Arkansas River Tailwater, Pueblo
Pueblo Tailwater Fishing Report: Pueblo Dam down to I-25
Date: June 3rd, 2025
Flow below dam: 2270 cfs
Temperature: 52F From the Dam
Clarity: Stained
June 3rd:
Flows below the dam have doubled over the past few days as runoff continues to build. There are still some fishing opportunities on the tailwater at these flows but conditions are far from ideal. If you have a full day to fish you might be better served fishing an area lake. On the other hand, if you just have a few hours to get out and wet a line you can be pleasantly surprised at what is still possible. If you head out on the tailwater there are few side channels in the State Park stretch that are worth hitting. Big back eddies and anywhere rock structures are touching or near the bank are all prime areas to focus on at these high flows. Fish tend not to be two picky as the water comes up and a variety of patterns can get the job done such as squirrel leeches, blood midge, worm patterns and the tried and true midge and baetis patterns of spring are still productive like Mercury Black Beauties, Full moon midge, Rs2 variations and FOD’s.
May 27th:
Flows are trending back up and this should be the start of true runoff. Water clarity is still very good and water temperatures are in the ideal range so there is still good fishing opportunities available. The key is to do a little more walking and focus on areas away from primary currents. Any rock structures near banks, as well as side channels and large back eddies can all be productive.
May 21st:
Flows are down in the ideal range for what will likely be the last time before runoff hits at the end of May or early June. Good hatches of midge and BWO’s are keeping fish on the feed most of the day and you may even see some early caddis hatching through town where water temps are warming in the mid 50’s. This is also a good time to through streamers, particularly early and late in the day.
May 16th:
Flows have come up the past two days but water is clear and the river is still very much fishable. Take a little time to walk the bank until you locate fish and you will do just fine.
May 12th:
Flows are back down in the ideal range for spring time and the fishing has been fantastic. The sight fishing is exceptional whether nymphing or fishing dry flies and we are see consistent hatches of midge and BWO’s. We are seeing some mid elevation snow melt in the upper basin which might result in slightly higher flows but we should have another 10 – 14 days of optimal conditions before runoff really gets going. Overall snowpack is well below normal so we aren’t expecting a very high or prolonged runoff this year and summer fishing conditions should be very good by late June.
May 7th:
The massive storm system that stalled over the area brough steady rain for the past 24 hours, dropping over 2″ of rain in some areas. As a result, flows below the dam have been raised to pass the rainwater through. Water clarity is still good below the dam and should improve through town by the afternoon. Expect flows to drop over each the coming days with flows likely back below 500 cfs by the weekend.
Looking ahead, we should have another two weeks or more of good fishing conditions after the rainwater subsides and before runoff begins. This storm system brought some much needed snow to the Sangre de Cristo mountains but overall basin snowpack is well below average and the forecast is for a short runoff.
May 1st:
Flows dropped significantly this morning which will make for easier wading on the tailwater and better opportunities for dry fly action, particularly during the peak hatch window of 11am to 3pm. Midge and BWO’s are hatching consistently during this time slot and the fish are keyed in and looking to feed on good imitations and precise drifts. Water clarity is excellent and the sight fishing has been very exciting. If you aren’t having much success right now you owe it to yourself to book a trip before runoff begins and get in on the action. We should have about three weeks left of stellar fishing on the tailwater before flows get cranking. This is some of the absolute best fishing of the year and a great time to learn what you are doing right and what can be improved to consistently catch fish on the tailwater. Learn to sight fish, plan your approach and make that first drift count!
The Drift employees only local guides, including Head Guide Connell O’Grady, who has been fishing the tailwater for over 30 years and guiding exclusively on the tailwater for almost 20 years. If you are looking to hite a guide to fish the Pueblo Tailwater, give us a call and rest assured you will be fishing with a local expert who will cater the trip to meet you specific needs. Tight lines!
