arkansas

Arkansas River is a river in Colorado.

It ranks #3 among the 17 waters of Colorado in the registry, and is of national prominence.

Also called the Ark and Ark.

Fished for trout (inferred from the species listed).

Species: brown trout and rainbow trout.

USGS GNIS record: 78956.

Stretches: Browns Canyon, Arkansas River Tailwater, Bighorn Sheep Canyon, Royal Gorge and Upper Arkansas River.

Access points: Hecla Junction, Ruby Mountain, Big Bend, Buena Vista River Park, Numbers, Rincon, Salida East, Vallie Bridge and Stockyard Bridge.

Confluences: Badger Creek and Texas Creek confluence.

Features: Parkdale.

Granite (access). It is fishable and launchable. First access in ArkAnglers' (Orvis) list.

It is on the stretch Upper Arkansas River.

It is upstream of Numbers.

Railroad Bridge (access). It is fishable and launchable.

It is on the stretch Upper Arkansas River.

It is upstream of Buena Vista River Park.

It is downstream of Numbers.

Bighorn Park (access). It is fishable. Campground (Vail Valley Anglers).

It is on the stretch Bighorn Sheep Canyon.

Fractions (feature). CPW river-section feature ('Numbers and Fractions').

It is on the stretch Upper Arkansas River.

Pine Creek Rapid (feature). CPW river-section feature, Leadville to Buena Vista.

It is on the stretch Upper Arkansas River.

Point Barr (feature). Mile marker 227 (CPW).

It is on the stretch Bighorn Sheep Canyon.

It is upstream of Red Wall.

It is downstream of Rainbow Route.

Pueblo Nature Center (feature). It is fishable. Orvis: catch-and-release runs from Valco Ponds to the Nature Center. Order shown follows that phrase.

It is on the stretch Arkansas River Tailwater.

It is downstream of Valco Ponds.

Rainbow Route (feature). Listed in CPW's Salida-Vallie sequence; type not stated.

It is on the stretch Bighorn Sheep Canyon.

It is upstream of Point Barr.

It is downstream of Woody's Claim.

Red Wall (feature). Listed in CPW's Salida-Vallie sequence; type not stated.

It is on the stretch Bighorn Sheep Canyon.

It is upstream of Rincon.

It is downstream of Point Barr.

Salida Whitewater Park (feature). It is fishable. Start of CPW's 18-mile Salida to Vallie Bridge section.

It is on the stretch Bighorn Sheep Canyon.

It is upstream of Salida East.

Valco Ponds (access). It is fishable. Upper limit of the Orvis tailwater section.

It is on the stretch Arkansas River Tailwater.

It is upstream of Pueblo Nature Center.

Wellsville (feature). Listed in CPW's Salida-Vallie sequence.

It is on the stretch Bighorn Sheep Canyon.

It is upstream of Woody's Claim.

It is downstream of Salida East.

Woody's Claim (feature). Listed in CPW's Salida-Vallie sequence; type not stated.

It is on the stretch Bighorn Sheep Canyon.

It is upstream of Rainbow Route.

It is downstream of Wellsville.

Float: Stockyard Bridge to Texas Creek, from Stockyard Bridge to Texas Creek confluence, 25 miles.

Float: Salida to Vallie Bridge, from Salida Whitewater Park to Vallie Bridge, 18 miles.

Float: Browns Canyon, from Ruby Mountain to Hecla Junction.

Sourced from 4 independent fly sites.

Sources: blog.vailvalleyanglers.com, coloradooutdoorsmag.com, Colorado Parks and Wildlife, Colorado Parks and Wildlife (2), fishingreports.orvis.com, fishingreports.orvis.com (2), intoflyfishing.com (retrieved 2026-10-20) and kenlockwood.tu.org.

Hatches

Yellow Sally

Sourced.

  1. Jan
  2. Feb
  3. Mar
  4. Apr
  5. May
  6. Jun
  7. Jul hatching
  8. Aug hatching
  9. Sep
  10. Oct
  11. Nov
  12. Dec

Sporadic through the afternoon.

Sources: intoflyfishing.com

Red Quill

Sourced.

