The Eagle River Water and Sanitation District stocked the Black Lakes atop Vail Pass with about 1,000 catchable trout last week. The two lakes accessible from Interstate 70 have an elevation of 10,500 feet, so they're cool even in the dog days of summer. (Scott Willoughby, The Post)Let's review what we have learned so far from this drought of a lifetime:
1. When it rains, evidently it pours.
2. When it doesn't rain, it burns.
3. Either way, traditional approaches to fishing in much of Colorado are suffering as we head into summer's dog days.
The good news in our incredibly diverse state is there's always an option for the persistent piscador. While the everyday angler may not be able to belly up to his favorite fishing hole and land the lunkers in leisure this summer, there still are several ways to outsmart the drought.
In fact, it could be argued that the drought conditions that have warmed waters, depleted flows and closed streams from Bear Creek to the Yampa River also provide the opportunity for anglers to catch the biggest fish of their lives. They're just going to have to work a little harder. Here are a few ideas on how to make the job easier:
Better lake than never
While many an angler associates summer with the optimal opportunity to fish on flowing rivers, the reality is that many of our most popular streams are far from prime condition this summer. But river fishermen take note: With the exception of a Snake River cutthroat caught on the Blue River and a chubby whitefish landed on the Roaring Fork, every state record fish (by weight) in Colorado has come out of a lake.
That includes Lee Cox's 19-pound, 10-ounce rainbow trout caught in Morrow Point Reservoir (2003), Alan Schneider's 30-pound, 8-ounce brown trout taken at the Roaring Judy Ponds (1988) and every other species of trout, salmon, pike, perch, bass, crappie, catfish, carp, sucker and sunfish since records have been kept.
Even the lakes are not immune from the drought of 2012, however, and fishing tends to be best shortly after the water has had a chance to cool overnight. Irrigation demands at Jumbo Reservoir, on the plains near Julesburg, have led to an immediate public fish salvage, lifting all size and possession limits before the fishery is lost to low water level. Anglers are better off heading to upstream impoundments like those in South Park — Spinney Mountain, Elevenmile, Antero — where Front Range water utilities have been stockpiling water all spring.
Take fish by the tails
The upside of most reservoir draw-downs is the return of water to the rivers. And the biggest fish caught in Colorado rivers invariably come from these dam-release tailwaters, where the water runs cold and rich with nourishment. Of course, they also hold the highest concentration of fishermen.
Wading one of Colorado's numerous tailwaters is a great way to drop a fly in front of big fish. Making them eat it is another trick. With gin-clear water flowing through the dams and ample food flushing from the lakes above, the trophies at the top of any tailwater demand near-perfect presentations on delicate tackle. Freshwater shrimp and micro midges comprise the majority of their diets, with food diversity increasing as you move downstream. The farther you get from the dam, however, the warmer the water. Once your thermometer reads higher than 65 degrees, you have gone too far.
Check out the Taylor River below Taylor Park, the Fryingpan below Reudi Reservoir or just below almost any reservoir on the South Platte.
Stalk the stockers
Granted, following the stocking truck isn't likely to lead you to anything worth mounting on the wall, but you can't argue the odds. Take the often-overlooked Black Lakes atop Vail Pass, which were stocked Friday with 2,500 pounds of catchable rainbow trout (for the second time this year). That's about 1,000 uneducated fish, 10 to 16 inches long.
Elevate your game
At 10,500 feet, the Black Lakes never overheat. But they are hardly the highest bodies of water in Colorado. There literally are hundreds of hike-to lakes and small mountain streams holding fish throughout the state, not to mention several comparable drive-up spots such as Turquoise Lake near Leadville or Grand Lake in Granby. If the fishing is slow or the water is warming at lower elevations, an increase in altitude is likely to make a major difference.
Scott Willoughby: 303-954-1993 or swilloughby@denverpost.com
