Fishing Report For the Arkansas Tailwater
July 1st, 2026
Arkansas River Tailwater below Pueblo Reservoir (Pueblo Tailwater)
General Overview
Fantastic dry fly fishing on the Tailwater in the mornings over the last several weeks. With warmer water temps, the Caddis lifecycle activity has been phenomenal at times and the BWO and Trico activity continues to roll on. As is typical in this window of time, focus your efforts on daybreak through 1pm, and give the fish a break in the afternoon...evenings have been fun as well!
A continuation of great Midge, Trico and BWO lifecycle activity along substantial early Summer Caddis activity as made for very fun fishing on the Tailwater. We've seen alot of steady dry fly fishing which is a blast, but it has been very technical at times. Nymphing will continue to be a staple in the mornings...but be ready with those dry and dry/ dropper rigs as lifecycle activity ramps up through the day.
Questions or ready to book a trip to learn the Tailwater better? We're the oldest outfitter on the Tailwater and our guides are excellent. Please call us at (719) 371-4530, or visit our Guide Trips online to inquire about availability if you're interested in booking a trip.
Stream Conditions
Flowrate: 131 cfs (plus ~25 cfs out of the Hatchery)
Clarity: Clear
Suggested Methods
Alot of methods getting it done on the "Tail" right now. We've been leaning hard on double dry and dry/ dropper rigs. If you see actively feeding fish on or near the surface, a small tan Caddis upfront with a Trico or BWO trailer has been a great rig. If you need to get deeper, still a focus on Caddis Pupa, Trico Nymph/ Emerger or micro BWO nymph will be best. Whether you dry/ dropper or double nymph, focus on the aforementioned bug lifecycles.
