[djack98157]

Arkansas River Report 5/2

Brought to you by Colorado’s Premier Guide Service & Fly Shop on the Arkansas River & Salida’s Best Lodging Value Arkanglers (719) 539-4223 and the Salida Super 8 (719)- 539-6689

CADDIS ARE HERE!
Cooler weather over the last weekend of April has had some very beneficial effects on the caddis hatch on the Arkansas River. Wednesday through
Saturday we had outstanding fishing with light caddis hatches each day in the early afternoon, blue wing olive hatches in the midafternoon, and consistent caddis egg-laying activity late in the day. Because of the cooler
weather, the caddis hatch has been lighter in terms of numbers of bugs per day and is spread out over about 40 miles of river, rather than the more traditional “blizzard� wave moving upstream. As a result, the fish are
more apt to take artificials, are hitting the evening ovipositers hard, and there is lots of productive water. On Sunday, cold weather put the
caddis hatch on pause but the blue wing olive mayfly emergence was outstanding. As of today (Monday), the clouds are breaking, the air is warming, and we should see a resumption of the caddis hatch tomorrow if
not today. The forecast is calling for improving weather right into the weekend so expect the hatch to get into full swing and
reach as far upstream as Buena Vista by Sunday. Last week we approached the river: The Weather Is Taking a Turn for the Better Arkanglers has Last Minute Availability! We have a unique situation. A group had to cancel, leaving us with many of our top guides available: wades Wednesday through
Sunday. After the 7th, we enter that underutilized time and we have a lot of availability. So…if you would like to get out on our private water or a float trip, call us at 719-539-4223 today and call 719-539-6689 to book your rooms at the Super 8. www.salidasuper8.com. Bring your spouse and enjoy the sites. Go here for visitors’s information, activities, shopping, or restaurant 9:00 to 12:00 fish a 16 black foam or elk hair caddis with an olive body/brown hackle beadhead pupa. If it is cloudy and cool, a beadhead olive micro mayfly, WD-40, or Olive Flashback Pheasant Tail in an 18 will work too. From 12:00 to 3:00 fish a black foam or elk hair caddis on top with a small blue wing dry (18-20) behind it or a small beadhead mayfly nymph. From 3:00 to 4:30 there tends to be a lull in the caddis action – fish blue wing patterns or attractor dries along the edges. And then from 4:30 on there should be female caddis coming out to lay their eggs so fish a 14-16 peacock or spent wing peacock dry.The snowpack in the basin above
Salida remains at about 87% of normal even after the recent storms. Because of that, we do not expect significant runoff before May 20th. The next three weeks should provide excellent fishing, even after the caddis have moved on. We expect May 7-21 to represent one of the most underutilized periods of the entire season – anglers are scarce but fish
are feeding hard.

For additional information on current
conditions, visit www.arkanglers.com or call
us at 719-539-4223. For updated weather
www.aws.com/aws_2001/asp/obsforecast.asp?id=slda
Please send this to any fishing friend.
information www.coloradoheadwaters.com.

[Fish Bones]

Hey!!! Thanks for the report. Can you tell me how the small streams near Durango are gonna be fishing this summer? How much snow did they get and how's runoff going to be?


Thanks,
Steve

[BigCliff]

Steve you oughta give the Salida/Buena Vista area a try. There is some great fishing on the Arkansas, and the South Platte is a short drive. The Miracle Mile section of the South Platte is near there, as well as Elevenmile Canyon.

For the more scluded areas you like to fish, there are some great sections of the South Platte closer to Hartsel where you the river just meanders through meadows with bison grazing nearby. Its the classic stuff where the water gets shallow in between bends but you have deeper water in the bends that undercuts the bank and Browns will come slashing out at dries and soft-hackles.

[djack98157]

Salida Super 8
Arkansas River Report 5/16
Brought to you by Colorado’s Premier Guide Service & Fly Shop on the Arkansas River & Salida’s Best Lodging Value Arkanglers (719) 539-4223 and the Salida Super 8 (719)- 539-6689

While most rivers in Colorado are experiencing high water due to runoff or dam releases, the Arkansas River, with the vast majority of its snowpack at altitudes above 11,000 feet, has yet to experience any flow increases or water quality issues. Clear, low water from Leadville to Canon City has made Ute river the Denver Post’s coldwater “Hot pot� for the week and the destination for aglers who aren’t willing to let the warmer sys of spring interfere with their trout fishing. While we don’t have a crystal ball, we believe that we will continue to experience flows in the 250-300 cfs range through the weekend of May 21st. This is an excellent level for wade fishing but provides sufficient water for float trips from Salida on downstream. With stable flows and pleasant weather predicted, look for the caddis hatch to continue its upstream progression out of Browns Canyon, where it is currently active, and into and beyond the Buena Vista area. In addition, blue wing olive mayflies continue to hatch on cloudy days river-wide and we are seeing increasingly active stonefly nymphs on the river below Salida. This is an interesting time of year for fishing the Arkansas. While the caddis hatch on the upper river follows a pretty predictable pattern, downstream the fish are still actively feeding in anticipation of runoff but it is not a Arkansas Still Running Clear One Last Week! Spring has Sprung! Come and visit Salida during our value season. 719-539-6689 to book your rooms at the Super 8. www.salidasuper8.com. Bring your spouse and enjoy the sites. Go here for visitors’s information, activities, shopping, & restaurants www.coloradoheadwaters.com. Cookie cutter behavior pattern. In the Salida area, we are taking fish on blue wing olives when conditions warrant, epoxyback golden stonefly nymphs, chartreuse copper johns, a rhyacophilia like caddis larva, Royal Wulffs…. What this says is that fly pattern is probably not as important as location and drift right now. Anglers hitting the Arkansas below the caddis hatch should cover some water and be observant and objective about their observations. While there is no sure-fire pattern right now, there are feeding fish, good conditions, and very little fishing pressure. This week will offer anglers one last chance to hit the Arkansas before runoff cuts loose from the high country. For additional information on current conditions, visit www.arkanglers.com or call us at 719-539-4223. For updated weather www.aws.com/aws_2001/asp/obsforecast.asp?id=slda

Please send this to any fishing friend.
8 Reasons to Stay with Us!
8- Daily Superstart Breakfast
7- Relax in our Indoor Pool & Hot Tub
6- Exterior Corridors & at room parking
5- Keep in touch w/ Highspeed Internet
4- Country Bounty Rest. right next door
3- First Beverage Free at Dakota's Bistro.
2- Expect Clean Rooms & Friendly Service
1- Save w/ our Arkanglers Rate