  1. Jan
  2. Feb
  3. Mar
  4. Apr
  5. May
  6. Jun
  7. Jul
  8. Aug
  9. Sep hatching
  10. Oct hatching
  11. Nov
  12. Dec

Pseudocloeon hatches overlap; gray and green drakes appear in some years.

Sources: intoflyfishing.com

Mother's Day Caddis (Brachycentrus / Tax Day caddis)

Stage: pupa, adult. Well sourced. Sources give different windows; this shows the range.

  1. Jan
  2. Feb
  3. Mar
  4. Apr hatching
  5. May hatching
  6. Jun
  7. Jul
  8. Aug
  9. Sep
  10. Oct
  11. Nov
  12. Dec

Progresses upstream roughly eight miles a day from near Canon City, where it starts once water reaches 54F (mid-April in some years), reaching Buena Vista and Salida by late May. Durations differ: up to about a month per one shop, mid-April to late May per another.

Sources: The Perfect Fly Store, The Perfect Fly Store, The Perfect Fly Store, intoflyfishing.com, blog.vailvalleyanglers.com

Blue-Winged Olive

Well sourced. Sources give different windows; this shows the range.

  1. Jan
  2. Feb
  3. Mar hatching
  4. Apr hatching
  5. May hatching
  6. Jun hatching
  7. Jul hatching
  8. Aug hatching
  9. Sep
  10. Oct
  11. Nov
  12. Dec

Reported start dates differ: late March per one shop, mid-March per another. The first hatch lasts to about mid-June, with a second from mid-July through most of August. BWOs overlap the May caddis period.

Sources: The Perfect Fly Store, The Perfect Fly Store, The Perfect Fly Store, intoflyfishing.com, blog.vailvalleyanglers.com

Golden Stonefly

Stage: adult. Well sourced. Sources give different windows; this shows the range.

  1. Jan
  2. Feb
  3. Mar
  4. Apr
  5. May hatching
  6. Jun hatching
  7. Jul hatching
  8. Aug
  9. Sep
  10. Oct
  11. Nov
  12. Dec

Reported windows differ: one shop gives mid-May to mid-July (often spoiled by runoff), another June to July (big numbers in Browns Canyon).

Sources: The Perfect Fly Store, The Perfect Fly Store, The Perfect Fly Store, intoflyfishing.com

Grasshoppers, ants, beetles

Stage: adult. Well sourced.

  1. Jan
  2. Feb
  3. Mar
  4. Apr
  5. May
  6. Jun
  7. Jul hatching
  8. Aug hatching
  9. Sep hatching
  10. Oct
  11. Nov
  12. Dec

Sources: The Perfect Fly Store, The Perfect Fly Store, The Perfect Fly Store

Pale Morning Dun

Well sourced.

  1. Jan
  2. Feb
  3. Mar
  4. Apr
  5. May
  6. Jun
  7. Jul hatching
  8. Aug hatching
  9. Sep
  10. Oct
  11. Nov
  12. Dec

Mornings and evenings in many areas.

Sources: The Perfect Fly Store, The Perfect Fly Store, The Perfect Fly Store, intoflyfishing.com

October Caddis

Sourced.

  1. Jan
  2. Feb
  3. Mar
  4. Apr
  5. May
  6. Jun
  7. Jul
  8. Aug
  9. Sep hatching, peak
  10. Oct hatching, peak
  11. Nov
  12. Dec

Peak: late September-early October

Lower sections only.

Sources: intoflyfishing.com

Midge

Sourced. Sources give different windows; this shows the range.

  1. Jan hatching
  2. Feb hatching
  3. Mar hatching
  4. Apr hatching
  5. May hatching
  6. Jun hatching
  7. Jul hatching
  8. Aug hatching
  9. Sep hatching
  10. Oct hatching
  11. Nov hatching
  12. Dec hatching

Reported windows differ: one source gives December-February, when midges are the one dependable option and the tailwater below Pueblo fishes better; another says they hatch year-round and matter on cold days.

Sources: The Perfect Fly Store, The Perfect Fly Store, The Perfect Fly Store, intoflyfishing.com

Access, closures and rules change; check with the state agency before you go.