The Tailwater of the Arkansas River. (The Gauge Hole to the Flats.)
March 14, 2023
Flows: 184 cfs rising to 224 cfs at 11a above the Hatchery. 207 cfs rising to 257 cfs at 11a below the Hatchery.
Water Temp: 40F @ 9a.
Water clarity: Clear.
Air Temp: Low 31F @ 8a – high 69F @ 4p.
Hatches: Midge: Throughout of the day.
Flies: #12 Cranefly Larva, #22 Blood Midge, #24 Black Midge, #22 Black Rojo Midge, #22 Top Secret Midge.
Top producers: Crane Fly Larva & Rojo Midge.
A big, bright rainbow - caught in the Osprey Run.
Deckers or Pueblo?
It was a toss-up. Both good options. Either one sure to provide a great day of trout fishing.
Temperature and flow. Those were the two main deciding factors. Pueblo was forecasted to be in the high 60s to low 70s. Nice and warm. Deckers was forecasted to be temperate with highs in the mid-to-high 50s. Coincidently, flows on both rivers were kicked up last night by a healthy amount.
It came down to the weather.
After last week – in the freezing cold at Deckers – I was looking forward to the warmth and summer like weather in Pueblo. But I was open to Deckers too.
The Osprey Run (The Osprey platform - nest - in the background).
When Brian picked me up in the morning and asked “Deckers or Pueblo”. I said you pick. Somehow Brian must have sensed that I was leaning toward Pueblo. Maybe I didn’t seem to be too enthusiastic about Deckers – and we picked Pueblo.
As we did, we talked about last week in Deckers. We had a blast catching a bunch of rising fish on dries – and weighed that into our decision, but you can’t count on that happening. It’s one of those things that it all depends on conditions, and you can’t readily predict them. Certainly not in late winter. And you never know, maybe they’d be rising in Pueblo.
The other thing in the back of my mind was big fish. We talked about that too. The Tailwater has been regularly producing big rainbows. Brightly colored ones too, as they’re in their spawning hues. Deep reds and oranges. Fun to catch. Heavy fish, arm tiring fights and a challenge to get into the net.
Another beautiful rainbow. Got him in the Osprey Run.
We were on I25 and still before the exit to Deckers and our minds were made up. We passed it and drove on towards Pueblo.
We expected the place to be packed and it was. A lot of the parking spaces were taken as we drove into the north side of the park. There were a fishermen – two to three in a group - heading in different directions towards the river.
As we drove toward the park we saw the Hatchery Hole open and we headed that way. But someone else beat us there. Our next option was just upstream of it – the Cliffs. It was taken too. Three guys fishing one side of the riffles – one guide and two fishermen. Brian tried the small pocket water that lies between the Hatchery and the Cliffs. As he did, I scouted around. It was still too cold for me to rig up.
This female took the Rojo Midge in the Valco Ponds Run.
I eventually crossed the river and walked up to the Cliffs on the opposite side of the river from the guide and the two fishermen. Just checking out the area. After a bit, I warmed up enough for me to rig up. They raised the flows a health bit last night – about 100 cfs. Even though the river was relatively clear, I was thinking it would kick up a bunch of stuff off the bottom and dislodging various bugs in their larva stage.
There are a lot of Crane Flies in this river. We don’t get to see them because they normally hatch at night. That was my first choice – a Barr’s Cranefly Larva. I tied that on first. It serves multiple purposes. It’s a relatively big fly and is tied with lead wrappings – making it heavy. With higher flows it would act as a weight, getting my flies down in the zone along with acting as an attractor pattern, and it would also serve as a nice meal for a hungry trout! I followed it with a #22 Blood Midge and a #22 Black Midge. The Black Midge is something I created that is between a Black Beauty and a Rojo Midge.
There were midges already hatching. They have been the bigger variety and look fuzzy in the air. I haven’t caught one to inspect, but I think they’re the ones with the small fuzzy antennae at the front of their heads. Hence the Black Midge. I also have been using the Rojo when fishing here lately (and would change up to it later in the day).
Rainbow in the net just before releasing him.
Once ready, I asked the guide if he minded me fishing my side of the river. With his OK – I worked the channel on my side. No takers as I worked my way downstream to the weir. The river was flowing fast and I had to add more weight. I then worked the channel again – same result.
Brian had come up to meet me and I began to fish the deeper water below the weir as he worked the channel upstream of me. After a bit, I decided to move further upstream while Brian continued to fish the channel. My plan was to check out the weir that sits between the Cliffs and the Gauge Hole – but I never made it. As was walking along the south side of the river – high on a bank, I spotted a few fish. There were a couple in the riffles leading into a deeper pool on my side of the river.
Before I climbed down to the side of the river I changed my target flies. Still had the Cranefly Larva leading but followed it with a #22 Black Rojo Midge and a #22 Top Secret Midge. I chose the larger sizes because the midges in the air seemed bigger than what we’ve been seeing.
I found a bunch of feeding rainbows in the Osprey Run. They were taking the Cranefly Larva.
It took me a while to get the weight dialed in with the Cranefly Larva being as heavy as it is. Then I made a few adjustments to my depth. After I made my last depth change by moving my indicator closer to my flies one of the rainbows made a move toward it. As it did, I noticed a slight pause of my indicator and set the hook. BANG! Big rainbow fighting to get free.
Getting the fish to my net in the fast riffles proved to be too much. Every time I got her near the net she was able to use her weight and the current to pull more line out - and get out of my reach. Luckily she hit the Cranefly which was tied on with 5x tippet which is pretty strong. I had to carefully wade downstream across some submerged boulders to get her into the slower pool. There I was finally able to net a 18”, healthy female rainbow. She was a real beaut!
