January 3, 2020 – Pueblo Tailwater @ Valco Ponds
Flows: 103 cfs
Water Temp: 36 @9:15a. 45 @ 3:30p.
Water clarity: ~3’
Air Temp: 30 @ 9a going up to low 50s at 3p
Hatches: BWO starting at 10:30a lasting to at least 4p. With a lull between 1 and 3p.
Pueblo Tailwater near the Nature Center Parking
Brian and I drove down to Pueblo this Friday – not sure if it would be crowded or not. We normally go mid-week to avoid crowds and we were thinking that maybe some of the working class would be taking a 3 day week-end to get some fishing in. We were glad to see that it wasn’t – maybe even less so than normal. After thinking about it – a lot of the fishermen may have opted to go to the opening day of the Denver Fly Fishing Show instead. Lucky us!
We checked the river from the dam to the Valco Ponds from the north side of the river. Lake Pueblo State Park is on this side of the river with lots of parking options. We started out at about 9:15a just upstream of the Hatchery and 1st checked the for bug activity and used Brian’s new seine to capture some nymphs. No hatches going off at this time. Surprisingly – at least to me - we found Caddis larva (Green Hydropsyches), tiny red worms, and what looked like tiny shrimp when we dredged with the seine. I was expecting midge and baetis nymphs. After some thought - I guess the small red worms could be midges.
In Pat Dorsey's book - Fly Fishing Guide to the South Platte - he explains "Midge larvae are commonly found in a variety of colors including red, pale olive, and cream - and are uniform throughout their wormlike abdomens." So I'm going to have to think the 'red worm' is actually a red midge. I'm surprised as to how tiny they were.
Caddis Hydopsyches, small red midges, and shrimp.
Brian fished the runs and pockets upstream of the Hatchery – and I started at the Hatchery Hole – fishing from the fast riffles leading into the deep pool. I tried an Egg Sucking Leach to start – with a # 0 split shot to keep it deeper in the pool. After covering the entire hole without a strike I changed to a nymph rig. Tying on a #20 Desert Storm, followed by a #22 Pale Olive Larvae, and a #22 Red Disco Midge. I also added 2 more #0 split shots to the rig. After a few casted I landed a 13” Rainbow in the seam where the fast water and slow water meet on the north side of the pool.
As I was walking out of the hole, I noticed some small fish rising at the tailout on the north side of the river and decided to try the #22 Sparkle Dun that I tied up last week. I had a #22 Parachute Adams BWO in front of it. It was surprising that the BWO’s were hatching already, about 10:30a. Very happy that the Sparkle Dun worked as I landed 3 or 4 6” to 8” Rainbows – all hitting the Sparkle Dun.
Working the pockets and seams with my nymph rig, I worked my way downstream to the Riffle and Valco Ponds Holes as Brian headed upstream. At the Riffle Hole, I changed my nymph rig to the #22 Desert Storm, followed by a #20 Stalcup Baetis, and a #20 Flashback Barr Emerger BWO - and covered the hole and it’s tailout with no strikes. I noticed that more fish were rising in the tailout and also in the Valco Ponds Hole. Switching over to the dry rig – I landed a ton of Rainbows – sizes varied from a few 6”, to a lot between 8” and 10”. The largest was 13” and all but one hit the Sparkle Dun. I was supposed to meet Brian for lunch at the car at noon. But the hatch was on – and I was late – going up at 12:45p or so.
After a quick lunch, I went back into the same area and quickly landed 4 or 5 more fish. Some were on consecutive casts! They were all small though – roughly 6”. A crowd showed up about an hour later – and at the same time, I met up with Brian. He went to the car for a late lunch and we agreed to meet downstream when he was done. I continued on down hitting the pockets and seams with my nymph rig (minus 2 split shots) along the way – no hits. Brian met up with me just upstream of the Bend Hole and we walked downstream. Brian stopped at the Log Hole and I continued on to the Double Tree Hole.
There were no risers, so I fish the same nymph rig - with the 3 #0 split shots to keep the nymphs deep in the pool. After about 10 casts working the hole from the north side to south - I hooked up a very large fish. Not sure what it was or how big it was, as it broke off after what seemed like a 15 minute battle. I’m pretty sure it was in the 20” or larger range and I had it almost in, with the split shots out of the water, but the line was too taunt and he broke off. I adjusted my drag – only 2 or 3 clicks looser - and went back in. A 19” Cutbow, 19” Rainbow, and a 12” Rainbow followed. 2 hit the #22 Flashback Barr Emerger and the other hit the #22 Stalcup Baetis. The BWOs were still hatching when I left at about 4:30p.
Brian landed a bunch of 6" to 8” Rainbows on a Red Rainbow Warrior.
Sun down and another great day on the Ark at Pueblo!!
Photos courtesy of Brian Kenney.
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