Spring runoff is upon us.  The Arkansas River in Salida is currently sitting around 2200cfs and fishing conditions aren’t ideal but still worth a shot in my opinion.  If you can find slower pocket water along the banks, large attractor nymphs will still produce fish.  Further north on the Arkansas water clarity improves drastically but water is still high and fish will be holding in similar areas.  

   Don’t be bashful with tippet and leader size, fishing with 3x and 4x will help get your flies back when the inevitable snag happens.  Be very careful wading right now, the current is strong and if you are knee deep in the river you are probably standing where the fish are.  If you are float fishing the Arkansas the streamer fishing has been lights out, throwing a tandem streamer rig with a flashy lead fly and a smaller natural colored leech pattern has been deadly.  Still water fishing has been productive as well; we have been seeing good to great fishing on nearby reservoirs and there are a handful of alpine lakes that have iced off.  If you’re wanting to get some exercise and get your Cutthroat fix there are some great options right now.  

Recommended Flies: Rivers

Newbury’s Golden Stone, Peeping Caddis Jig, Hot Spot Pheasant Tails, Prince Nymphs, Psycho Prince, Lite Brite Prince, Woven Golden Stone, Pat’s Rubber Legs, Duracell Jig, Copper Johns, CDC Sparkle Caddis, Dirty Bird, Chubby Chernobyl, Hi Vis Elk Hair Caddis, Black Foam Caddis, Peacock Caddis, Sculpzillas, Thin Mints, Sculpin Mini, Sex Dungeons, Slump Busters, Tequeelys.

Recommended Flies: Stillwater

Scuds, Diawl Bachs, Balanced Leeches, Traffic Light Chironomids, Oil Slick Buzzer, Mad Bombers, Thin Mints, Ruby Eye Leech, Seal Buggers, Edward’s Freshwater Shrimp, Sailor Ant, Unsinkabeetle.