Float Trip Suggestions - April 11-13

This may be premature, but today the wife booked flights to go see friends in California in April. She leaves at 8am Friday morning, and lands Sunday night at 10pm. What do the mags think my best option for float fishing will be, within 4 hours of Denver? Will the Ark be floatable and will the caddis have started? A multi-day float where I can get on the water a little after lunch, and camp after a short float, float and fish another day, camp, float a half day and be back off the water Sunday before lunch would be perfect. Is that even possible anywhere in CO the second week of April? Is there anywhere that is usually just going off first half of April?

Arkansas, Colorado River? Caddis on the Ark are usually end of April, right?

If the floating conditions are good, and the location has the option to do a short half day float, and then a full-day float, that would be fine too.

I know I can look through the USGS site, river by river, call fly shops, etc., but are there any good sources for when which western rivers are historically floatable, what levels, when it becomes more "white water," where rapids are, etc.? I don't want to constantly ask all the forums until I get enough experience to just know. I also know it depends so much on how early springs comes, how hot it gets and how fast it gets hot, etc.

Thanks for the help! And if anyone wants to turn this into a mini-mag meet, let me know! Could have two boats and 2 open seats if it is something that can be done in a drift boat and a raft.

I'd don't live there but I've spent a good number of spring days on the Ark. Caddis will be a ways down the road but the baetis should be on. I prefer the spring baetis on the ark. Less people and IMO, a more manageable hatch. Obviously, that is year to year.

The Mother's Day caddis hatch is fun but I've seen it too thick a couple times. Might have been the years but....

I'd hit the Ark and go prepped with all stages of BWOs. If conditions line up you should be able to dry fly fish to risers when you stop the boat occasionally. Otherwise, searching with a double bwo nymph rig or some combo of a dry, emerger or nymph will get you on nice fish.

That is probably a good call. You can do an overnighter on the Ark, and there is enough public land to wade fish, that it can be stretched out. I would also really like to see the river at lower flows before runoff, to help get ready for the slightly higher early summer flows when the commercial traffic slows down a little.

If you get down here this spring and have time, let me know, and we can float!

Wish I could get down there but it ain't happening.

There is some tricky water on that river. You'll learn fast.

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Originally Posted by schwerty

There is some tricky water on that river. You'll learn fast.

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Yeah, luckily there is a good amount of info on the rapids. They say the Brown's Canyon section is the most popular white water run in the country. I have gone down it a couple times with whitewater outfits. Flipped once too. It can get gnarly and seems like some people die every year. Have to do some heavy recon to figure out which sections to float and what level I could handle.

When you have float fished it, do you remember what sections you have done?

How about that stretch of the Colorado above Westwater? Forget, is it labyrinth and stillwater canyons? Might be a bit of a drive, not sure how the fishing is, but as i recall it's pretty fun class II-ish water...

The Colorado is always a good option, but probably going to hit it a lot this summer, so trying to get on as much "other water" pre runoff.

I think the Ark is going to be the one for this two man, two night trip. So much public water, that it won't take much river to string it out. Plus it is pretty close.

Now I need to figure out launch and take out sites, camp sites, and a shuttle.

I will probably hit the Fork againand do an upper colorado day trip in March before we go.

The times I have been down there I have car camped and done day floats. I think there are campsites close to some boat ramps so you could have your rig shuttled and camp that way. Then, you don't have to have all your shit on the boat.

Salida to rincon and rincon to valley bridge(???), and down to pinnacle rock, I think? Both good stretches below Salida. I'd steer clear of the main WW canyon until you know what you're doing. Low flows can be very tricky in that shit. There are quite a few rock gardens with drops in the sections I have floated. A handful of tight corners and some chutes in there too. At high water I'd guess there would be a lot of IIi's in there. Still classified that way at low water, I imagine but it is pretty manageable and for the most part straight forward. Not many big consequences if you fuck up if my memory serves me right.

I'm pretty sure you can float some of the upper stretches too. The river is much narrower and the fishing a prolly a little different but it looks fun from the road.

The folks at www.arkanglers.com are pretty solid. At least to me as a visitor. I think they do shuttles too.

3 days to float fish in CO I'd head to the Bighorn:-)

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Originally Posted by jma233

3 days to float fish in CO I'd head to the Bighorn:-)

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Finally, someone with a fucking sense of humor.


Just do the Green and get it over with.

