The Arkansas River is wonderful success story

[podum]

This past April, my friends and I repeated our spring 2016 trip to Spinney Reservoir in central Colorado to fish the "ice off".  Like last year, (1) the fishing was awesome and (2) we had weather issues one day that led us to driving south to fish the Arkansas River.  The river is becoming a destination fishery.  It's always had tons of pubic access and proximity to Colorado Springs and Pueblo, but has suffered the toxins of mine tailings (arsenic and other metals) and, more recently, a whirling disease outbreak that devastated the rainbow population. The mine clean up efforts and introduction of WD resistant rainbows have changed the river and fishing is great.  15 to 18 inch fish are now common now.   5 years ago, they were rare as hen's teeth.  Some pics included.

We were amazed at the lack of other fisherman, but the miles of public access dilutes the pressure of other anglers.  If you are driving up the canyon out of Pueblo to Salida, pull off and enjoy a great fishery.  In a lot of ways, these are the good old days.  The People's commitment to water quality and an unpolluted environment have brought many destroyed resources back from the brink.

 

 

[oneshot]

I use to live close enough to the Arkansas River by Salida I could fish out my Bedroom window.

 

oneshot

[Lancer09]

Well since photobucket decided to be dumb I don't really know how to share pictures.

I've fished the arkansas twice this summer. haven't caught anything that big but got on some of those browns and a few brookies real high up. really pretty river. 

[Ozarks Chillbilly]

Really neat story. It's awesome to see a fishery reintroduced. Great for the recreation, great for the fish, great for the environment.