September 11th, 2026

Arkansas Freestone (Lower Basin)

Conditions have improved significantly from stem to stern, with roughly 3 feet of visibility from the headwaters all the way through Cañon City. There’s still a little stain in the system, but overall clarity is excellent for fishing and the river is in great shape. Water temperatures have also settled into an excellent and safe range for fishing throughout the day. We’re firmly entering the early fall window now, and the brown trout population is really starting to get on the feed bag with the pre-spawn season in mind. We will see release cut a bit this week which will likely settle the flowrate at Wellsville at sub 200cfs. This will be ideal for wade anglers and the upcoming Brown Trout spawning activity...however float fishing will be extremely difficult from here on out, unless you have a smaller boat. As a reminder the water treatment spill had nothing to do with the upper river and was in fact well below the quality water on the Arkansas Tailwater...the Upper Basin was unaffected and the lower river below Pueblo is already back to normal.

Cooler water, stable flows, and improving clarity are setting the stage for increasingly consistent fishing. Fall bug activity is also building quickly. We’re seeing more and more fall BWO (Pseudocloeon Baetis) activity throughout the system, alongside continued Trico and terrestrial activity. Dry/dropper and dry/double-dropper rigs remain our go-to approach, with foam dries, hoppers, and other attractors continuing to pull fish to the surface. As BWO activity increases, be prepared to downsize and match those smaller mayflies, while traditional nymphing and streamers remain productive options as the browns become increasingly aggressive. Fishing is good throughout the day, but the best windows will generally remain mornings and evenings when bug activity is at its strongest.

This is one of our favorite transitions of the entire season, and it only gets better from here. Late September through October can offer some of the best and most consistent fishing of the entire year on the Arkansas, with cooler temperatures, active brown trout, strong fall hatches, and considerably less pressure on the river. If you’ve been waiting to plan a fall fishing day, now is the time—get some dates on the calendar and take advantage of one of the best windows of the year.

Call us at (719) 371-4530

We're moving through the tail end of the Summer Season and already pre-booking for the fantastic Fall Season! Call us today to get a trip on the books if that is something you're considering! 719-371-4530 or CLICK HERE for more information.

Stream Conditions

Wellsville Flowrate: 190 cfs 

Cañon City Flowrate: 147 cfs

Clarity- 3ft of general visibility from Salida through Canon City, some stain but strong fish-ability

Suggested Methods

We’re definitely beginning to transition into the early fall window on the Arkansas, and our guides are seeing an increasingly diverse mix of bugs on the water. Along with Hoppers, flying Ants, Yellow Sallies, Craneflies and Caddis, we’re now seeing more active Pseudocloeon Baetis (Fall BWOs) and Tricos. That diversity means anglers should be prepared to adjust fly size and rigging throughout the day as fish key in on different food sources.

Dry/Dropper and Dry/Double Dropper rigs remain our focal methods, with traditional nymphing as needed. We typically like a bushy foam dry up top with a heavier attractor nymph—Yellow Sally, Caddis, Red Quill or similar—in the middle position. From there, trail a smaller Trico or BWO nymph to match the increasingly important late-summer and early-fall mayfly activity. These same patterns can easily be transitioned into a traditional nymph rig when fish aren't looking up.

For the streamer junkies, this is also a great time to be on the water. More consistent water temperatures, lower-light conditions and plenty of Brown Trout fry in the system have produced some excellent streamer fishing. Early mornings, cloudy periods and evenings are all great opportunities to cover water and look for an aggressive eat.

The river is beginning to show those first signs of fall—stay versatile, pay attention to what’s happening around you, and be ready to change with the conditions.

Arkansas Freestone (Upper Basin)

General Overview

The Upper Arkansas Basin from Salida to Leadville continues to offer some excellent late-summer fishing, but the lower, clear flows have made these fish noticeably more technical. Anglers who adjust their approach, fish carefully and pay attention to presentation are being rewarded.

With less water in the system, trout are concentrated in deeper runs, pockets, riffles and areas with good structure and oxygenation. The clarity means fish can be considerably more wary, so longer leaders, lighter tippet, smaller flies and a more deliberate approach can make a big difference. Stealth is important right now—slow down, make the first cast count and avoid unnecessarily disturbing productive water.

Mornings have been the most consistent window, with good dry fly and Dry/Dropper opportunities as insect activity builds. We’re also beginning to see that late-summer transition toward fall, with Tricos and Pseudocloeon Baetis (Fall BWOs) becoming increasingly important alongside Caddis, Yellow Sallies and terrestrials. Pay close attention to what’s happening on the water, as these Upper Basin fish can quickly shift their attention from larger attractors to much smaller mayfly patterns.

Dry/Dropper and Dry/Double Dropper rigs remain our preferred approach, but don’t hesitate to downsize when fish get selective. Traditional nymphing can be extremely effective through deeper runs and pockets, while cloudy weather and lower-light periods can create some excellent streamer opportunities. Despite the lower-than-average flows, Upper Basin trout are healthy, active and feeding well during the cooler portions of the day. Low, clear water can make the Upper Arkansas more challenging, but it also creates some outstanding opportunities for anglers willing to fish technically. Cover water carefully, stay stealthy, adjust your rig as conditions change and enjoy one of the most rewarding times of the season from Salida upstream through Leadville.

NOTE: A trout habitat improvement project is now underway on the Arkansas River between the CR 166 and CR 175 bridges above Salida and will continue through the end of September. Work will take place weekdays from roughly 8 AM–4 PM, with a single excavator working to improve habitat for trout of all age classes. Anglers may notice occasional pulses of reduced clarity immediately downstream while work is active, but impacts should be temporary. The project is being completed with minimal disruption to fishing and boating and should provide some great long-term benefits for the fishery.