The Arkansas River, in central Colorado, provides some of the best brown trout fishing in the west. The Arkansas starts just north of Leadville Colorado, and flows into the Mississippi River in Arkansas. The first 150 miles of the river, from Leadville to Pueblo, is prime trout water. Conditions vary widely along this section, therefore we break the river up into 4 sections; Leadville to Buena Vista(1), Buena Vista to Salida(2), Salida to Canon City(3), Canon City to Pueblo(4). The Arkansas drops over 5000 feet in elevation over this 150 mile stretch from Leadville to Pueblo. Seasons are quite different on each of these sections. The Arkansas through Canon City may be experiencing Spring conditions, while the Leadville area is still full blown winter. Due to this sudden change in climate and elevation, fishing conditions vary depending on which section of the river you plan to fish, and at what time of year you plan to be there. Refer to the following calendar for information as to the conditions of the four sections of river, over the course of a year.

Section 1 -- Leadville to Buena Vista (30 miles)
Section 2 -- Buena Vista to Salida (30 miles)
Section 3 -- Salida to Canon City (60 miles)
Section 4 -- Canon City (30 miles)

Section 1---Typical Flows--100 c.f.s to 150 c.f.s
Water Temp. & Clarity-----33 to 39 degrees F, Clear
Hatches--------------------Midges

Section 2---Typical Flows--150 c.f.s to 250 c.f.s
Water Temp. & Clarity-----35 to 40 degrees F, Clear
Hatches--------------------Midges

Section 3---Typical Flows--250 c.f.s to 400 c.f.s
Water Temp. & Clarity-----36 to 45 degrees F, Clear
Hatches--------------------Midges

Section 4---Typical Flows--300 to 500 c.f.s
Water Temp. & Clarity-----40 to 50 degrees F, Clear
Hatches--------------------Midges, Mayflies(blue wing olive)

Section 1---Typical Flows--100 c.f.s to 150 c.f.s
Water Temp. & Clarity-----39 to 45 degrees F, Clear
Hatches--------------------Midges, Mayflies(blue wing olive)

Section 2---Typical Flows--150 to 250 c.f.s
Water Temp. & Clarity-----40 to 45 degrees F, Clear
Hatches--------------------Midges, Mayflies(blue wing olive)

Section 3---Typical Flows--250 to 400 c.f.s
Water Temp. & Clarity-----40 to 50 degrees F, Clear
Hatches--------------------Midges, Mayflies(blue wing olive)

Section 4---Typical Flows--300 to 500 c.f.s
Water Temp. & Clarity-----45 to 55 degrees F, Clear
Hatches--------------------Mayflies(blue wing olive) Caddis

Section 1---Typical Flows--150 to 400 c.f.s
Water Temp. & Clarity-----43 to 49 degrees F, Clear to slight off color
Hatches--------------------Mayflies(blue wing olive)

Section 2---Typical Flows--250 to 500 c.f.s
Water Temp. & Clarity-----45 to 55 degrees F, Clear to slight off color
Hatches--------------------Mayflies(blue wing olive), Caddis on lower reach

Section 3---Typical Flows--300 to 500 c.f.s
Water Temp. & Clarity-----45 to 55 degrees F, Clear to slight off color
Hatches--------------------Mayflies(blue wing olive), Caddis

Section 4---Typical Flows--400 to 600 c.f.s
Water Temp. & Clarity-----45 to 58 degrees F, slight off color
Hatches--------------------Caddis

Section 1---Typical Flows--400 to 1000 c.f.s (runoff)
Water Temp. & Clarity-----40 to 45 degrees F, off color to muddy
Hatches--------------------Caddis

Section 2---Typical Flows--600 to 2000 c.f.s (runoff)
Water Temp. & Clarity-----40 to 50 degrees F, off color to muddy
Hatches--------------------Caddis

Section 3---Typical Flows--1000 to 4500 c.f.s
Water Temp. & Clarity-----45 to 50 degrees F, off color to muddy
Hatches--------------------Caddis, Stoneflys

Section 4---Typical Flows--1000 to 4500 c.f.s
Water Temp. & Clarity-----45 to 50 degrees F, off color to muddy
Hatches--------------------Caddis, Stoneflys

Section 1---Typical Flows--300 to 800 c.f.s
Water Temp. & Clarity-----40 to 50 degrees F, off color to clear
Hatches--------------------Mayflies(red quill, drakes, pale morning dun), Caddis

Section 2---Typical Flows--500 to 1200 c.f.s
Water Temp. & Clarity-----45 to 55 degrees F, off color to clear
Hatches--------------------Mayflies(red quill, pale morning dun), Caddis

Section 3---Typical Flows--700 to 1500 c.f.s
Water Temp. & Clarity-----45 to 55 degrees F, off color to clear
Hatches--------------------Mayflies(pale morning dun), Caddis, Terrestrials

Section 4---Typical Flows--800 to 1800 c.f.s
Water Temp. & Clarity-----48 to 58 degrees F, off color to clear
Hatches--------------------Caddis, Terrestrials

