Colorado Fishing Reports ยท Arkansas Basin
Lake Creek drops out of Twin Lakes and runs a short distance along Highway 82 to the Arkansas River. It is small, easy to reach and controlled entirely by reservoir releases.
Looking for the latest Lake Creek Below Twin Lakes river report? This page is updated by the AvidMax fly shop team with live flows, current conditions, hatches and the flies working now on the Lake Creek โ Below Twin Lakes.
Current flows
Wind forecast
Below Twin Lakes fishing report
Updated November 7, 2026.
We have no fresh report for Lake Creek. In early November it usually runs low, clear and cold on winter releases from Twin Lakes.
Plan on small midge and Baetis nymphs, plus egg patterns and small streamers for browns moving between the lake and the river. Fish the middle of the day.
Releases can change with little warning, so check the gauge above before you drive.
Load your fly box
Before you head to Below Twin Lakes, bring: Zebra Midge #20-22, RS2 Emerger #20-22, Pheasant Tail Nymph #18-20, Egg #16-18, Woolly Bugger #8-10, Parachute Adams #18-22, JuJu Baetis #18-22, Black Beauty #20-24, Squirmy Wormie #12-14.
Flies working right now
The flies above that we have in stock right now.
Below Twin Lakes river details
| Access | Roadside along Highway 82 between the dam and the US-24 junction. It is a short stretch, and some of it is private, so follow the signs. |
|---|---|
| Elevation | About 9,200 ft |
| Drive from AvidMax | About 130 miles, roughly 2 hours 49 minutes from our Centennial shop |
| Best season | Fall and early summer at moderate flows |
| Fish | Brown and rainbow trout, with occasional large browns in fall |
| Regulations | Check Colorado Parks and Wildlife for the current rules. The Arkansas below the confluence is Gold Medal Water. A Colorado fishing license is required. |
| Leaders and tippet | 9 ft leaders, 5X tippet, 6X for midges |
| Camping | Twin Lakes area national forest campgrounds (seasonal) and dispersed sites along Highway 82 |
| Kids | Yes, with care. It is right next to the road, but the water is cold and can run fast when releases are up. |
| Good to know | Moderate, steady releases fish best. Big jumps in flow push fish around. |
Fishing by season
Winter
Low winter releases and cold water. Slow midday midge fishing.
Spring
Low and clear before releases increase. Midges and BWOs.
Summer
Fishable at moderate releases, too pushy when they are high.
Fall
The best window. Browns are active and flows often come down.
How to get there
Lake Creek runs along Highway 82 just west of US-24, below the Twin Lakes dam.