Fly Fishing the Mothers Day Hatch on The Arkansas River

Fly Fishing The Arkansas River in a Kuku Camper Van

5/18/2021

With Colorado’s springtime in bloom and it's summer on the way, Taylor and I took our first weekend fishing trip of the season to Salida, Colorado.

Unlike our usual tent-camping arrangements, we were able to camp luxuriously thanks to Kuku Campers. We took one of their Class C-Lux, a Mercedes Sprinter van, to try to catch a famous-among-anglers insect hatch.

Unfortunately, we were a week too late for the “Mother’s Day Caddis Hatch”, but we camped and fished between Salida and Canon City over the course of the weekend and still had one of our most successful weekend trips to date!

Friday:

Picked up our van!

We drove to the Kuku Campers Denver location to pick up our rental. After meeting the Kuku staff, we signed the necessary paperwork, inspected the vehicle, and took a tour of its features. Neither of us were familiar with Mercedes Sprinter vans, but the Kuku staff showed us every little detail.

Packing up the van!

After we knew all the tips and tricks, we drove home to pack up the van and headed south as quickly as we could. We weren’t sure where we’d be staying in Salida, but we had nearly three hours to figure it out.

See more from our little "Kuku Campervan Tour" video below:

Found a campsite!

We called the Colorado Parks & Wildlife representative and he informed us that there was an opening at Five Points Campground for the entire weekend. We booked our site and drove nearly forty miles south of Salida.

John after he set up our bed for the night.

Once we’d arrived, we wasted no time getting ready for bed. We quickly discovered that the lower level sleeper would be preferable to the top bunk sleeping platform. We began dismantling the dining table and setting up the bed.

Our first night in the Kuku Camper Van was much more comfortable and restful than either of us expected it to be. We actually slept in for a while after sunrise because of the van’s sleeping curtains.

Saturday:

Made stops in Salida.

First thing, we visited a fly shop in Salida to purchase some necessary fly fishing gear. Then, we stopped at Steam Coffee Caboose for a hot drink to enjoy as we scoured the area for the perfect fishing spot.

Coffee from Steam Coffee Caboose.

Went fly fishing!

The Mount Ouray Wildlife Area in Salida.

After scoping out several spots, we found the Mount Ouray State Wildlife Area by chance, and it was perfect. We spent most of the day wading in the river, trying different flies, and watching kayaks and rafts float down river. We didn’t have much luck fishing, but any time on the water is time well spent.

Attempting to catch some fish.

Made lunch in the van.

In the mid-afternoon, it seemed like a storm might be rolling in, so Taylor and I packed up our gear and walked back to the van. In the parking lot, Taylor used the kitchen amenities of the Kuku Camper to make lunch.

Cooking lunch in the camper!

After a delicious meal and a little relaxation, we headed to our next fishing spot. We still had no luck fishing, but the view of the mountains from near Salida were nothing short of majestic.

One of our fishing spots.

Got ice cream downtown.

Me with my hone and strawberry cookies ice cream!

We eventually packed up and drove the campervan into downtown Salida. The town was buzzing with the Saturday evening crowd and live music. Taylor and I couldn’t resist having ice cream and a shake from Salida Pharmacy & Fountain, and it only made our walk about town more enjoyable.

Soon after finishing our treats, we headed back to the van to drive to our campsite once again.

Stargazed around the campfire.

Like always, we spent a long while stargazing and talking around the campfire before enjoying another excellent night’s sleep in our Kuku Camper Van.

Sunday:

The morning greeted us with cold, cloudy, and rainy conditions, so we decided against fishing. Instead, we decided to visit Canon City.

Our Kuku Campervan.

We’ve been to Canon City to ride the Royal Gorge Route Railway Train and to visit the Royal Gorge Bridge Park, but this time, we only stopped for breakfast.

We dropped into the Happy Endings Caboose Cafe and couldn’t have had a better meal or a happier ending to our weekend in the mountains.

The Happy Endings Caboose in Canon City.

Monday / Return Day:

We dropped the van off first thing n the morning, and after a quick inspection were headed back home relaxed and refreshed from the wonderful weekend outdoors.

See more from our entire weekend in our video below!

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