Love April On Colorado Tailwaters 14Apr16

I LOVE early April on Colorado's tailwaters - today was epic on the Pueblo Tailwater of the Arkansas. After flows peaked on my last visit at 1,100 cfs, almost drowning me - today the flows were down nicely to ~400 cfs - perfecto and even crossable. I arrived earlier than others and ultimately the weather was 80° and overcast... brilliant production environment for midges and BWOs - and so it was. I caught many many fish - I caught many fish >5 pounds and >20 inches - I even caught my first browns on the PT of the year and a cutthroat - making it not only big fish day but a triple too. It was awesome. Both midges and mayflies worked all day - pattern probably doesn't matter but position does... fish still have not moved out from the weirs and I focused there in the sidewaters. I did have a frustrating failure to pick up some big ones sipping dry midges but it did not matter given my other takes. I fished the Nature Center and Valco - browns were upstream. It wasn't even too crowded - but it started auspiciously as I broke my Sage One on the second cast - fortunately I was not too far from the car and wisely have two 5 weights - the Z-Axis slayed 'em today. There are too many images to post. Watch the flows and go soon!