June 25 NoCo News
Hot Bites, Dealing with Holiday Crowds, New Gate Coming to Lon Hagler
The past week’s trend to warmer and drier weather has led to most of the inlet ditches to our NoCo lakes shutting down. This is true for Boyd, Jackson, North Sterling, and Prewitt.
I have noticed in several of the NoCo lakes that we are starting to see the first balls of this year’s bait fish. This will cause the fish to start moving to their mid to late summer patterns. Usually meaning increasing your speed to trigger bites for walleyes, white bass, wiper, and trout, while slowing down on deeper cover for bass.
I finally made it out to fish Union, and there is ample water to launch any fishing boat. The bite was fair, caught some walleyes in the shallows and a few in the 15-17 foot depths. Union did not have big schools of shad showing up yet, so I did not run into any wipers. This lake usually gets overrun with bait in July, making it challenging to get bit, but I think we are at least a couple of weeks away from that happening.
HOT BITES
Chatfield - the walleye bite is still going strong and should stay that way for a couple of weeks. Look for walleyes along the edges of weeds and structure. Using live bait on jigs or behind a bottom bouncer is producing good numbers with the chance at some quality keepers. Smallmouth are along the rocks, and look for a low-light topwater bite happening. Largemouth are being caught in the trees, with a weedless rigged stick worm along the base of the tree.
Cherry Creek - still a good walleye bite near the shallow weeds in the low light period. Then the fish are moving out to structure in the 8-15 foot ranges.
Carter - the trout bite is good, try trolling cranks at 2-2.3 mph in the 10-18 feet below the surface. Silvers and golds were the best colors. Some trout are pushing 20 inches. A few walleyes are being caught pulling bottom bouncers around. You need to cover water to find the area holding the walleyes; it’s changing day to day.
Mountain Streams - the flow is down in the smaller mountain streams, and the water temperatures haven’t gotten too high to slow down the trout activity. I like throwing small spinners like a Vibrax or Panther Martin in copper or black and yellow with a gold blade.
Horsetooth - the lake is rising and at almost full pool. The smallmouth are still biting in the shallows. If you are looking for bigger fish, try working some topwater early and late in the day. Lots of quality trout are still being caught, trolling or casting in the top 15 feet of the water column. The walleyes are moving out to the main lake. Look for the bait, and the walleyes will be close by; they are being found associated with structure and suspended midlake.
Jackson - the bite is still good for walleyes and wipers. Look for them moving from the northern part of the lake towards the dam. Trolling cranks or pulling bottom bouncers and spinner rigs are producing both. Try the no-wake buoy line from the boat ramp towards the dam.
Glendo - walleyes are still associating with weeds. Look for fish at the weed edges in the under 15-foot depths, and fish over the weeds in deeper areas.
CPW NEWS
Trout Stockings
Denver Metro - Bear Creek Reservoir, Standley Lake, Cherry Creek
Foothills/Mtns - Davis Pond #1 & #2
LON HAGLER NEW GATE
CPW has installed a new gate going into the North Parking Lot. The plan is for the gate to be open from 30 minutes before sunrise to sunset. If you are in the parking lots before the gate closes, you will be able to leave. Lon Hagler has been experiencing a large number of people using the parking lot after dark for non-fishing-related activities. For those of you who like to fish after dark, you will still be able to access Lon Hagler from the south or walk in from the parking lot below the dam if you are heading there after sunset. The goal is to have the gate working this summer. CPW is waiting for some signage. The specific date is TBD keep an eye on their social media for information regarding the exact date. I will also pass along any additional information I receive in upcoming newsletters.
TERRY WICKSTROM OUTDOORS
I’ll be on Terry Wickstrom Outdoors Radio Show this Saturday. My every-other-week regular segment is moving to the 10:30 am time slot. Excited to be moving to one of the final guests of the show. This week, I’ll be talking about night fishing and local NoCo bites. Terry’s show can be heard on 104.3 FM from 9-11 am on Saturday.
FLP FISHING TIP - How to Fish a Holiday Weekend
Holiday Weekend Fishing: Beat the Crowds
Holiday weekends can turn your favorite fishing spots into aquatic parking lots, but smart anglers know how to work around the chaos. The key is timing and location strategy.
Fish the edges of the day. Hit the water before sunrise when most recreational boaters are still nursing their coffee, or stay late into twilight when they're heading back to load their boats. Night fishing can be especially productive during busy weekends – not only will you have the water largely to yourself, but many fish species become more active in the cooler, quieter conditions after dark.
Seek out the forgotten spots. While everyone flocks to the well-known boat launches and popular fishing holes, scout out those tucked-away access points that require a bit more effort to reach. Walk that extra quarter-mile down the shoreline, explore the shallow coves that pontoon boats can't navigate, or try that little creek inlet you've driven past a hundred times.
Practice stealth mode. If you do discover a honey hole that's producing well during the holiday madness, resist the urge to broadcast it on social media. That "secret spot" won't stay secret long once you post photos with recognizable landmarks. The best fishing locations are kept alive through quiet word-of-mouth among trusted fishing buddies, not Instagram posts. Your future self – and the fish – will thank you for keeping some places off the digital map.
Remember, holiday crowds are temporary, but good fishing spots are forever if we protect them wisely.
FISHING FUNNY
