Lake Creek Below Twin Lakes

Lake Creek Below Twin Lakes — Fishing Report for April 27, 2026

Quick Stats

Flow: 15 CFS | Trend: Stable | Fishability: Fair | Weather: Chance snow showers, high 50°F

The Bite

This is a tale of two conditions: the good news is that Lake Creek is clear and completely fishable while every freestone tributary in the upper Arkansas is either locked up or starting to muddy. The complicated news is that flows are sitting at 15 CFS — well below the 25–60 CFS range you'd expect for late April. With snowpack across the basin at just 11% of normal and water-year precipitation at 62%, the reservoir simply doesn't have much to release. That means low, clear, slow water — and trout that can see you coming from a long way off.

The upside of cold, clear tailwater in late April is real. BWO hatches are a genuine possibility today, especially with overcast skies and snow showers in the forecast — that kind of flat, grey light is exactly what triggers Baetis activity. Watch for surface interest between 1 and 4 PM if the clouds hold. Midges will be the more consistent story, with activity likely picking up around 10 AM and carrying through early afternoon. Don't overlook scuds and aquatic worms as subsurface staples — in low, clear conditions, a small scud drifted naturally along the bottom near weed beds can be quietly deadly.

The low flows demand a stealthy approach. Stay low, move slowly, and keep your shadow off the water. Fish will be holding in the deepest available slots — undercut banks, the heads of pools, and any structure that gives them a few extra inches of depth.

What to Fish

• RS2 (gray) #22 — Primary nymph. Dead-drift on 6X fluorocarbon through the deeper runs. This is your workhorse today.
• Zebra Midge #20–22 — Pair as a dropper 12–14" below the RS2 on a double-nymph rig with a small split shot as your anchor weight.
• Scud (orange/pink) #16 — Fish this alone or as a point fly near weed beds and slower, deeper edges. Let it ride the bottom naturally.
• San Juan Worm (red) #14 — Worth a shot in the deeper slots, especially if any overnight precipitation has stirred the substrate.
• BWO Sparkle Dun #18–20 — Keep one rigged and ready for the afternoon window if overcast conditions hold and you see fish looking up.
• Mercury Midge #22 — Solid backup nymph for the midday midge window.

Tactics & Rigging

Given the low, clear conditions, simplicity wins. Start with a single RS2 or Zebra Midge on 5–6 feet of 6X fluorocarbon under a small, low-profile indicator — or go indicator-free if you're comfortable with tight-line nymphing, which will serve you well in this skinny water. If you want to run two flies, use a small split shot as your anchor above a 12–14" tippet tag to the RS2, with the Zebra Midge trailing 12" below — keep the rig light so it doesn't drag unnaturally in the slow current.

Focus your casts on the willow-lined meadow sections above the canyon. Short, accurate presentations — 20 feet or less — will outperform long casts in this setting. If BWOs come off in the afternoon, switch to a Sparkle Dun on 6X and present it drag-free from a downstream or cross-stream angle to avoid lining the fish.

Access & Logistics

Crowd pressure is essentially nonexistent on Lake Creek in late April — you'll likely have the creek to yourself. The meadow sections are easy to wade and approach. Snow showers are possible throughout the day, so layer up and bring waterproof wading gear. Roads to the Twin Lakes area should be passable, but check conditions if overnight snow accumulates.

Stop by ArkAnglers or Salida Fly Shop for flies, local intel, and to support the shops that keep these fisheries healthy. Always verify current regulations with CPW before fishing — special rules may apply near the Twin Lakes outlet.

Looking Ahead

Snow showers are in the forecast through Wednesday, keeping temperatures cool and overcast conditions likely — that's actually favorable for BWO activity in the afternoons. With snowpack this far below normal, don't expect a significant flow increase; Lake Creek may stay in this low, clear range well into May, extending the fishable window but keeping the spooky-fish challenge in play.