Arkansas River Tailwater, Pueblo
Pueblo Tailwater Fishing Report: Pueblo Dam down to I-25
Date: June 29th, 2026
Flow below dam: 103 cfs combined flow (75 cfs from the dam and 28 from the hatchery outflow)
Temperature: 53F From the Dam, 54 – 70F Downstream
Clarity: Good
June 29th:
We are seeing a little more water being released from the dam today which will help to moderate water temperatures. The morning hours have been particularly productive with consistent hatches of Tricos and caddis. Dry flies on top and emerger patterns below are of greatest importance. If you plan to fish in the afternoon or evening, we recommend staying between the dam and Nature Center and have a thermometer on you to check that water temps do not exceed 68F.
June 24th:
The good news: water temps from the dam are still in the mid 50’s and the trout are happy and actively feeding much of the day. Mornings are seeing incredible but activity comprised of tricos, caddis and midge, with tricos often stealing the show… but not always. BWO’s and PMDs are active in the afternoon while caddis and tricos appear again in the evening. Fishing has been excellent thus far!!!
The bad news: barring significant rain in the upper basin, the current low flow of 55 cfs may well be the norm for the next few weeks and could drop even lower within weeks. Water temperatures are already rising into the upper 60’s and low 70’s through downtown Pueblo. If you want to fish in the afternoon and evening, please head closer to the dam and fish somewhere from the nature center up to the dam as this where the coolest water will be found.
PLEASE TAKE NOTE –
The current flow regime will NOT sustain the tailwater fishery throughout the summer. At this level, we fully expect to see a COMPLETE die off of all trout by late August, possibly much sooner. Water temps from the dam will reach the mid 60’s sometime in August and water temps through town will climb well into the 80’s. Take some time out of your busy schedule to write Pueblo’s community leaders and let them know how special this fishery is and that it is worth spending the money to let adequate water flow from the dam! We need a minimum of 100 cfs to have a chance at sustaining this incredible fishery through the summer months.
June 20th:
Fishing on the tailwater is at is best right now due to a combination of steady hatches, good water temperatures and easy to wade flows. Get out and enjoy the great conditions now! Due to the utter lack of snowpack, we expect water high temperatures to start limiting fishing to early morning hours by mid-July, if not sooner. For now, water temps are still in the ideal range but please be mindful of playing fish as quickly as possible and make every effort to keep fish in the water while unhooking.
Tricos, midge and caddis are active in the morning hours, with BWO’s still coming off most afternoons. Caddis and trico activity picks up again around sunset and extends well into dark.
June 12th:
Fishing on the tailwater has been excellent and the fish are fat, sassy and strong! We are currently see ideal conditions with water temps in the 50’s, good water clarity and ideal wading flows. Hatches are still dominated by midge, bwo’s and tricos, however, caddis are increasingly active now that water temperatures are reaching the upper 50’s.
We have openings in our guide schedule so give us a call if you would like to experience the tailwater with one of our local, knowledgeable guide staff. Tight lines!
June 3rd:
Conditions are ideal for wade fishing on the tailwater at this time. There has been three days of cuts to flows since the spring peak flow of 550 cfs on Sunday, and flows are now at 120 cfs from the dam. While much lower than normal for this time of year, the current flow is ideal for easy wading on the tailwater with excellent sight fishing opportunities and increased surface feeding. We continue to see strong midge and BWO hatches, as well as increasing trico and caddis activity.
With water temperatures remaining in the 50’s, the streamer action is definitely picking up and can be particularly good when there are afternoon storms developing.
We have openings in our guide schedule so give us a call if you’d like to experience the tailwater with the most qualified, local guides available. Tight lines!
Recommended Patterns:
UV Midge, Ninja, Tube Wing Midge #20 – 22
Barrs Emerger & Epoxy Back Baetis #20 – 22
RS2 & Sparkle Wing Rs2 #20 – 22
AK’s Trico Dun #22
Griffiths Gnat #18 – 22
Trico Spinner #22
Parachute Caddis & Missing Link #14 – 16
True Blood Midge #16 – 22
Streamers: Wounded Sculpin, Jiggy Mini Buggers & Jigged Poacher
UPPER ARKANSAS RIVER: Canon City to Salida
Date: June 29th, 2026
Flow @ Wellsville: 350 cfs
Temperature: 62 – 72F
Clarity: Good
June 29th:
Flows on the Upper Ark are trending down again with a warm weather forecast ahead. We recommend hitting the river early and finishing by noon or 1pm before water temps rise above 68F. Smaller caddis imitations and PMD’s have been good dry flies. Subsurface, we recommend golden stone patterns with pheasant tails and soft hackles.
June 20th:
Flows are low and water temperatures are rising into the uncomfortable range in the late afternoon and early evening from around Wellsville on down to Canon City. Fishing remains good in the morning and early afternoon when bugs are most active and water temps are in the low to mid 60’s. Cooler weather is forecast for this coming week and evening fishing might be back on the table for several days. Keep a thermometer on you so you can keep tabs on water temps and know when to call it.
