Fly fishing · · Salida / Buena Vista · Gold Medal

Arkansas River — hatch chart + live conditions

Gold Medal freestone river through the Arkansas Valley. Good caddis and PMD hatches. Wade fishing below Salida is accessible. High volume during runoff — best access May through October.

Current conditions: Checking USGS… USGS site 07091500

Top 3 dry flies for June

1
Stimulator fly pattern
Size 10-14 · dry
Matches active hatch: stonefly, caddis.
2
Elk Hair Caddis fly pattern
Size 12-16 · dry
Matches active hatch: caddis.
3
Green Drake / Coffin Fly fly pattern
Size 8-12 · dry
Matches active hatch: green drake.

Switch to nymphs or streamers →

12-month hatch chart

Month blue wing olivecaddisgreen drakeoctober caddispale morning dunquill gordonskwalastoneflyterrestrialtrico
January
February
March
April
May
June · now
July
August
September
October
November
December
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Frequently asked

What are the best months to fish the Arkansas River?

Best months: April, May, June, July, August, September, October.

What flies hatch on the Arkansas River in June?

Active hatches this month: pale morning dun, caddis, stonefly, green drake, terrestrial.

What species are in the Arkansas River?

Primary: rainbow trout, brown trout. Gold Medal freestone river through the Arkansas Valley. Good caddis and PMD hatches. Wade fishing below Salida is accessible. High volume during runoff — best access May through October.

Are there special fishing regulations on the Arkansas River?

No special-regulation section is listed here — standard Colorado trout regulations apply. Check CO CPW before fishing.

How do I check live water conditions on the Arkansas River?

The live USGS reading is shown at the top of this page (site 07091500). It refreshes hourly.

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