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Originally Posted by Tye 1on

How about that stretch of the Colorado above Westwater? Forget, is it labyrinth and stillwater canyons? Might be a bit of a drive, not sure how the fishing is, but as i recall it's pretty fun class II-ish water...

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You're thinking Ruby Horsethief. Labyrith and Stillwater canyons are on the Green above the confluence with the Colorado.

Yeah, if I didn't have to drop the wife off and then pick her back up, I would go further. If the Ark hits 350-450, think that is my best option. Otherwise, probably just lap the Roaring Fork for a couple days

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Originally Posted by Woolly the Mammoth

You're thinking Ruby Horsethief. Labyrith and Stillwater canyons are on the Green above the confluence with the Colorado.

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yup, spot on. Given that all four of those canyons are, some say, 'party friendly', i'm actually fairly impressed i remembered the right river...:D

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Originally Posted by Underoos

Finally, someone with a fucking sense of humor.


Just do the Green and get it over with.

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Gray Reef can be fantastic that time of year too, you know, when all the license plates turn green.

Dude, buy the wife a shuttle to the airport for Friday morning and blast out to the Green on Thursday night. You can float Friday and Saturday. Wade fish or a quick floater Sunday morning and pick her up Sunday night.....

Telee...that might still be an option..girls trip, so maybe just send her with one of her friends ;-) Having one vehicle is nice most of the time...other times, it can be a pain.

Anyhow, anyone catch some of the news recently on the Ark? Colorado's new Gold Medal water...102 miles of it. Now you can overnight float a gold medal stream. And, they have secured floatable flows for March, so things should be good for floating March, April, and first half of May this year:

This from AHRA
All,

Please see the below noted/attached information from Terry Dawson (BOR). This latest information means that an additional 27 cfs will be released into the Arkansas River starting on Tuesday (03.04.14) through Monday (03.31.14). Therefore, during March, the anticipated flow as measured at the Wellsville Gauge should be approximately 477 cfs (450 cfs noted in the email string below + the additional 27 cfs noted today).

Please let your AROA Water Committee Representatives (Mike Kissack / Andy Neinas / Bob Hamel) or me know if you should have any questions.

Thank you,
Rob

Rob White
Park Manager
Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area (AHRA)







I am gonna get out and do some day trips in the next couple weeks. The whitewater folks are all up in arms, but big win for fishing...thank you TU! I don't have to take I-70 to float the Ark, and the state seems to be really pushing to make it a fishing destination. I think it makes sense. It is a great river, great population of browns, in a different part of the state then some of our other good water, and having another solid floating choice can't be beat. Tons of public land, camping, etc. I personally hope they keep managing it for fishing and won't cry about the whitewater season being cut back a little. We need a balance, but giving the rainbows a chance to survive can only be good for the state, and help spread out the fisherman.

Well if you make a run to the Green let me know I can possibly meet ya for a float.

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Originally Posted by teleee

Well if you make a run to the Green let me know I can possibly meet ya for a float.

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Cool..thanks. I will definitely be making at least 2 trips up there this year. I have never floated it and am pretty excited. Is it still good in June during our heavy run-off? I am kind of banking a trip or too farther away for that time.

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Originally Posted by gretch6364

Cool..thanks. I will definitely be making at least 2 trips up there this year. I have never floated it and am pretty excited. Is it still good in June during our heavy run-off? I am kind of banking a trip or too farther away for that time.

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The cool thing about the Green is even during high water it fishes pretty well. If you arent there on the day they jack up the flows it gets really good with high water.

I like fishing as much as the next guy but the way the management of the Ark has been hijacked by the interests of fisherman is complete BS. Firstly, the economy of that region is magnitudes more dependent on whitewater than fishing. Secondly, "fishable flows" are not always good for the fish. Highwater is great for the health of the river system. Just because fishing the pocket water three feet off the bank and having to dry your fly every 5 mins. during the Mother's Day Caddis hatch isn't Jonny Orvis' idea of a great day fishing, don't mean that keeping the flows down during runoff it the right thing to do.

I've given money to TU for years. They are doing great thinks on many rivers, my local included but the way they got on the end of the bureaucratic cock on the Ark is a joke. Gretch, I know you're new to this float fishing thing and you're all fired up. But please, stop exacerbating this us vs. them, whitewater/fisherman rift. Be an advocate of recreational access and healthy rivers. You'll catch your fish, don't worry.

i'll be i costa rica or i'd be there on the green
it'll fish good
runoff could fuck ya below red creek
camp at pugs and row back around if it's blown
red creek river left
straight down chute
make get right crux
no worries
i may go down april 1 ish

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Originally Posted by Foggy_Goggles

I like fishing as much as the next guy

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Ya know, I moved down to your end of the valley a couple months ago. Off of 84. We should have a beer or something.