Brian walked up just as I released her. I mentioned that there were a few more fish in the pool but he decided to walk further upstream. In the next hour or so he fished the weir that I was intending to go to earlier and the Gauge Hole. I stayed and continued to fish the riffles. One of the rainbows was still there.
These guys are easy to spot in the water - their bright colors giving them away.
It took a bit of time but I was finally able to get my flies in front of him and he hit. Took the Cranefly too. This one felt even heavier than the 18” female and put up a real fight. Aside from taking several deep runs he put on a few, violent head shakes as I got him near the surface. I was surprised that the hook stayed on as hard as he was shaking his head! When I got him in the net – he too was a beaut and measured 19”.
That’s what I’m talking about. Big rainbows – fighting like hell!
After releasing the big male I waded out into the river. I wanted to explore a few other seams mid-river that lead into the pool. I also casted back toward the shore in the riffles where I caught the rainbows. The sun was now in my eyes and I couldn’t sight fish – the water looked black. I did notice an Osprey nest near the shore though. It's a manmade structure – looks like a platform high up on a pole. There are several scattered about along the river. Since this spot is not named – as far as I know – I named it the Osprey Run.
I was planning to head up and meet Brian, but before I did I walked along the elevated bank to check out the pool. In there I could clearly see another three or so fish. Nice ones too. There was a very narrow, steep path that lead down to the spot where I’d have to set up. I tried to go down it a stealthily as possible but soon found myself sliding down it on my feet. Lucky for me that I know how to ski! Needless to say it was not a graceful entrance and I was afraid that I spooked the fish away.
Brian working the Flats in the afternoon.
But no. They were still there.
On my first cast my flies floated past the fish I was targeting and at the end of the drift I lifted my rod to recast and felt a tug on my line. Fish on! What? Another nice one – but without a good hook set, he broke off after a brief fight. It didn’t take long to get the one I was after though. A few casts later and he hit and I set the hook – another arm tiring fight - and another 18” rainbow. This one a male who took the #22 Black Rojo Midge.
Brian worked his way back downstream and soon joined me in the Osprey Run. There were still a few nice rainbows in the pool but weren't too eager to take his flies. Reason being, I think there were a bunch of naturals in the water as I could see the rainbows moving from one spot to the other. Obviously feeding on something.
It was about lunch time when I arrived back at the Hatchery Hole. It was open as I approached – then another guy appeared out of the brush and we met each other at the hole. It was kind of awkward. Who got here first? As it was, neither of us was too worried about it though. I was hungry and told him that I was happy to sit streamside and watch him fish for a bit and when I was done we could share it. He mentioned that he hadn’t caught a fish to this point as he tied on some new flies. He began to fish the tailout part of the nearside – river left – seam. Brian and I have caught a bunch of smaller fish rising in that area in the past. He was nymphing though and soon hooked up a couple of decent – 14” or so – rainbows.
Another 19" rainbow.
When I finished lunch I began to fish the deep pool at the top of the run. Soon Brian showed up and we continued to work the pool and the tailout below it – river right. This hole had been a reliable spot to fish in the past. Lots of fish in the net and nice size ones too. But lately it hasn’t produced much. Maybe a fish here and there – and nothing big.
We soon found ourselves at the Valco Ponds Run. We were above the log – Brian in the middle and me at the top. I like to hit the top first. There I usually find nice, big rainbows lined up across the river. Second cast – fish on! A nice one too – but he soon broke off. After two more break offs – I finally got one on solid. He took me all over the run. I finally landed him – another 19” rainbow. He took the #20 Black Rojo Midge.
Then the run was deserted. Fighting that fish all over the place must have spooked any remaining fish. While I was fighting him – Brian began to work the run below the log. Only briefly though. He came up to the top of the run and fished it – so I moved down below the log.
I got this 22" rainbow in a small pool along the Flats.
Brian Kenney.
I found out quickly why Brian had spent so little time there. There were a couple of guys spin casting on the other side of the river and as I worked the river from the middle in toward me I snagged one of the guy’s line. At first I didn’t know what it was then realized and freed it. The guy indicated that he was fishing my side of the river - along with the middle of it - and his side too. Wow – he was claiming all of it.
Hmm. I just picked up and joined Brian. We decided to try the Flats below and began to walk that way. Brian later mentioned that he didn’t see any fish below the log - as we normally do. I think those two guys flogging the river spooked all the fish and they moved out.
As we walked downstream we spotted a few redds with rainbows on them. We left them alone. We also spotted some in a couple of troughs mid-river. We went after them.
Releasing the big guy.
Brian Kenney.
I was working a smaller pool below some riffles. I could see a few big rainbows there and got one of them to hit. It was a big rainbow and I was again in for an arm tiring fight. There were some boulders along the river's edge and a concrete obstruction near where I was fighting the fish making it difficult for me to maneuver. I finally was able to wade part way into the pool and had the rainbow tired and ready to net. But I missed him. Not once but twice. I thought for sure I would lose this one – but on the third attempt I was able to net him.
And he was a big one - 22” big! Brightly colored with reds and oranges. He took the #22 Black Rojo Midge. It was THE fly of the afternoon. In the morning it was the Cranefly Larva. As mentioned, the bigger, fuzzy midges were hatching throughout the day and we didn’t notice any BWOs. That kept me using my midge patterns all day – and it paid off.
Your's truly with the last catch of the day.
Brian Kenney.
We decided to call it a day a little earlier than normal - beat the rush hour traffic.
Even though we didn’t actually flip a coin – it was kind of like that as we were deciding where to go in the morning.
I’m glad we picked the Tailwater!
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