September 27th, 2026

Arkansas Freestone (Lower Basin)

Conditions Update: Strong fish-ability again in Upper Bighorn…2-3ft down to Cotopaxi. Improving quickly below and we’ve got a drying trend for a few days so we should be in good shape this week.

The last several weeks of fishing on the Arkansas has been really strong as we settle into early Fall conditions. Cooler days and nights have brought water temperatures into an ideal range, bug activity has ramped up, and the fish are hard on the feed. Simply put, fishing is about as good as we’ve seen it since the Spring—and conditions are setting up extremely well for the weeks ahead. We’ve also got more water back in the river. Multiple irrigation pulls from Buena Vista through Salida have now been shut down for the season, and when combined with a little additional release water, flows have climbed back to around 250 cfs at Wellsville. That’s an excellent flow for this time of year, providing plenty of water in the system while still offering outstanding access and conditions for wade anglers.

Fall BWO activity continues to build, terrestrials remain very much in play, and brown trout are becoming increasingly aggressive as we move toward the pre-spawn period. Nymphing, dry-fly opportunities, and streamers are all producing right now. Conditions are ideal, the fish are feeding hard, and this is some of the best fishing we’ve had in months. Don’t let this early Fall window pass you by! As a reminder, the recent water-treatment spill had nothing to do with the Upper Arkansas River. The incident occurred well downstream of the quality trout water on the Arkansas Tailwater, meaning the entire Upper Basin was unaffected. Conditions on the lower river below Pueblo have also already returned 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: 229 cfs 

Cañon City Flowrate: 183 cfs

Clarity- 2-3ft of visibility and strong fish-ability from Salida through Cotopaxi, still compromised below that but improving

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 has settled into an excellent early fall fishing window. Cooler days and nights have kept water temperatures in great shape and trout active throughout much of the day. Fall BWO activity has strengthened considerably, with Pseudocloeon Baetis becoming a major part of the daily menu alongside Tricos, Caddis and remaining terrestrials. Lower, clear flows still call for a technical approach, so focus on deeper runs, riffles, pockets and structured water while using longer leaders, lighter tippet and a little extra stealth.

Dry/Dropper and Dry/Double Dropper rigs remain our preferred approach, with smaller BWO nymphs and emergers becoming increasingly important as the day progresses. Watch closely for rising fish when BWOs get moving, particularly during cooler and overcast periods when excellent dry-fly windows can develop. Traditional nymphing remains very effective in deeper water, while cloudy conditions can also produce a strong streamer bite. Fall is firmly underway in the Upper Basin, and these cooler conditions combined with strong BWO activity have the fish active and feeding hard.

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.