Arkansas River – Upper
From Leadville down through Buena Vista, Browns Canyon and Salida, it runs mile after mile of wild brown trout water, including the longest stretch of Gold Medal designation in the state. You literally can't NOT find a cool spot to fish along the 120 miles from Leadville down to Canon City. The Arkansas is the workhorse of Colorado trout rivers. It's known for its caddis hatches, amazing canyons and pools of water. While you may not find your personal best here, the quality of fish from the headwaters at over 10,000ft you can count on cool mountain water most years.
Numbers and consistency
There are a lot of brown trout, countless miles of public access, and a stretch for every style, from pocket water to big floats. It's also home to one of the most famous caddis hatches in the West.
The fishing
Wade the pocket water and runs, or float the lower river. Nymphs, dry-dropper rigs and streamers all have their moments. The average fish isn't a giant, but the numbers make up for it, and there are bigger ones lurking under the cutbanks for anyone patient enough. But I won't sugar coat it. I think there's something going on with the Ark in terms of bug life and fish population decrease. I can't prove it with data, but it's a hunch because when the bug life declines, so does the population of fish.
When to go
Late April into early May brings the Mother's Day caddis. When it's on, the bugs are so thick you'll inhale a few. Runoff usually follows from late May through June. Don't sleep on the late spring golden stone flies. Summer brings PMDs, yellow sallies, and hoppers, plus plenty of rafters to share the river with. Fall is gorgeous and quieter, and the lower river fishes through much of the winter. During runoff, do check out the creeks that feed in to the main branch.
Guide's note
During the caddis hatch, fish the leading edge. Once the blizzard of bugs reaches your stretch, the trout are stuffed and your fly is one in a million. Find where the hatch is just starting and stay a step ahead of it.