Arkansas River Fishing Report

Stonefly nymphs are definately beginning to molt over the past few days.  The Canon City Riverwalk, Parkdale, Texas Creek, Howard and Vallie Bridge all have strong productivity now.   Air temperatures and radiant heat are key indicators to productivity at this point.  Fishing the molt means using a yellow/golden colored nymph in the AM followed by a darker version in the afternoon.  Stonefly molts or instar phases occur during early morning and the gooshy nymphs drift for a while until they lock onto the substrate and harden up.  The whole process only takes about 6 hours.  This growth process occurs nearly all the time, but the mature Classinia golden stones have their last molt from about Feb. 15 through March.  Drop a #14/16 Metallic wire Caddis Larva behind a stonefly or simply fish it "Czech nymph" style by itself.  Fishing has taken a strong move forward this week, so it looks like the winter doldrums may be over. Winter storage flows now are keeping water temperatures a little more stable and that's a good thing. 
Rigging procedures should be the following:

Early Morning: Nymph Rig (#6-#12 Stonefly Nymph trailing # 14/16 Metallic Caddis larva, #20-22 BWO nymph or #18-20 Dark Olive/ Black Midge Larvae)

Mid Morning-Mid Afternoon: Nymph Rig (#10-#12 Stonefly trailing a #14/16 Caddis larva, #20-#22 BWO Nymph or #18-20 Dark Olive/ Black Midge Larvae)

Late Afternoon-Evening: "Same Nymph Rigs" + Adult Midges (#22 Sprout Midge)

Hatch Matchers: Midge: #22 Sprout Midge/ #22 Griffiths Nat/ #22 Palm's Biot Midge

***Czech nymphing is a very productive technique during the winter months on the Arkansas. Come learn how to do it right on a specialized guided trip with our excellent intstructors!

Technical nymphing rigs with a focus on Heavy Stoneflies trailing Small BWO nymphs and Dark Olive Midge Larva. As water temperature reachs 41 degrees plus look for fish to make a switch to mid water column to subsurface feeding on midges and small BWO's. Short indicator rigs in the afternoon have been most productive, with the possiblity of greased line techniques if the fish are high enough in the water column.

Flows:       Wellsville        478 CFS

               Canon City       580 CFS

Temperature: 38 - 42 degrees

Clarity: 45 Inches

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Midges, BWO's

#12 Tungsten Twenty Incher, #12 Guides Choice Hares Ear, #12 Prince Nymph, #8 Rubberleg Stone, #8 Jumbo John, #20 Iceberg Baetis, #20 Splatte Baetis, #20 Skinny Mini, #22 Zebra Jujubee Midge, #18 Arkansas Midge, #20 Black Thunder, #20 Black Ice, #20 Sprout Baetis, #20 HiVIs Baetis, #12 Olive BH Woolly Bugger, #6 Hot Head Leech

Great

This fishery continues to see incrediblely productive days. Our guides have seen fish activity rise in the last week or so, with fish moving to flies out of their tight feeding lies. The weather forecst is for overcast/ cooler weather which always bodes well for this fishery. 

This fishery is best approached with a variety of mindsets. An angler needs to focus on heavy structure due to low flows during the nymphing time periods and then make a switch to Dry/ Emerger when bugs hit the water. Fish will bump out of structure and into deeper slack water and tailouts to feed on adults, so switch your focus to these types of areas as bugs come off. Bigger fish will remain tight to structure in deeper riffles/ seams/ and pocket water. Attractor nymphs, i.e. Egg Patterns and San Juan Worms are the ticket, trailing anything from a caddis larva to a midge pupa.....

Flow: 64 CFS

Temperature: 42-44°F

Clarity: 40 inches

Midges; Blue Wing Olives

#18-20 Chartruese Prince, #16-20 Chartruese Copper John, #18 Splatte Roller, #20-24 Dorsey's Top Secret, #20-24 Grey Rs2, #20-26 Sprout Midge Adult, #18-20 Iceberg Baetis, #18-20 Skinny Mini, #18-20 Flashtail Egg, #14 Orange/ Pink Chewy Worm