Fly Fishing Arkansas River - Pueblo Tailwater

Overview

The Arkansas below Pueblo Reservoir is a dam-influenced trout reach on the western edge of Pueblo. Brown and rainbow trout use its riffles, current seams and deeper runs, with nymphing and dry-dropper rigs offering ways to cover different depths. Midges and blue-winged olives draw attention during cooler periods, while caddis, mayflies and terrestrials broaden the surface choices as the seasons change.

Tailwater presentations

Reservoir releases shape the river’s current, temperature and clarity. Watch where the main flow meets a slower bank seam, and work the drift through that transition before moving on. With a nymph rig, changing the weight or depth can be more useful than changing the fly after each cast. Tight-line techniques offer another way to control the drift through short runs and pockets.

Where trout are rising, spend time watching the feeding lane. A small dry or emerger placed ahead of the rise can cover that lane without dragging across the fish. A dry-dropper lets you search a bank edge while keeping a surface option available. Streamers offer a different presentation along deeper holding water and cutbanks.

Seasonal flies

Blue-winged olives and midges feature in the existing cooler-season fishing pattern. Caddis, PMDs and tricos give anglers additional insects to watch for through summer. Hoppers, ants and beetles are another option along bank cover later in the growing season. Match the insects you see and the depth at which trout are feeding; the same reach can call for a surface fly in one run and a subsurface rig in the next.

Arrival

Use the Litvak parking area beside Valco Ponds on Highway 96. Follow the park trail to the Valco bridge and the river’s fishing area below it.