Crack the Code on the Arkansas River Hatch

Arkansas River
Hatch Chart 2025

From tailwater midges to summertime hoppers, the Blue River makes you earn every take. Fish smarter with our full hatch chart and fly matching tips.
Hatch Charts

Crack the Code on the Ark’s Wild Hatches

From spring BWOs to fall caddis flurries, the Arkansas River rewards those who follow the bugs. Get the monthly hatch chart + pro fly picks.

The Arkansas River: Big Water, Big Bugs, Big Smiles

The Arkansas ("Ark" to locals) isn’t just Colorado’s longest river—it’s one of its most diverse. Stretching from Leadville to Pueblo, the Ark runs through freestone canyons, alpine valleys, and foamy riffles that serve as a buffet for wild browns and rainbows.

This river doesn’t coddle. Conditions change fast. Hatches vary by stretch. But with the right flies—and a little timing—you’ll have trout rising, slashing, and hammering your patterns all season long. Below is your month-by-month cheat sheet.

That’s why knowing the hatch matters. Below is a month-by-month breakdown of the most reliable bug activity on the South Platte, plus our top fly picks for matching the hatch. Whether you’re stalking sipping rainbows or dredging for grudging browns, this chart is your riverside cheat sheet.

Arkansas River Hatch Chart – By Month
South Platte River Hatch Chart by Month
Month Main Hatch Secondary Bugs Tertiary Bugs Guide Tip
January Midges (#20–#26) Winter Stoneflies Micro BWOs Slow drifts, long leaders, light tippet. Fish deep.
February Midges (#22–#26) Stoneflies Micro Baetis Pair midges with egg patterns. Trout stay low.
March BWOs (#18–#22) Midges Early Stones Cloudy days = swinging soft hackles goldmine.
April BWOs Early Caddis Midges Focus on pods of risers. Delicate dry fly work.
May Mother's Day Caddis BWOs Early PMDs Skittering caddis and emergers dominate the hatch.
June PMDs (#16–#18) Caddis Yellow Sallies Dry + emerger combos are deadly in pocket water.
July Tricos (#20–#24) Caddis Hoppers Start early. Switch to terrestrials after the spinner fall.
August Tricos Ants, Beetles, Hoppers PMDs Prospect with a beetle + midge dropper mid-morning.
September BWOs Fading Tricos Late Caddis RS2s and emergers shine on cloudy fall afternoons.
October BWOs Midges Streamers Start with dries. Switch to meat if the clouds roll in.
November Midges BWOs Eggs Mix midge nymphs with an egg pattern for depth.
December Midges Winter Stones Baetis Drift small midge larvae slow and deep in tailouts.

 

The Ark’s Bugs Change Fast—Stay Sharp

This river's a study in contrasts. At 10,000 feet, midges rule. In Bighorn Sheep Canyon, it’s hoppers and stoneflies. Always check flows, match size first, and fish the water in front of you—not the hatch chart in your pocket. Then go back and match both.

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