of the mountains. It is hands down the best winter fishing in the state. Most of our snow, less than what a city like Chicago or Boston would get, falls between March and May. Most of our rain falls as daily thunderstorms during what we call “monsoon season” in July and August.
Flows:
The current flow at the Wellsville gauge is 253 cfs. Which is very typical for this time of year. Currently, the Arkansas River Basin sits at 89% of median snowpack, but the upper portions of the basin that most effects the trout waters are firmly over 100% of median. Additionally, the Colorado River basin is also above 100% so we should see a decent water year this year. Of course, trout in a river like the Arkansas typically do a little better with lower flows but catching them might be a tad easier when the flows are just a little up because the water won’t be as crystal clear as when it’s down.
The Arkansas is a freestone river, and its headwaters are undammed. However, the flows are augmented at times, mainly from the Fry-Ark Project that moves west slope water via pipeline into Twin Lakes and then into the Arkansas through Lake Creek. As much as 20% of our water can come from the west slope. This spares the river of the high temperatures that can cause trout to struggle, and it doesn’t freeze throughout most of its length in the winter. Look to the Arkansas when other rivers are too cold in the winter or too hot in the summer.
Habitat:
Now that our extremely cold temperatures are likely behind us for the season, the fish should start to move out of their wintertime habitat. So, they won’t just be in the slowest of slow runs. But keep in mind that most of our fish are structure-loving Browns, so they will still be along the bottom, edges, or eddies. The Rainbows are generally more willing to be in faster water further from structure, but as they begin to spawn, they can be found in slow deep water near gravely riffles.
Trout habitat in the Arkansas is generally characterized by the cobble and boulder strewn riverbed. The only part of the river that doesn’t have a lot of boulders is Hayden Meadows. Hayden is known for its grassy and cut banks. Downstream from there the river is fairly steep and rocky creating many whitewater rapids and tons of pocket water. The many canyons the river flows through are known for their larger pools that provide shelter for both Browns and Rainbows and rocky banks that the Browns love. Rocky velocity shelters are key for this Brown trout dominated fishery.
Food:
Midges are probably still the main food source these days with the occasional large Stonefly nymph when one floats by. We will also see a small black Stonefly, but I don’t think the fish really focus on them. We will soon start to see mid-day hatches of Blue Wing Olives. But I think that the Blue Wing Olive nymphs are already moving around quite a bit.
Generally speaking, the Arkansas has mostly small insects. In the summer, the trout will find some larger Golden Stoneflies and Grasshoppers, but they likely eat more small Mayflies and Midges than anything. Historically, the Arkansas has been known for its sky darkening clouds of Mother’s Day Caddis, but as the overall variety of insect life has increased the caddis hatch has become a bit smaller and more localized. Small mayflies like Pale Morning Duns in the summer and Blue Wing Olives in the Spring and Fall are just as important as the Mother’s Day Caddis at this point. Also, there really aren’t any vertebrates in the Arkansas other than the native White Sucker and non-native Rainbow and Brown Trout. The native Yellow Fin Cutthroat Trout are now extinct. So, while the trout will often eat other trout, insects are the main dish on the menu.
Sections:
Hayden Meadows is starting to open up, but it is still deep winter up there. I would avoid it. But if you do fish up there be carefully of unstable ice shelves. Currently 0 cfs because the gauge is iced up. Approximately 9,500 feet in elevation.
Granite is mostly ice-free, but still pretty darn cold. The fish will still be behaving like its winter in Granite. There has been work on the Granite bridge throughout much of the winter. There is still a coffer dam and an excavator in the river there. So, the run above the bridge and hole at the boat access immediately below the bridge does not exist at the moment. I believe that there is no data coming from the gauge at Granite because of this construction. Approximately 9,000 feet in elevation.
Below Granite to Buena Vista is not a section that I fish a lot this time of year. When the flows are as low as they are there are so many exposed large boulders that makes getting around a bit harder. But if you know where you’re going there can still be some success to be had in this section. Currently 38 cfs. Approximately 8,000 feet in elevation.
Brown’s Canyon is a great place to get a little “solitude” this time of year. The river is crossable in the Hecla Junction area which gives you foot access to the rest of the canyon. Once the flows rise, it’s very difficult to get around the steep canyon walls. The low flows prohibit most all float fishing, however. Currently 372 cfs. Approximately 7,500 feet in elevation.
Big Bend and Salida is the most upriver section that would be worth floating at this point. The low-head dam that had been in this section for decades is finally gone! I haven’t had a chance to fish much in the area around the removed dam yet, but I know that habitat improvements were planned in addition to just removing the dam. One thing I know is that this section is now much safer, and floats will be quicker here since the frog water is gone and you don’t have to take time going around the dam. Currently 208 cfs. Approximately 7,000 feet in elevation.
Upper and Lower Bighorn Sheep Canyon is certainly the most popular section on the river this time of year, if not all year. Floating this section could be really productive right now. In the afternoons, look for the possibility of trout feeding on BWO’s in the many large foamy eddies found in this section. The further you get away from Salida the less people you will see. Currently 253 cfs. Approximately 7,000-6,000 feet in elevation.
Pleasant Valley would be a great place to float once we start to get regular Blue Wing Olive hatches. If you know where you’re going it could be a good place to walk/wade. There is lots of private property in this section. Currently 253 cfs. Approximately 6,500 feet in elevation.
The Royal Gorge is beyond the limits of the Gold Medal designation and is a little harder to access on foot since the road doesn’t follow the river here. It also has the very biggest whitewater (class IV-V) on the river. Therefore, it doesn’t get as much fishing attention. That doesn’t mean there aren’t plenty of fish there, but there will likely be a few less anglers in this section. Currently 315 cfs. Approximately 5,500 feet in elevation.
Suggested Flies:
My fly selection right now is focusing heavily on small mayflies and midges. Usually, they have a lot of attractor qualities, like flash, to get the fish to move a little farther than they might given the very early spring conditions. So, I would expect a fly like a size 16-20 Frenchie, Lightning Bug, Gasolina, or Disco Midge with a tungsten bead or paired with a fly that has one could be effective. For the most part, I haven’t been using a lot of dries, but it wouldn’t be crazy to try a big attractor like a size 12 Chubby Chernobyl in almost any color. But if it doesn’t work right away, I might take it off and just put an indicator on. Small ant patterns could also work. I usually figure ants are the first terrestrial that I fish with in the spring, but most true ant patterns don’t hold up the heavy nymphs we need to use. So, try a simple size 14 Sailor Ant for something that may float well. If you see any Blue Wing Olives hatching AND fish actually taking them on the surface a size 18-20 Extended Body BWO or Brook’s Sprout BWO in olive with a size 18-20 RS2 or Barr’s Emerger in olive behind it could work. Also, you can never go wrong with a classic size 20 Zebra Midge in any color.