Loveland Fishing Club Blog

 After a wretchedly cold, rainy spring the lakes around here are finally filling up and warming, with some good results for anglers. Don't ask Jim Barborak about that; he was in Florida earlier this month and caught this whopping big largemouth.  Meanwhile, though, Dan Barker was rediscovering his fondness for Colorado largemouth.  and Bob Dierkes was bringing in a healthy string of trout and this walleye: Meanwhile, Jim Clune, Jim Roode and Bill Prater were getting reacquainted with Horsetooth smallmouth, including this healthy female: Photo by Jim Clune

  OAK CREEK, Colo. - Due to critically low water flow caused by dry conditions and minimal snowpack levels, Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) will implement a mandatory fishing closure on a 0.6-mile stretch of the Yampa River  between the dam at Stagecoach State Park downstream to the lowermost park boundary . The closure begins May 25 and will continue until further notice. "Should the flow rate increase substantially for a continuous period of time, CPW will re-evaluate the emergency fishing closure," said CPW Senior Aquatic Biologist Lori Martin. "But because of the current conditions, we need to take this course of action now." CPW works closely with the Upper Yampa Water Conservancy District (UYWCD), who owns and operates Stagecoach Reservoir, to stay informed on reservoir releases and monitor drought conditions. UYWCD is finalizing a contract with the Colorado Water Trust for environmental releases later in the year. “Timing (environmental releases) is critica...

  FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE  Travis Duncan Statewide Public Information Officer 720-595-8294 /  travis.duncan @state.co.us New fishing opportunities at Sweitzer Lake State Park will include largemouth bass and bluegill CPW District Wildlife Manager Natalie Renneker gets ready to stock a good-sized largemouth bass into Sweitzer Lake. DELTA, Colo. – The dream of a new quality warm-water fishery for anglers on Colorado’s western slope is starting to see fruition after years of planning. Colorado Parks and Wildlife Aquatic Biologists Eric Gardunio and Ben Felt have been busy over the past week transferring fish to Sweitzer Lake State Park from other bodies of water. Some of the transfers included largemouth bass from Confluence Lake in Delta and James M. Robb Colorado River State Park in Grand Junction, as well as bluegill from Hallenbeck Reservoir in Grand Junction. More than 330 largemouth bass between 6 and 18 inches long as well as 1,300 sunfish were moved into Sweitzer Lake....

  The Loveland Fishing Club has a news update regarding our June General Meeting. It will be held at 2:00 pm, on June 15th, at Fairgrounds Park, 700 S. Railroad Ave., Loveland. It is suggested that you bring your own chair and water.   The Annual LFC Barbecue/Picnic will be held August 17, 2021 at Fairgrounds Park, 700 S. Railroad Ave. In order to estimate the amount of food needed, members are requested to RSVP at the upcoming General Meeting on June 15th

  https://cpw.state.co.us/aboutus/Pages/News-Release-Details.aspx?NewsID=7796   BRIGHTON, Colo. - Barr Lake State Park partnered with the acclaimed virtual reality experience design house TimeLooper to produce a new augmented reality app.  This 360 degree virtual adventure includes points of interest around Barr Lake to educate and inspire visitors about nature, history, outdoor recreation, stewardship and Leave No Trace principles.  These points will be generated on a 3D topographic model of Barr Lake that will appear on your floor, table or other open area. You can access this experience at home, school or even at the park. Keep in mind you can adjust the size of the model according to your space. ...

  https://wildlife.utah.gov/news/utah-wildlife-news/1183-what-anglers-should-know-fishing-during-a-drought-year.html ALT LAKE CITY  — After Gov. Spencer Cox issued  an executive order earlier this year  declaring a state of emergency due to drought conditions, low water levels are top of mind for many Utahns. Drought impacts many things, including fish and wildlife species. If you are planning some fishing trips this summer, here are a few things to consider before you head out. How drought impacts fish species Drought impacts fish by reducing the amount of water available in lakes, reservoirs and streams throughout the state. These are primary habitats for Utah's fish, and having less water affects fish in multiple ways. "This smaller amount of water heats more quickly and warms to higher temperatures than when there isn't a drought," Utah Division of Wildlife Resources Sportfish Coordinator Randy Oplinger said. "Warm water also holds less oxygen than colder wat...

  Lake trout work in Stanley Lake resumes in 2021 | Idaho Fish and Game By  Greg Schoby , Regional Fisheries Manager Thursday, April 22, 2021 - 4:28 PM MDT Project will remove some lake trout and replace them with sterile fish to maintain fishing opportunity Idaho Fish and Game has contracted with a company to net lake trout in Stanley Lake for 10 days in early May to reduce their population and reduce risk to endangered sockeye salmon populations. After the netting, sterile lake trout will be restocked in the summer and fall to continue to provide anglers a lake trout fishery at Stanley Lake. This is the second year of a three-year project and is the first netting event of 2021. Lake trout are mostly predatory fish that feed on smaller fish, such as kokanee salmon and young sockeye. In other lake and river systems across the West, lake trout have also migrated long distances and colonized connected lakes. Lake trout in Stanley Lake are currently reproducing, and therefore pos...

