Arkansas River - CO

Fishing Outlook & Conditions

ArkAnglers's Tip of the Week

Blue wing olive hatches are growing in strength around Salida, offering increasingly good afternoon dry fly fishing, particularly on cloudy afternoons when hatches are the strongest. This combines with midge hatches, molting golden stonefly nymphs, and drifting caddis larvae to prompt greater activity from resident trout than we've seen so far this year. Fairly mild weather is in the forecast again this week. 9AM to 5PM is your best window of opportunity for productive fishing most days, when air and water temperatures are warmest and the angle of the sun will positively impact fish behavior in the river. If you have experienced an Arkansas River blue wing olive hatch before, you'll know that this event can offer some of the best dry fly fishing of the entire year. The Arkansas is known for its venerable brachycentrus "Mother's Day" caddis hatch which will begin in mid-April but seasoned local and itinerant fishermen have recognized the incredible mayfly activity preceding these caddis hatches, all the while enjoying far less traffic and competition on the river. Expect fish to be close to deeper winter water, though they are beginning to venture into nearby transitional areas that are often much shallower (~2-3' in depth) to seek food. Work water slowly and methodically, relying on multi-nymph rigs in deep water with a fair amount of weight to ensure your flies achieve the appropriate depth for where fish are holding. In shallower areas, we are seeing good results moving to a dry dropper rig. Midge and caddis larvae are key before lunchtime, with midge pupae critical forage after noon. We've also seen a dramatic increase in blue wing olive nymph activity in these weeks prior to their emergence. Nymphs will grow darker as they mature are now drifting consistently each afternoon preceding their hatch. Anglers should carry dun and emerger imitations around a size #18. The best opportunities to fish a blue wing olive hatch are typically on cloudy days with high humidity, as it seems more insects hatch and generally rest on the water's surface for a longer duration before being able to take flight. That said, you can still see excellent hatches on sunny days here, too, so be prepared rain or shine. In addition, expect increased molting activity from resident golden stonefly nymphs making them much more vulnerable to predation. #10-14 light colored golden stonefly nymph imitations are perfect for imitating this behavior and since heavy anchor nymphs are a good way to minimize the need for split shot in sinking your rig, golden stonefly nymphs are good choices all spring. 4x and 5x leader and tippet are appropriate choices. Find warm, sunny, well-lit areas to fish when possible, as the thermal energy can make a massive difference in fish and fish food activity.

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