^^^
No doubt. We should take Gretch down the back way down to the local.

I did mean to make it is vs them...and you are right, scouring flows are healthy for a river, keeping it low year around is usually not. However, I don't feel that making the river floatable for fishing in March and April is a bad thing. Yes, it is going to take some of the flows that had previously been used by rafters in the short 6 week season, but I don't believe anyone is advocating not having the high water season.

I need to do more reading on all the proposals, but so far, all I have read is they are putting more water in to keep the river in the 400cfs range during the early spring. The flow ramp up isn't usually till the end of May anyhow, correct?

The worry from the rafting community seems to be focused on August, and if the flows will be above 700 cfs. Do we have any idea how the changes will all shake out? I am not advocating killing the rafting industry on the Ark. However, I feel like if the river was still above 350 cfs for more of the rest of the year, it would bring economic benefit to the area from float fisherman and out of state visitors.

Can the peak flows in June and July be controlled better to keep good average flows for whitewater rather then 2 weeks of super high flows and 4 to 6 weeks of boring flows?

Thoughts in no particular order

a. Drive from Canyon to Granite, observe all the raft companies. This is the primary economy for a fairly depressed area. You ain't gonna convince anyone that trading whitewater $s for fishing $s is to the locals benefit. Browns Canyon is the most heavy commercial rafted section in the world.

b. Overly simplified, there are no dams on the Upper Ark. You understand that water is taken from the Roaring Fork Valley and diverted under Indy Pass into the Ark right? Lake Creek actually supplies the majority of the non-native flow to the Ark (as I understand it).

c. Highwater boating is quality boating. Boaters don't want a constant trickle. Sort of like fishing, just because you can fish doesn't mean you will. It's conditions dependent.

d. The Voluntary Flow Program (which has never been guaranteed) is very important to the whitewater community. Basically this is 700 at Wellsville until the middle of August under certain situations. The way people I know who've lively hood depends on water in the Ark have explained it too me is that this pre-season releases almost certainly mean the end of the VFP. Many years, it's the only thing running towards the end of the summer.

e. Not that it matters, but what is probably most fair is to provide the biggest benefit/ least damage for the most people. The established whitewater industry stand to lose a lot (their business, real estate, job etc.). The benefits to the fishing industry are unknown. This is why people get fired up. The perception is that the managing entities (AHRA and Colorado State Parks) are tossing out a system that works pretty good without much public input.

f. I've probably spend close to 500 days on all sections and tributaries of the Ark kayaking, rafting and fishing. Its a resource that is very important to my quality of life. If I seam defensive, this is why.

Thank you for the additional information. The rivers here are so fucked up and there are so many arguments and fights over the water. I have been reading some threads on it, and it confused me a little on where the water was coming from. Several boaters were saying to "leave the river alone" let it be natural" and were mad about the pre-season VFP release, which is talking out of both sides of their mouths, because they want the VFP during the season, which is not natural flows since it is from a different basin.

I guess gonna have to watch how it all falls out. Obviously, I have no desire to hurt peoples livelihoods, and don't want the rafting industry to be hurting. I have been down Brown's with a guided group several times and it is a fun run. I figured the fisherman in my could come out a little more in this forum section and didn't think it would be so offensive to be excited for improved spring fishing and another early season float option away from I-70.

Oh, and the goggle is the one thing I miss from skiing the springs.

https://vimeo.com/88394847

Screw floating

Grey Reef is fantastic that time of year regardless of flows.

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Originally Posted by snapt

https://vimeo.com/88394847

Screw floating

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Awesome!!!!! Is that a bottle of Fireball in the boat??

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Originally Posted by Hoka Hey

Grey Reef is fantastic that time of year regardless of flows.

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Hoka, check your pm's

How is the wind usually up there is early in the year?

Central Wyoming? I'm going to go with it depends on the minute. If and angler could predict the wind a few weeks out I'd buy him many beers.

That said I'd try to hit up the North Platte or the Bighorn if I was you. I'm new to fishing and haven't fished there but my semi-frequent drives between CO and SWMT have peeked my interest.

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Originally Posted by concretejungle

the Bighorn

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Yep.
Just check the flows, as they have been releasing water.