Arkansas River - CO

Fishing Outlook & Conditions

ArkAnglers's Tip of the Week

***Significant sediment/debris moving through the lower basin following flash flooding a few days ago. Visibility is slowly improving. Serious debris jams/deposits at confluence of Badger Creek. Logjam downstream from Seidel's Suckhole in Browns Canyon. Head upstream towards Buena Vista find better water quality today. Twin Lakes is releasing an additional 30 CFS down Lake Creek into the Arkansas River. For the foreseeable future, this extra water will provide a little more cushion for boating, which will be a welcome change for float anglers and guides. It's not a lot of water, but a little can make a big difference in a drought year. The river remains in the optimal flow range for resident brown trout and is still incredibly wadable. We see afternoon showers off and on in the forecast for the foreseeable future which may also impact flows day to day and help moderate our afternoon air temperatures. Late summer fishing continues to be highly productive, especially in the early hours of the day. We encourage river anglers to consider an EARLY start to the day and take a break during the heat of the day, from roughly 2 to 5PM on the warmer afternoons. Consider an earlier break on the hottest days. It's also a good strategy to seek opportunities at higher elevations where temperatures are less of a concern. Resident river fish will naturally shift out of forage mode in early to mid afternoon and fishing can be challenging at best while the fish rest. The last hour or so of daylight can see the action kick into gear again as temperatures drop and trout key on egg-laying caddis and mayfly spinners. The Arkansas River is unique due to the higher than average dissolved oxygen content throughout the system, and as such offers respite to trout even when water temperatures warm where other rivers can struggle.

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Water Flow Data

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