Arkansas in Runoff

The Arkansas has been taking runoff now for the past few days and is yet to crest. We will probably see peak flows by sometime next week and then edges should start to clear, giving us access to lots of fish and lots of hatching Golden Stones. By simply walking shorelines with a #10 Yellow Stimulator you can have the easiest fishing of the year. Pulling a streamer off the bank from a boat is not bad.....as a matter of fact, once we have a clear strip off each bank, it is very good.

Caddis Explode upstream

On Thursday, Caddis literally exploded off the water from Pinnacle Rock to up past Cotopaxi. Today we are experiencing a very strong hatch even to Coaldale. This one's a killer, so get out there over the next two weeks. Very good dry fly fishing on Black Foam Caddis and Larry's Egg Layer.

Chris, Greg and Abby enjoying the Arkansas

Hi,had a full day trip out on the 24th, the weather turned out to not be that bad had some rain off and on along with some wind. Air temp was 48 in the afternoon with water temp 46 to 48. Fish really turned on to BWO nymphs. The best pattern was the Purple Pheasant Tail in a #18 . We also moved a few fish on Brown Hackle yellows and olive buggers. We never had a strong BWO adult hatch.

Fishing Report

Hello everyone had a full day trip today fishing started slow up at Texas Creek but came on strong at about 1100 using a QD Larva / Black thunder rig.Water temp at 1100 at Texas Creek was 50 degrees. We moved down into Canon and found caddis this afternoon. Fishing was hard but if you gave them a pupa on the swing they would take it. As for drys they are starting to get picky and you need a pattern like Larry's hi vis or the brachy adult. Curtis

Caddis Upon Us

Full day guide trip today.....Fished Parkadale in the morning, took a number of fish on size 12 Yellow Sally, and also very productive with a mettalic caddis larva. Afternoon was spent hunting down some risiers on the riverwalk. A strange occurance today, as there were 2 overlapping hatches. First started about 1 PM, 2nd at about 3 PM, and at 430 we had egglayers back on the water. So, there were plenty of bugs, however, the fish were slow to key on them but came along nicely towards the end of the day. Fished a black foam caddis, trailing a Lofontaine Caddis Pupa, this was productive all afternoon.....get on the water, the blow up hatch should be in the next few days!!!!

Hello everyone I just got off a full day trip. Fishing was slow this morning up river, but was ok this afternoon at Parkdale and in Canon City if you found rising fish, then you could take them on a foam body caddis, wire body soft hackle or primetime. Curtis

WE HAVE CADDIS

We had caddis come off today in Canon City. Fish were eating larva ( Larrys QD larva) and adults (Elk hair and Larry's foam body) , fishing was slow on pupa but will pick up over the next couple of days. The adults came off at about 130 and went strong until about 215 when the clouds came over. Water temp. was 56 at 130. So get out and enjoy Curtis

Blue Wings Now....Caddis to Come

Blue Winged Olives have started hatching in earnest this week. Cloudy days are very important to BWO hatches. A little rain, a little snow, a little fog, and all of the above with low clouds will brings lots of bugs up to the surface. Fish follow the emergence all day, beginning with the nymphs close to the streambed and then the drifting larvae to the emerger and then the Adult. BWO spinnerfalls usually occur in this part of the country after dark. The next cloudy day, come to the Arkansas with a box of little Blue Wings in an 18 or 20. OH, be sure to bring the Gore-Tex.

Back From a Long Winter's Nap

Nymphing with Golden Stones, midge larvae, and chartreuse Caddis larvae have taken center stage on the Arkansas right now. Golden Stones from a size 10 to a size 16 are molting and offering themselves to hungry fish in choppy water at the heads of runs. Adult Midges are hatching around Noon until 3PM or so. A #20 Para Adams seems to do the trick. Good stuff to get you out of the house.

Denver Fly Fishing Show

If you live nearby, I hope you went to the Denver Fly Fishing Show. It snowed a foot on Saturday on top of 6 feet that previously fell......therefore....not many folks showed up on Friday. They made up for it on Saturday when the sun came out. Chuck did his usual terrific job of putting on a great show. The new cane rod section was a big hit. I came home with some by Curt Elder for the shop. Great rods for around $800 each....almost unheard of quality for this price. Thanks to everyone who stopped by and said hello. It was good to get our and talk about fly fishing for a change. We're sitting here in a foot of new snow and it was -8 last night. Spring is just around the corner.

Winter on the Arkansas

We'll not spend a lot of time on the blog during the winter, however, we would like you to visit us at the Denver Fly Fishing Show Jan. 5,6,7 2007. We'll be back after it when the spring hatches start. I apologize for the negligence this fall. I had a motorcycle wreck with severe injuries and am just now getting back in shape.

Excellent AM and late PM fishing....

I took this guy on a #16 Egg Laying Caddis evening before last. Fishing is incredible on these bugs with several Caddis hatches occuring late in the day.

Float fishing is hot!!!!!

Float fishing was great tonight using #14 Red Octobers, #14 Royal Wulffs, #16 Yellow Thunders and small hoppers.

Great AM fishing now......

Morning fishing is very good right now with hopper/dropper rigs, ants and Yellow Sallies. Afternoons are slow with the warm days.....deep nymph rigs will work with Yellow Sallies and Yellow Thunder trailing. Late afternoon/evenings patterns are single PMXs and yellow Humpies. The water has a green clarity after the floods of last week ended. Expect more clear water each day now.

July 15th

This picture is Brannon's First Arkansas Brown. Fishing was good on PMD nymphs like Yellow Thunders fished hopper dropper or on a nymphing rig. Water was clear down to Texas creek with edges clear down to parkdale.

Fishing Report June 29th

Fished from Texas Creek down this morning and did good using a #14 yellow stimulator, Yellow Thunders, Gold ice, and red or black Ants. Remember to fish the shore lines, most fish were no more than 4 feet off the shore line.

We're back........

Right now the water is rapidly dropping into condition for the rest of the summer. While still on the high side, fish are beginning to move a little away from the shorelines and back into outside seams and boulder pockets. You'll still find plenty tucked into the dirt, but more and more they will now begin to settle into prime feeding lies along the outside. Stimulators and Stonefly Nymphs of all sizes are working for the Golden Stones and Yellow Sallies. Take care wading.....the current is still a hammer if you make a mistake.

High Water for a while

For the next couple of weeks, the Arkansas will experience rising water and heavy runoff conditions. By June 1, the scouring will be complete and water levels will start to receed. When this happens, we are able to fish adult Stoneflies along the edges from a boat or by walking shorelines. This is the easiest fishing of the year, so stay tuned for updates. In the meantime, get in a whitewater raft and have some fun. That's a great way to spend an afternoon with the kids. Let us know if we can book one for you.

Lots of Fish on Now......

Some guys are just better than others. Nice fish from Caddis frenzy yesterday. Fish are on a variety of Caddis patterns and fishing in most places is just plain silly.