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johnincolorado · 06-10-2002, 01:33 PM

Well, fellow fishermen, the news from Colorado is bad, the state is burning. We now have eight fires burning out of control west of I-25 and the smoke and ash is heavy. I made a short trip to my favorite fishing hole, Barr Lake, northeast of Denver, and there is a light layer of ash on the water surface. I hate to think of what other fishing holes are like right now. So, until the situation is under control, I'll be sticking close to home and family, just in case. I'll report back when things are better.

spinnerhappy · 06-11-2002, 05:54 PM

I am from Pueblo, we have gotten some smoke down here from the fire that was started in Lake George area. Please people do not light camp fires they have been banned. Also if you are a smoker do not throw the cigarrete but out the window. Colorado right know is in extreme fire conditions along with New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming and Nevada. If your are traveling in these states be carefull. Since the fire danger is extreme I plan too go to Lake Pueblo and fish. Bass fishing has been good along with walleye and wipers are starting to hit.

johnincolorado · 06-13-2002, 01:09 PM

Well, Pudgy. I usually go for trout, they taste the best grilled with a smear of butter and a squirt of limon juice inside before wrapped in foil. Spinnerbait seems to have the handle on southern Colorado fishing, the Hayman fire is west and north of Colorado Springs so the smoke and ash hasn't effected him yet. However, there are a few fires burning in the southern part of the state that I don't much about. Anything east of I-25 should be okay for a while longer but we're talking warm water fishing now. North Sterling Reservoir should be hitting on Walleye, bass, wiper, catfish and crappie right now. The last time I was up there, the lake was full with no draw-down for irrigation at that time. Jackson Lake should also be good for the same species. Want high mountain lakes? Stay north of Ft. Collins then, the Coal Seam fire at Glenwood Springs is the big fire affecting that area and putting smoke and ash in the air northward. Red Feather Lake would be a good spot to try as would the smaller lakes in Moffat County (small but big rainbows, cutthroat, brown and cutbows), west of I-25. There isn't anything but antelope and rabbits east of I-25 north of Greeley to I-76. Hope that helps. I might add that Spinnerbait has a good suggestion, no open fires or fireworks within the state unless you have a strong wish to see the inside of our jails. The cops have zero tolerance right now about that. I mean zero, zilch, zip, nada, none.

johnincolorado · 06-13-2002, 01:23 PM

You have some sound advice, Spinnerhappy. No fires at all. Sorry, I referred to you as spinnerbait in my post to pudgy. I haven't finished my first cup of coffee yet so I have a solid excuse. My brother lives in Snyder, close to both Jackson Lake and North Sterling Reservoir and has been to both recently. He reports good fishing for wiper and walleye with few boats on the water. Guess the fires have effected them as well. He was in Burlington last week on business and stopped by Bonny Reservoir and said it was low, low, low but fishing was fairly good because of the low water. The fire ban is in effect there also. I'm guessing that fishing this year will be in the "should have stayed home and watched the NASCAR race" bracket because of the fires. The Denver Rocky Mountain News reported this morning that the Hayman fire was up to 80,000 acres, and growing, and could take as long as three months to put out. Being only thirty miles from southwest Denver suburbs, that doesn't sound good. Did you see the satellite photos on the news last night? The smoke can be seem from the space shuttle. With the Feds and state closing public land to all use at a rapid pace, it won't be much longer than there won't be any place to go because of the fire danger. It will be a disappointing fishing season but the reasons are valid. Can't say that I blame them. Irresponsible fools spoil it for the rest of us.

harhar · 06-18-2002, 04:05 AM

Atta boy, "John". I totally agree with you and Spinnerhappy about no fires and smoking. The fire hazard has reduced my smoking out of the vehicle to zilch!! Have to say though, your reports on the fishing conditions and the obvious response to those reports leave more fishing for the rest of us. Spent last week in the Vail area and although we could see smoke from the Glenwood Springs area fire (Coal Seam), the fishing on the Eagle was excellent. Landed several rainbows and browns in the 16-17+ inch class. Don't know if it was ash in the water, but never before had browns take to the air like these did. Lost several when they threw the hook with their aerials. Guess you've heard that the Hayman fire was started by a Forest Service employee!! She says she started a fire in a fire pit to burn a letter from her estranged husband and couldn't put it out when it got out of the pit. Wasn't it the Forest Service that banned all open fires??? Sure is a crazy world!!

johnincolorado · 06-18-2002, 02:37 PM

Glad you caught some fish, harhar. I don't mean to paint a bleak picture of the fishing in Colorado and only intended to give anyone thinking about it, an idea that all is not well. I'm sure there are still some good places to land a lunker or two and will be looking for them in the next two weeks. My granddaughter is coming to visit old grandpa and wants to wet a line a time or two or three or more. Being 15 years old, it surprised me to no end. I've been to Sylvan Lake, south of Eagle, and was thinking of taking her there for the day. The last time I was there, the fish were biting and the bears were out, at the same time. It was humorous to watch the fishermen move as the bear did. As it came closer, they would pack up and move away, only to have to do it again, but no bear can force a dedicated fisherman to quit before he/she is ready. Anyway, if you know anything about Sylvan Lake, please let me know. She really is determined to catch a few before returning to Texas and that is one beautiful spot to visit.

harhar · 06-18-2002, 03:08 PM

Sorry, no experience or knowledge of Sylvan that I know of unless it's the lake along side the road from Eagle to the Frying Pan at the Crooked Creek Ranch. If that is the one, I fished there many, many years ago and ran into some nice brookies at the North end of the lake. Most of my fishing is in the streams. Unless someone takes me to "the spot", fishing a lake, to me, is like fishing in a bucket. I can't read a lake and never have much luck. Besides, on a stream, you can walk and enjoy the sights went they aren't biting.

johnincolorado · 06-19-2002, 01:54 PM

And I'm just the opposite, harhar. I'd rather fish a lake than a river. Guess it doesn't matter as long as we're both catching fish and enjoying Mother Nature. The only experience I have fished rivers is in my mispect youth in Texas; Brazos, Bosque, Leon and a few others. Of course fly fishing wasn't in vogue back then, it was considered a sissy way of fishing. A rod thick as your thumb, used spark plugs for weight and a reel big and stout enough to hold 300 yds of 50 # test line was the order of the day. I have nothing against fly fishing, it just isn't for me. I have used flies though. 2# leader ahead of a clear, plastic bobber with the selected fly on the end. Never did catch anything this way but I tried. On the way to Lake Sylvan is a fork in the road to go eastward to a camp ground. There are beaver ponds there and I watched trout jumping, lots and lots of mosquitoes and very few people. Is the number of fishermen directed related to the number of blood-thirsty, dive-bombing, quick as greased lightening, determined and thick as an ash cloud of mosquitoes in the area? There must be a mathematician somewhere who can work out the formula. Might open up a entire new area of math and put some out-of-work scientists to work. Call it "Fish Math for Beginners" or something like that. Sorry, harhar. I get to rambling once in a while and off on another tangent. I've enjoyed talking to you. Happy fishing.

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