May 23 NoCo News
Happy Memorial Day, Great Fishing, Rain Gear
This upcoming Memorial Day weekend might not be as crowded as years past, as the weather for all 3 days looks like a chance at some showers in the morning with a good chance of thunderstorms in the afternoons. For those wanting to get out and wet a line, I recommend getting out early and getting off the water by noon - that is for both weather and the possibility of crowds. Normally, this is the first weekend lots of people get their boats out for the year, and leads to long lines at the ramp.
Last week, I was out on the water several times, and the bites are good at many lakes and ponds. I caught walleyes casting jigs, trolling lead core deep, and dragging livebait in the middepths. Trout were hitting jerkbaits and jigs with straight-tailed plastics like the Crush City Mooch Minnow. Bass on the ponds were caught with bladed jigs and stick worms.
HOT BITES
Chatfield - walleye are hitting livebait - focus on bottom bouncers along the breaks with crooked hooks. Smallmouth bass are along the rocks, hitting weightless stick worms. Trout are around the no-wake buoy line.
Cherry Creek - Look for the walleyes pushing shallow and hitting jigs with crawlers or leeches, bottom bouncers with crawlers, and bladebaits.
Boyd - walleyes have started to push shallower, look in the 10-18 foot depths, dragging bottom bouncers and worms. White bass are spreading out; some will be caught fishing for walleyes, and some are out over the basin. Look for largemouth and smallmouth bass near shallow cover. The lake is dropping, so look for fish to move from the shallow cover if it continues dropping.
Horsetooth - the lake is slowly dropping, which has delayed the smallmouth from moving into the backs of the coves. Look for them along the dams and main lake structure. Walleyes are out chasing the bait in the main lake. Look for places where the bait has pushed close to the shoreline. Trout are in the top 15 feet and being caught on jerkbbaits, jigs with Mooch Minnows, or trolling.
Ponds - lots of the foothill and mountain ponds and streams have been stocked with trout. This fish will be hungry and willing to bite. At the lower elevations, look for bass to be on the tail end of the spawn and bluegills to be moving in next.
South Platte below Chatfield - this area was stocked this week and makes for good fishing. This stretch of river has trout, smallmouth, and a few walleyes, which makes for a fun mixed bag. Try light hair jigs worked with the current.
CPW NEWS
TROUT STOCKING
Denver Area - Eaglewatch, Mann-Myholt Lake South, Bear Creek Reservoir
Northern Front Range - Bittersweet, Windsor, Douglas
Foothills and Mountains - Slach n Wiess, Pine Valley Ranch, Davis #1 & #2, Cowdry, Evergreen, Echo
South Platte - Several stretches of the river were stocked this past week.
Below Chatfield to Mineral
Below 11 Mile
Between Spinny and 11 Mile
WATER CONCERNS
Overall, the South Platte Basin's water equivalence has dropped to about 50% of this year’s peak snowpack. This year’s peak happened early, and much of what has melted has been absorbed in the soil and not making it to the rivers. Farmers, who have priority on water right now, are starting to place a water call on most of the streams and rivers. This means the ditches used to fill many of the lakes can not bring water to these lakes. We are seeing this problem in Longmont and Loveland. Union Reservoir is still extremely low, making it tough to launch anything but small boats and hand-launched craft. Lake Loveland ditch has turned off again, this is the ditch that fills Lake Loveland, Horseshoe, and Boyd. Unless the weather changes with lots of moisture, I don’t expect Boyd to get any water this summer. On top of that wonderful news, there has been a call on the water from Boyd earlier this week, and the lake has dropped a couple of feet. If you are going to head out to Boyd, be extra cautious on the west points going north and south out of the Marina Cove, and shallow water on the far north and south ends.
FLP FISHING TIP - Good Rain Gear is Worth Every Penny
This weekend's forecast is calling for the classic Colorado "maybe rain, maybe not, definitely maybe" situation – you know, that delightful on-and-off precipitation dance that keeps weather apps confused and anglers guessing. While fair-weather fishers retreat to their Netflix queues, this soggy scenario actually presents prime fishing opportunities for those smart enough to gear up properly.
Here's the thing about rain fishing: it's like having a VIP pass to Colorado's waters. The crowds vanish faster than a limit of brookies in a frying pan, temperatures drop to that sweet spot where you're not melting in your waders, and the fish? Well, they practically line up with dinner bells ringing. There's something about overcast skies and gentle rain that turns even the most stubborn fish into cooperative participants.
The secret sauce isn't really secret at all – it's just good rain gear. We're talking about the holy trinity of staying dry: quality bibs, a solid jacket, and waterproof boots that won't leave your feet feeling like they've been marinating in South Platte runoff. Look for waterproof zippers (or protective flaps), a hood that actually stays put when the wind picks up, and cuffs that seal tightly around your wrists. Nobody wants surprise sleeve rivers running down to their elbows.
I've been putting the Scheels Outfitter Extreme Rain Bib and Jacket through its paces for nearly four seasons of guiding, and it's held up through everything Colorado weather can dish out – which, let's be honest, is pretty much everything except locusts. The fact that it's currently on sale just makes it even more appealing than a perfectly tied elk hair caddis.
So while everyone else is watching the radar and making excuses, grab your rain gear and hit the water. Your future self will thank you when you're landing fish in peaceful solitude instead of fighting crowds under sunny skies.
FISHING FUNNY