Recommended Patterns:
Tube Wing Midge and WD40 #20-22
Foam Emerger #18-22
Mercury Black Beauty, Full and New Moon Midge #18 – 20
Juju Baetis, Top Secret Baetis, RS2, FOD #18-20
True Blood Midge #14-18
Streamers
UPPER ARKANSAS RIVER: Canon City to Salida
Date: June 3rd, 2025
Flow @ Wellsville: 2310 cfs
Temperature: 50- 60F depending on daily weather and time of day
Clarity: heavily stained throughout the corridor
June 3rd:
Runoff is in full swing and the Upper Ark will be difficult for the next 10 – 14 days. If you do go out, fish tight to the banks with streamers that are black or have a good deal of flash.
May 27th: It looks like we are finally seeing true runoff begin. Flows will likely moderate until warm weather moves back in by the weekend, at which point, we should see flows quickly climb to a peak around mid June. With snowpack well below normal, we expect to see the river back in good fishable condition by the third week of June.
May 21st:
Flows have dropped significantly and water clarity is 3-4 feet through Big Horn Sheep Canyon! We should have several days up to a week of excellent conditions on the upper river before true runoff begins. Fish are feeding opportunistically much of the day so mix things up until you find a winning combination of technique and fly selection.
May 16th:
Flows are steadily dropping on the upper Ark and the edges are clearing. We expect this trend to continue for a few days to a week before true runoff begins. If you are fishing on foot, plan to fish a dry/dropper rig close to the bank as the main channel may remain off color. The streamer fishing from a boat should be lights out banging the banks until the river swells again with snowmelt.
May 13th:
The river below Buena Vista is running dirty as mid-level snow from the storm that passed through last week continues to melt with the recent warm weather. More than likely, this is NOT the start of true runoff, but merely a small blimp due to the recent storm. We expect to see flows level off today or tomorrow and start clearing again by the end of the week, at which point, we should have a 7 – 10 day window of good fishing conditions down through Big Horn Sheep Canyon before runoff begins in earnest around Memorial Day weekend.
The caddis hatch has progress above Salida now so plan accordingly if you are hoping to be in the thick of it. However, BWO’s, midge and crane fly are still hatching through the canyon and remanent adult caddis are still out laying eggs. Plan to fish a mix of nymphs and dry flies depending on time of day and weather conditions. Streamers are also very productive if you are so inclined, as we often are.
May 8th:
The canyon stretch is clearing nicely and has pretty good visibility throughout at this point. Scattered rain is a possibility but if you come across a slug a dirty water it shouldn’t be hard to move upstream and find good water. Be prepared for a mix of nymphing and dry fly action depending on time of day and good streamer action is always a possibility.
May 7th:
The best fishing is above Salida at the moment as recent rainfall has significantly reduce water clarity below Salida. Things should improve quickly down through Big Horn Sheep Canyon barring additional rainfall over the coming days. Adult caddis are still laying eggs in the Canyon but the “Mother’s Day” caddis hatch is now in the vicinity of Salida and progressing upstream as weather/water temps allow. BWO’s, midge and spring crane fly are still hatching in the canyon stretch. The cooler weather with interspersed cloud cover should make for good insect activity and can also prompt aggressive feeding on streamers through the weekend.
May 1st:
Fishing has fluctuated between exceptional and slow depending on wind, time of day and hatch activity, but overall remains very good. There is more food items now and the fish are alternating between gorging and resting. Steamers in the morning hours have been most consistent from a raft while nymphing on foot is the ticket. When the wind isn’t howling, the afternoon dry fly action has been very good, starting around 2pm most days. Next weeks forecast is calling for consistently overcast weather with moderate rain which should produce excellent BWO hatches that could start by noon and last for an extended period. Expect to see moderate caddis activity but there should be enough adults out and about to offer up some good egg laying surface activity in the late afternoon.
Recommended Patterns:
Violet Tail Jig, Napoleon Jig #14-16
Red and Black Copper Johns #14-16
Parachute Caddis #14-16
Parachute Adams and BWO Vis-S-Dun #18-22
Mercer’s Epoxy Golden Stone and Cravens Two-Bit Golden Stone #10-14
Streamers: Sparkle Minnow, Wounded Sculpin, Articulated Thinmint, Galloup’s Mini Dungeon