June 12th:
Flows on the upper Ark are low but stable and offering excellent wade fishing opportunities. The hot sunny days of late have kept bug activity limited to morning and evening time, with nymphing and droppers taking most fish during the heat of the day. Water temperatures are already reaching the high 60’s in the afternoon hours so be mindful of keeping fishing in the net and quickly releasing them.
June 3rd:
The upper Ark is fishing good and the summer hatches are just getting underway. Caddis, BWO’s and midge are all active and some larger mayflies and stoneflies are starting to hatch. Fish will often feed opportunistically on nymphs and attractor dries in the 12 – 16 size range but be prepared for matching the hatch when bugs are prolific. Flows are high enough for float fishing, yet low enough to be comfortable for wading fishing. Expect the best dry fly fishing early and late in the day, and whenever there is good cloud cover.
There is no guarantee long the float season will last this year given the low snowpack, so give the shop a call and book a float trip soon if you are itching to float!
May 19th:
The Upper Ark experienced a small peak in snowmelt last week that has since subsided. This may very well be the peak of runoff this year, although its too soon to say for sure. For now, clarity has improved and fishing conditions are near ideal. There is a mix of caddis, mayflies, midge and craneflies hatching but fish are often feeding opportunistically and it can be more important to experiment with fly size and color to determine what the fish are preferring that day. Golden stonefly nymphs are always a good lead fly when nymphing, as are various jigged nymphs like the blow torch, spanish bullet and napoleon jigs. Chubby chernobyls, stimulators and parachute caddis are good choice for dry flies.
May 15th:
The upper Arkansas has seen a daily ebb and flow with an upward trend that indicates high elevation snow melt is now occurring. Water clarity has diminished to no more than 18″, although fishing on today was still fairly productive using streamers, large dry flies and attractor nymphs. With a low snowpack and cooler temperatures in the extended forecast, we don’t expect to see runoff climb significantly. However, if you are planning a fishing trip for the upper Arkansas river over the next week or two, you should probably have some back up waters on your list just in case conditions deteriorate significantly due to runoff or rain.
May 5th:
The upper Ark is seeing a range of hatches including caddis, blue-winged olives, craneflies and midge. Water temperatures are in the ideal range and fish are actively looking to feed through much of the day. Mornings are consisting mostly of subsurface feeding with both nymphing and streamers being effective. Most hatches are occuring between 11am and 4pm, with good evening egg laying activity. Daily weather patterns will often dictate the best approach at any given time, but be watchful for subtle rises once adults are evident in the air.
April 16th:
The Upper Ark is fishing well with a mix of midge, baetis and caddis hatching throughout Bighorn Sheep Canyon. Fish will often feed opportunistically on the freestone stretch but be prepared to match the hatch during peak bug activity. Nymphing in the morning and early afternoon is very productive and dry fly opportunities are good in the afternoon and evening hours. When the clouds roll in and wind picks up the streamer fishing really turns on.
Alex is available for guided float trips and the float fishing will greatly improve once flows are over 300 cfs. Flows will likely start creeping up over the next week or two. With limited snowpack, the best float fishing of the year will likely be in May, June and early July.
April 4th:
Flows have trended back down to the mid-200 cfs range as the weather moderates and things start to feel more like spring and less like summer! Bug activity continues to be less important than the fact that fish have generally been in a springtime feeding mood and looking to put on weight after the lean winter months. A variety of general purpose nymphs (see list below) have been producing well. When a midge or BWO hatch pops up you may want to add something more imitative to you rig, but aside from surface feeders, it really hasn’t been necessary that often.
While a few caddis had started hatching in the Canyon, cooler weather seems to have halted further activity. Look for the best caddis activity this coming week in the Canon City area up to Parkdale.
March 25th:
Spring on the upper Arkansas River is well ahead of schedule and the fishing is excellent. BWO hatches are becoming a daily occurrence and there have even been some early caddis flying around. Friday’s cool down should slow the caddis progression but we could see some strong hatches next week throughout Bighorn Sheep Canyon which would be the earliest by far that I can remember.
While matching the hatch during prime hatch windows can be important, these fish generally respond well to a variety of nymphs in the 14-18 size range this time of year, and streamer fishing can also be stellar.
Recommended Patterns:
Pheasant Tail nymphs #16 – 20
Parachute PMD #16 – 18
Tung. Trapper and Graphic caddis (caddis pupa) #14 – 16
Parachute Caddis and Peacock Caddis (dry/adult) #14 – 16
Two-Bit Golden Stone, Pat’s Rubber legs #10 – 14
Napoleon Jigs #16 – 18
Jigged CDC Carrot, Schuck-It Jig #14 – 16
Chubby Chernobyls #12-16
Streamers: Wounded Sculpin, Thinmint, Peanut Envy