  State Wildlife Areas (SWAs) are state or privately-owned lands that offer wildlife-related recreation to the public. While most activities focus on hunting and fishing, each SWA has different allowed activities. Beginning May 1, 2021 , a valid hunting or fishing license or SWA pass is required for everyone 16 or older accessing any state wildlife area. Frequently Asked Questions: Requirements-SWA-STL-Access-FAQ.pdf  https://cpw.state.co.us/Documents/LandWater/SWA/License-Requirements-SWA-STL-Access-FAQ.pdf  

 Here's one for adults and kids alike.   DENVER - A new film released Wednesday by Colorado Parks and Wildlife showcases the ‘Shadows of the Forest’ in Colorado’s high-elevation wilderness - the Canada lynx. The film was published on CPW’s YouTube , Facebook and Instagram channels. It tells the story of lynx in Colorado and how the big-footed felines are representatives of wild values and the natural world. The film was produced by Sean Ender of Peak to Creek films. Part of CPW’s mission is to take care of the native species in the state. Prior to Colorado’s reintroduction of lynx starting back in 1999, no other state or Canadian province had ever completed a successful lynx reintroduction. Colorado dec...

  CHEYENNE   -   Want to catch a kokanee? Or how about a golden trout? It’s easy and inspiring to plan all your fishing pursuits with a new  interactive fishing guide   from the Wyoming Game and Fish Department.   Explore the guide   on the Game and Fish website.  “The  interactive fishing guide  is useful for all anglers,” said Mark Smith, Game and Fish assistant fisheries management supervisor. “For the vast majority of people who want to plan a fishing trip, this tool will answer your top questions.” Most anglers planning a Wyoming fishing trip want to know four pieces of information: where to go, the species of catchable fish, how to get to the water and what the public access is like. The interactive fishing guide answers all those questions with a few simple clicks.  Users can search by the game fish species they wish to pursue and find corresponding destination waters. Conversely, anglers can search by water and find out what...

Reporter and Fishing Club friend Pamela Johnson wrote a glowing report on the planned June 5 return of the derby: "The Loveland Fishing Derby is returning after a one-year hiatus during the pandemic, giving youths the chance to learn about fishing and cast a line in the duck pond at North Lake Park. The Loveland Police Department, Loveland Fishing Club, Colorado Youth Outdoors, Kiwanis Club and Colorado Parks and Wildlife will come together on June 5 — the day residents can fish without a license in Colorado — for the event that has been going on for decades. Following is a link to the complete article:  https://www.reporterherald.com/2021/05/12/loveland-fishing-derby-returns-june-5-after-one-year-hiatus/  

  LARAMIE   - Due to extensive resource damage and overcrowding issues, the Wyoming Game and Fish Department is changing camping rules at the popular Grayrocks Reservoir Public Access Area. Changes go into effect on May 15 and will enforced during the Memorial Day weekend.   Grayrocks Reservoir Public Access Area (PAA), located seven miles south of Guernsey and nine miles northeast of Wheatland along the Laramie River, is extremely popular with campers, especially around summer holidays. Its popularity has resulted in overcrowding and damages to vegetation from vehicles. To address these issues, the limit for overnight camping at Grayrocks Reservoir PAA will be reduced from seven days to five days.   “The change will help alleviate crowding while giving everyone a chance to camp in prime spots,” said Jerry Cowles, Game and Fish Laramie Region habitat and access supervisor. The areas where visitors can camp will also be redefined. Gate 9, which is the next gate east o...

Pandemic caused cancellation of last year’s derby, but volunteers led by Loveland Police are picking up where they left off, prepping for the June 5 event. Look around all you want for signs of return to normalcy - I look no further than the decision to go ahead with the 2021 Loveland Kids Fishing Derby, an annual event that has been introducing youngsters to fishing for generations. Club members, mark the date on your calendars. Your help will be much needed, appreciated and fun. e-mail Rick Golz for details on what kind of volunteer help is needed. The free fishing derby for kids 15 and under will be held at the North Lake Park Duck Pond, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, June 5. It’s always on the first Saturday in June, a traditional free day of fishing across Colorado. Kids normally don’t have to have a license but their parents do, and this is very much intended as a family affair. The annual fishing derby had to be cancelled in 2020 because of the Covid-19 outbreak. Loveland P...

  Angler of the Year dispute settled!  Like King Solomon pondering the fate of a Biblical newborn, Jim Roode has abruptly resolved the dispute between Bill Prater and Wayne Baranczyk over who caught an oversize grass carp by declaring it a draw:  Each will be credited with 14 inches worth of fish - or roughly 46.6666667 percent of the Colorado Master Angler criteria for the grass carp species.    So, less than a week into the Angler of the Year contest, we now have two entries, but they're in a dead heat for last. Let’s have more reports! We suppose half a fish  is better than none! Ok, Jim, Bill and Wayne admit to a bit of B.S. So it turns out Bill really did foul-hook a handsome 28-inch grass carp on April 29, and Wayne really did get the fish into his tiny trout net long enough to flop it onto his float tube for a measurement. But the guys are kind of pulling the club’s collective leg about splitting the fish down the middle for Angler of the Year comp...