Southeast Colorado Fishing Conditions – August 25
Arkansas River Headwaters
The upper river is in excellent shape and is very easy to wade. We are seeing a lot of caddis and pale morning dun activity through Hayden Meadows down to Granite. Grasshoppers are beginning to become more important as the larger aquatic insect activity in the river slows down. Keep a thermometer handy, because warm afternoon temperatures can make for tough conditions if the water gets above 65 degrees. The flows at the middle river have increased slightly as Clear Creek Reservoir releases more water. At these flows, it is not recommended to try to wade across the river anywhere in the middle basin. We are still experiencing good dry fly fishing, with the trout responding to attractor dries imitating grasshoppers and stoneflies. Do not be afraid of tying on smaller patterns. Midges as droppers in the morning have been productive, and mayfly nymphs in sizes 16 to 18 work well through the afternoon. The key is finding the right water. At these lower flows, the fish are beginning to disperse away from the shoreline, so spend more time picking apart likely lies or towards the main current and adjusting dropper depth until you find the sweet spot.
Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area
Clear Creek Reservoir
The trout angling from a boat has been fair at Clear Creek Reservoir. Shore angling for trout has been rated as very slow. Both sherbet colored PowerBait or yellow Berkley's Floating Magnum Eggs can be productive for shore anglers in late August. A majority of the boat anglers reported catching multiple trout with very few boat anglers not landing a fish. Boat anglers landed several trout by trolling a cowbell and worm combination. Only one kokanee salmon was netted from a boat this week. The reservoir is closed to trailer motorized watercrafts on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. The current boating hours are from 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Lake Pueblo
The current surface temperature is around 75 degrees and consistent throughout the reservoir. The fishing is rated as slow to fair. Anglers are catching plenty of pan fish in less than 20 feet of water on a variety of lures. The bigger fish are being caught in the deeper depths due to the warm water temperatures, but they have been difficult to catch. Worms and jigs tipped with bait are working the best from a boat. Shore anglers are having a tough time catching anything other than bluegill.
