Fly Fishing the Arkansas River

One of the finest attributes of the Arkansas is its accessibility. Roughly 60 % has public access and most of it is well marked along major highways. Traveling south from Leadville, you will pick up the river at the Highway 24 Bridge. This marks the beginning of over five miles of the Hayden Lease. The river here is a small, winding stream with willow lined banks. From this point, it begins to pick up speed and water from tributaries as it cuts through Brown’s Canyon between Buena Vista and Salida. Brown’s Canyon is without a doubt one of the most scenic wilderness canyons in the state of Colorado. The best access is by boat, launching at Fisherman’s Bridge and taking out at Hecla Junction. You can hike upstream from the lower end of the canyon at Hecla, howeve View the rest of this article