Arkansas River Tailwater, Pueblo
Fishing Report for the Arkansas River Tailwater, Pueblo:
Date: November 15th, 2024
Flow: 90 cfs from dam and 20 cfs from the fish hatchery outflow
Temperature: 52F from the dam
Clarity: about 18-24″ due to lake turnover
****** The shop will now open at 8am on weekdays as well as Saturday starting Nov 18th ******
November 15th:
Winter Water Storage on Pueblo Reservoir began this morning at 12am. Flows will remain nearly level for the next several months with a target flow of 100 cfs, which includes the hatcher outflow. This stabilization in flows generally coincides with the start of our fall BWO hatches and this year seems to be no different. Despite relatively poor water clarity, you can expect to find fish feeding on top during peak hatch periods on both BWO’s and midge. Nymphing will certainly be productive as well but don’t overlook opportunities to catch big fish on little dry flies. We hope you enjoy the start of the “winter” season on the tailwater!
November 11th:
The fishing has been very hit or miss lately as the river continues to transition from summer to fall hatches. Water temperatures are approaching the low 50’s so we should see BWO hatches starting up any day now which generally brings improved consistency in the fishing. Streamers have been producing the best results as far as size of fish and that trend will likely continue until the BWO’s kick in. November 15th marks the start of the Winter Water Storage program on the reservoir and you can expect to see flows stabilize around 100 cfs from the dam, including the release from the fish hatchery.
November 3rd:
Water temperatures are rapidly cooling as fall lake turnover is underway. This will reduce water clarity for a couple weeks but will also be a catalyst for our fall BWO hatches. Tricos, midge and caddis are still hatching but we should see BWO’s hatching by mid November. Fish are mostly found in prime feeding lies of 2 – 4′ of water in riffles and runs, and a bit deeper in the full weir pools. Nymphing techniques are generally most productive but with inclement weather in the forecast, you can expect better than average streamer fishing over the coming week.
October 16th:
Fishing has been hot one day and slow the next but you never know unless you go! One thing is for sure, there have been some very nice fish caught over the past few weeks including some big browns. Hatches are comprised of small mayflies and midge in sz 20 to 24 and caddis size 14 to 18. Other food items that are plentiful include leeches, juvenile crayfish and sucker fry.
October 10th:
The tailwater is slowly moving into fall conditions as water temperatures are now trending down and fish are becoming more active throughout the day. Tricos are still the primary morning hatch but there are more midge and caddis mixed in now. A mix of tiny pseudocloeon mayflies and caddis are active in the afternoon along with midge and the smaller, black and red dragonflies that can be imitated with a sz 8 red Amy’s Ant. This time of year you run the chance of finding fishing rising at any point during the day, from before sunrise to after sunset, or just as likely not at all. Be prepared to mix things up until you find a technique that produces. There are also tons of other food items available right now including leeches, snails, juvenile crayfish and suckers, scuds, water boatmen and fingerling trout! Now is a great time to experiment with different fly patterns and presentations. It’s also a great time to hook into one of the massive brown trout that reside in the Pueblo Tailwater as they start to congregate in riffles and runs before the November/December spawn.
Recommended Patterns:
Caddis Pupa: Hot-Wire Caddis, Z-wing Caddis, Tungsten Dart, Soft hackle Hare’s Ear #14-16
Caddis Adult: Parachute Caddis, Foam Elk Hair, Foam Run Caddis #14-16
Trico Nymph/Emerger: Foamback Emerger, Tailwater Tiny, Pheasant Tail #20-22
Trico Dun/Spinner: Barr’s Vis-a-Dun, Tungsten Spinner #20-22
Mercury Black Beauty, WD40, RS2 20-24
Other: Jigged Sexy Walts, Squirrel Leech, True Blood, Tungsten San Juan Worm, egg patterns
Streamers: Peanut Envy, Wounded Sculpin, Thinmint, Big Gulp and Sparkle Yummy Minnow
UPPER ARKANSAS RIVER: Canon City to Salida
Date: November 11th, 2024
Flow @ Wellsville: 430 cfs
Temperature: 36- 44F
Clarity: Good
November 11th:
The recent wintery weather dropped water temperatures down into the high 30’s for the first time this fall but we are moving into a warming trend so that should give anglers another chance at “Fall” conditions before the next cold front arrives. BWO’s and midge are hatching daily and bring fish to the surface to feed during peak hatch periods. Nymphing and streamers will be the fall back when fish aren’t looking up. Expect fish to start transitioning to winter holding water over the coming weeks as water temps will likely remain in the 30’s by late November.
November 3rd:
The upper Arkansas is finally seeing steady BWO hatches occurring most days and fish are looking to put on some weight before winter conditions arrive. Rainbows are very active throughout much of the day while brown trout are splitting their time between spawning, resting and feeding. Fish can be found in a variety of water types depending on time of day and bug activity.
October 16th:
The Upper Arkansas is in prime shape for wade fishing now with flows hovering just above 300 cfs at the Wellsville gauge. The continued warm weather has extended the late summer hatches of red quills, tricos and caddis all the way up to Salida. Above Salida you can expect to find more consistent hatches of BWOs and midge. Nymphing in the morning has been very productive with a golden stone nymph trailed with a smaller mayfly and caddis imitations. Afternoons will often find fish looking up and a dry/dropper rig can produce almost as effectively as nymphing. Despite the summer like midday high temps, the nights are getting chilly and water temps have dropped considerable from just a few weeks ago. This means streamer tactics are definitely in play now and can be extremely effective at times. I generally size down on the Arkansas in the fall and prefer to use streamers in the 8 – 10 size range such as Thinmints, buggers and Wounded Sculpins.
Recommended Patterns:
Mercury Black Beauty, WD40, RS2 #18 – 22
BWO Vis-a-Dun, Parachute Adams, Parachute BWO # 18-20
FOD, Mercury Pheasant Tail, Darth Baetis #18-20
Egg Patterns
Streamers: Wounded Sculpin, Thinmint, Sparkle Yummy #6-10