Arkansas Upper Basin
UPDATED: 5/26/26
Flows: 70-80 CFS
Guide Tip of the Week:
Current Conditions:
RIVER FLOW:
70-80 CFS
WATER TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F):
Low 40's
WATER CLARITY:
Clear
CURRENT FOOD SOURCES:
Small Golden Stoneflies | Caddis | Midges | Baetis | small fish, leeches, eggs, etc. |
Flies to Try
NYMPHS:
| Pat's Rubber Leg's olive, or black size 10-12 | TDJ golden Stone size 14-16 | Egan’s Frenchie size 14-16 | RS2 olive or grey size 18-22 | Light Bright Perdigons various colors | Poison Bomb 18-20 | Spanish Bullet Black 18 | Sunkist 18 | Ninja 18-20 | Foamback emerger brown 20-22 | Two Bit Hooker dark olive size 18-20 | Bars BWO Emerger | Natural pheasant Tail or black Pheasant Tail size 18 -22 | UV midge black & brown size 20-24 | Zebra Midge Purple or Black size 18-22 |
DRIES:
Parachute Adams size 18-24 | extended Body BWO 18-22 | CDC Baetis Dun Size 18-22 | CDC Morgans Midge size 18 - 22 | Snowshoe midge size 18-24 | Missing Link Caddis Dark 18 |
STREAMERS:
Baby Gongas | Craven's Dirty Hippie | Barely Legal olive/white | Thin Mint size 04-08 | Kreelex | Bead Head Pine Squirrel Leech black size 12|
The Headwaters of the Arkansas start near Climax Mine along Fremont Pass (Highway 91 South), and then flow along Highway south of Leadville, all the way to Buena Vista. The upper stretches near Leadville offer tighter fishing along cut banks with willowy vegetation. Good dry fly fishing can be found here as a large variety of aquatic insects dwell in the freestone river. The Caddis population is especially high, and is always a good insect to imitate in the Arkansas River. As the Arkansas flows downstream it becomes wider, with fast canyon areas containing large boulders. These lower stretches from Granite to BV are sometimes better fished with a heavy hopper dropper set up, or a nymph rig.
RIVER ACCESS
Also check out the Town of Silverthorne's Blue River Fishing Access Map
OTHER LOCATIONS
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