Arkansas River Fishing Report | Early October, 2026

Oct 9

2 min read

Arkansas River Flows (10.9.2026)

Always check flows before heading out to get the most up to date info! These flows could quickly be outdated. Visit dwr.state.co.us for current data. You can also find live water temp data at the same link (Granite and Wellsville gauges).

Empire Gulch near Malta: no reporting through off season

At Granite: ~78 cfs

Nathrop: no reporting through off season

Wellsville: ~245 cfs

Upriver guide, Gui, with a nice Arkansas River rainbow!

Arkansas River Fishing Report:

The Latest:

It is officially Fall, we made it! The Cottonwoods along the river are a glowing yellow and orange, and the air has a nice crisp feel to it. Water temps are in the ideal range for happy and active trout. The brown trout spawn is right around the corner! Redds will start to show up on the river, and you can already see pre-spawn browns launching themselves out of the water and making a splash.

The fishing is great, the conditions are great, the crowds are gone, and the trout are happy. What more could we ask for?

As always, give us a ring for an update on current conditions.

General Arkansas River Fishing Report and Tactics:

The river is fishing quite well right now. Flows are low and clear, fish have more time to scrutinize your flies/drift. Longer leaders 9-12' and smaller diameter tippet 5-6X will help you get the best looking drifts.

Look for midges in the mornings, and perhaps through other parts of the day. BWOs are hatching in the afternoons, particularly on overcast or cloudy days. Down in the Bighorn Canyon there are still some red quills to be found. In the mornings on the upper Ark, fish are generally hanging in the slower/deeper parts of the river. Nymphing is probably the move in the AM. Late mornings through the afternoon is when fish will be spread out and suspended more mid-current.

Our guides are still running hopper-dropper setups and having lots of success. Streamer fishing from the raft is really great too. Try black, olive or white streamers. If they aren't hitting those colors, maybe it isn't a streamer day. There are also a lot of fish looking up, so a single or double dry setup can be deadly if fished well. If there are no active hatches, just throw a micro chubby and have fun! Throw a little sz 18-20 tungsten dropper nymph on if you want to bring a few more fish to the net. Try a perdigon, zebra midge, or any old confidence nymph that you can get a good drift with!

Alpine Lakes and Streams:

We are creeping near to the end of the alpine fishing season, but it isn't over yet! This time of the year, its about the beauty and the solitude of the high country. You gotta soak it in! Hows the fishing up high? Totally depends on the lake and the day. Experiences range from getting skunked to having quality outings. If you aren't seeing as many fish cruising and feeding, you might have better luck fishing deep leeches/buggers off the drop offs.