Section 1---Typical Flows--100 to 250 c.f.s
Water Temp. & Clarity-----45 to 55 degrees F, clear
Hatches--------------------Terrestrials, Caddis, Mayflies(b.w.o, p.m.d red quill)

Section 2---Typical Flows--300 to 700 c.f.s
Water Temp. & Clarity-----48 to 58 degrees F, clear
Hatches--------------------Terrestrials, Caddis, Mayflies(red quill, p.m.d)

Section 3---Typical Flows--300 to 1000 c.f.s
Water Temp. & Clarity-----50 to 60 degrees F, clear
Hatches--------------------Terrestrials, Caddis, Mayflies(red quill, p.m.d)

Section 4---Typical Flows--500 to 1200 c.f.s
Water Temp. & Clarity-----55 to 65 degrees F, slight off color to clear
Hatches--------------------Terrestrials, Caddis

Section 1---Typical Flows--100 to 250 c.f.s
Water Temp. & Clarity-----45 to 50 degrees F, clear
Hatches--------------------Mayflies(blue wing olive), Streamers

Section 2---Typical Flows--200 to 400 c.f.s
Water Temp. & Clarity-----45 to 55 degrees F, clear
Hatches--------------------Mayflies (blue wing olive), Streamers

Section 3---Typical Flows--300 to 400 c.f.s
Water Temp. & Clarity-----45 to 55 degrees F, clear
Hatches--------------------Mayflies(blue wing olive), Streamers

Section 4---Typical Flows--300 to 400 c.f.s
Water Temp. & Clarity-----45 to 55 degrees F, slight off color to clear
Hatches--------------------Streamers

Section 1---Typical Flows--100 to 200 c.f.s
Water Temp. & Clarity-----35 to 45 degrees F, clear
Hatches--------------------N/A

Section 2---Typical Flows--150 to 300 c.f.s
Water Temp. & Clarity-----38 to 45 degrees F, clear
Hatches--------------------N/A

Section 3---Typical Flows--300 to 400 c.f.s
Water Temp. & Clarity-----40 to 45 degrees F, clear
Hatches--------------------N/A

Section 4---Typical Flows--400 c.f.s
Water Temp. & Clarity-----40 to 45 degrees F, slight off color to clear
Hatches--------------------Midges

I. Midges
Dries
• Brooks Sprout Midge Gray size 20 to 22
• Puterbaugh’s Hairwing Midge size 20 to 22
• Adult Midge Black, Dun, or Adams size 20 to 22
Nymphs
• Bead Head Black Beauty size 18 to 20
• Bead Head Red wire Brassie size 18 to 20
• Midge Pupa size 20 to 22

II. Mayfly
blue wing olive
Dries
• Brooks Sprout Baetis size 16 to 20
• Blue Wing Olive size 16 to 18
• Parachute Adams size 16 to 20
Nymphs
• Bead Head Pheasant Tail size 16 to 20
• Bead Head Copper John size 16 to 18
• Bead Head Micro Mayfly size 16 to 18
Emergers
• RS-2 size 16 to 20
• Olive surface emerger size 16 to 20
• Barr’s Baetis emerger size 16 to 18
Pale Morning Dun
Dries
• Cahill size 16 to 18
• Lawson’s P.M.D size 16 to 18
• Brook’s Sprout P.M.D size 16 to 18
Red Quill
Dries
• Red Quill size 16 to 18
Gray Drake(section 1 only)
Dries
• Gray Drake size 10 to 12

III. Caddis Flies
Dries
• Puterbaugh’s Black Foam Caddis size 14 to 18
• Peacock Caddis size 14 to 18
• Puterbaugh’s Green Butt Caddis size 16
Pupa
• Olive or Gray caddis Pupa size 14 to 18
• Lafontaine’s Sparkle pupa 14 to 18
• Bead Head Breadcrust size 14 to 18

IV. Stoneflies
Dries
• Yellow Stimulator size 8 to 16
• Yellow Foam Stonefly size 12 to 14
• Rubber leg Stimulator Orange size 8 to 14
Nymphs
• Bead Head Epoxy Golden Stone size 10 to 14
• Bead Head Prince Nymph size 12 to 16
• Golden Stonefly Nymph size 8 to 12

V. Terrestrials
Dries
• Parachute Hopper size 10 to 14
• Daves Hopper size 8 to 12
• Parachute Ant Black size 14 to 18

VI. Attractors
Dries
• Royal Wulff size 10 to 18
• Rio Grande Trude size 12 to 16
• Yellow, Orange, Olive Stimulators size 10 to 14
• Rubber Leg Stimulators size 10 to 12
• Red, Yellow Humpies size 12 to 16

VII. Streamers
• Bead Head Woolly Buggers Black size 8 to 12
• Zonkers Olive, Black size 8
• Woolly Buggers Black, Olive, Brown size 8 to 10
• Rubber Leg Woolly Bugger Black size 8 to 10
• Muddler Minnow size 8 to 12