Best Flies for Arkansas River (Colorado) (Colorado)

What's hatching now

Month, insect, size, and pattern from the Arkansas River (Colorado) hatch chart. October is highlighted when that month exists in the chart. We do not invent a hatch that is not on the chart.

Nymphs

Subsurface patterns matched to this river's chart and catalog. Fish them at the size the chart lists, not the size that looks good in the bin.

• 

  Pat's Rubber Legs

  #4–#10

• 

  Beadhead Caddis Pupa

  #12–#18

• No photograph

  Egan's GTi Caddis

  #10–#14

• 

  Emerging Caddis Pupa

  #12

• No photograph

  Pheasant Tail

  #14–#18

• No photograph

  Super Simple Pheasant Tail

  #16–#18

• 

  Jig Pheasant Tail

  #14–#20

• 

  CDC Pheasant Tail

  #16–#20

• No photograph

  CDC Pheasant Tail Pink

  #14

Dries

Dries and terrestrials for the Arkansas River (Colorado). If the chart says a size 18 PMD, do not start with a 12.

• 

  Stimulator

  #8

• 

  Goddard Caddis

  #10

• No photograph

  Egan's Corn-Fed Caddis

  #12

• No photograph

  Front End Loader Caddis

  #10

• 

  Elk Hair Caddis

  #12–#18

• 

  X-Caddis

  #14

• No photograph

  BWO Sparkle Dun

  #14

• 

  Sparkle Dun

  #14

Streamers

Streamers and wets for stained water, banks, and low light. This is not a claim that streamers are "on" today.

• 

  Soft Hackle Pheasant Tail

  #14

Setup

4X and 5X cover most nymphing. 4X on dries until the fish get picky, then 5X. A 3.0–3.8mm tungsten on the point and a lighter dropper is a default until you see the water. Tight-line the near bank and the heads of pockets. Use an indicator only when you need to search water you cannot euro.

FAQ

What flies work on the Arkansas River (Colorado)?

Start with Pat's Rubber Legs and Stimulator, then match size to the hatch chart for the month you are standing in. The Arkansas River (Colorado) does not need a 40-pattern box. It needs the right size on the insect that is actually in the drift.

When is the best time to fly fish the Arkansas River (Colorado)?

The editorial window we list is May, June, July, August, September, October. That is a planning month range, not a guarantee. Shoulder months can fish well if flows and water temperature cooperate.

Do I need a guide on the Arkansas River (Colorado)?

Colorado has walk-up wade water and, on some sections, float water. A guide is worth it for a first float or a technical tailwater. A hatch chart and a gauge are enough for a first wade if you already nymph. We list local guides and shops on this page when we have them.

Where can I see live flow for the Arkansas River (Colorado)?

Open the Arkansas River (Colorado) river page for the USGS gauge, access notes, and the same hatch chart this fly list is built from. We do not publish other people's spots or fish counts.

Is this a report of what's working now on the Arkansas River (Colorado)?

No. Executive Angler does not publish other anglers' catches, GPS, or a crowdsourced hot fly. This page is hatch-chart patterns plus catalog flies. Presence on the river page is gauge and weather only.

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