The Drift Fly Shop

 Fishing Report for the Arkansas River Tailwater, Pueblo:

Date: May 6th, 2024

Flow:  255 cfs 

Temperature:  49F from the dam, 48 – 56F Downstream 

Clarity: Excellent 

May 6th:  Flows have come down steadily over the past few days and spring fishing conditions on the tailwater could not be better!  Enjoy it while it lasts as runoff will likely be ramping up by the end of May.  We have some openings left in our guide schedule for the weekend and into next week so give us a call and get in on the fun!

May 2nd:

After a couple big increases on the 1st to move the last of carryover “Winter Water”, we saw a substantial drop in flows from the dam this morning and another cut this afternoon to bring flows down below 500cfs for the first time in weeks!  This is a great flow for this time of year and so get out and enjoy it while you can.  We expect to have two to three more weeks of good fishable flows before true runoff begins.  BWO’s and midge are still the predominant hatches but we should start to see some caddis hatching east of Pueblo Blvd if the flows mostly remain below 600 cfs and water temperatures consistently are peaking into the mid 50’s.  If you have been waiting to get in a guide trip before runoff, now is the time!  

April 30th:

Spring flows on the tailwater are still on the high side, but the river is running clear and is offering up some of the best fishing conditions found throughout the state at this time.  Clear flows and dependable midge and BWO hatches continue to keep fish on the feed and anglers happy.  We recommend sizing up to 5x tippet on the small flies to help land fish at these flows but don’t waste your time trying fish the main current.  Fish can be found and caught much easier in the secondary currents and seams and will often require only slightly more weight than when nymphing in the lower flows.

New to fishing the tailwater at these flows and unsure where how best to approach the river?  Give us a call at 719-543-3900 and book a trip a with one of our exceptional guides to help shorten the learning curve.

April 23rd:

The tailwater is seeing elevated flows for this time of year due to downstream water calls but the river is running clear and the fish are quite happy with extra water.  It does mean tougher wader conditions but the entire river is still accessible at this flow and if you think it too high (compared to ultra low winter flows) you really are missing out on some exceptional fishing.  Midge in the morning and BWO’s in the early afternoon have kept hungry, post-spawn fish on the feed much of the day!

If you are not familiar with fishing the tailwater at these flows, you might consider going out with one of our guides to help get you up to speed quickly and confidently.  

We’ve been fielding calls about floating the tailwater this spring and overall it is not advised for several reasons.  First, the fishing is simply  much better on foot than from a boat.  Fish are selectively feeding on small midge and BWOs and a precise drift from a moving boat is difficult.  Secondly, there are still a lot of wading anglers on the river until runoff starts in late May and that can make things get confrontational on a busy tailwater.  Finally, work is still in progress on the Southside diversion and passage below Nature center is not possible due to the active construction site.  Also be aware that boats MUST BE hand launched and hand removed from the river.  There are NO trailer accessible ramps.  While floating the tailwater is possible from below Juniper Bridge to the Nature Center when flows are AT LEAST 500 cfs, it fishes best from a boat on the downside of runoff in late June and July.

Recommended Patterns:

BWO Nymph/Emerger: FOD, Darth Baetis, Barr’s Emerger #18-22

BWO Adult: Barr’s Vis-A-Dun, Parachute BWO, CDC Comparadun Baetis #18-22 

Midge Pupa: New Moon, Tube Wing Midge, Top Secret, Foamback Emerger #20-24 

Midge Dry: Griffith’s Gnat, Eric’s Midge and Hanging Midge #20-22

Other:  Egg patterns, Squirrel Leeches, Blood Midge