May 18, 2016

Flow: 1334 (Was 350)

Water temp: 48-52

Shoulda been here yesterday.

That’s a phrase we hear often in the fly fishing world and one I usually take with a grain of salt. If you didn’t fish the Ark tailwater over the last month however, you missed out. The river gave the best sendoff to high flows I can remember in years. Rs2s and midges below copper johns and sjws produced well. Streamers were taken like candy. Dry droppers disappeared over suicide strikes. If there was ever a time to carry three or four rods it was the time. Woulda, coulda, shoulda…

The good news is there are still honey holes spread about the tailwater that Pueblo’s local guides can direct you to in safety. I had the rare opportunity to float the lake recently when the water was smooth as glass and visible to thirty feet. Stay tuned as we’ll be exploring the high water version of the ark and the lake itself. Then again the gate keeper at the dam may show us more love and drop the flows.

Stay tuned and tight lines,

Ben