The Arkansas river valley is one of my favorite places in the state of Colorado. The high mountain lakes and creeks seem to never end and never see any crowds, and the mighty Arkansas River also provides anglers (and rafters alike) with countless opportunities. This summer I was lucky enough to have access to a thirteen foot Hyside with an oar package. I spent the Summer trying my hardest to learn how to row. With numerous mistakes under my belt, including a cracked oar, I think I finally began to get the hang of it by the end of August (and I still suck).
Throughout my adventures this year, we had some nice trips on the mellower sections of the Arkansas below the town of Salida. The average fish on this stretch is between 11-13″ and consists mostly of Brown trout. There are some huge fish found all over the Arkansas drainage, especially the Rainbows, but I have yet to land one of these beasts. Here are a couple trout we caught this summer that are worth mentioning though:
