Help us at 9 a.m. Thursday get our loaner fishing poles ready for the Kids Derby

 

Please join Pat Mikulak at 9 a.m. Thursday at the Fairgrounds Park Pavilion to help get our loaner poles ready for the May 17th Kids Derby. Pat will have all we need to get the stuff ready for the Derby at North Lake Duck Park.

The Delaneys are open!

 Okay gang, we've messed around and flat missed first ice out of 2025, but hungry fish still await. North Park Anglers in Walden today reported the following:

"The Delaney lakes and Lake John are fully open. The wind over the last few days has taken care of the last of the ice on the valley lakes. The smaller lakes like Cowdrey, Seymour, and many of the other lakes around the valley are fully open as well. Nymphing with leeches and chironomids is the main game during the day, and stripping buggers, leeches, crayfish, and boatmen in the early and late hours of the day is always a good bet." (I still prefer a good old Gulp Minnow, 2.5 or 3 inch smelt.)

Trouble is, your editor is dealing with the aftermath of a suspect unprecedented fifth visit by Covid-19, and not yet ready to go back to living, much less fishing on a cold, windy but trout filled lake. So if you want to take part in this annual Loveland Fishing Club tradition, someone needs to step up and get things going. Jim Roode last week indicated he was about ready, and willing to carpool. Let me know how you do. Bill

Club members on a previous ice out adventure.​

Final thoughts on the club's Zombie Walleye ...

 Okay, here are the last two Loveland Fishing Club comments on Thursday's report from Doug Money on he, Ken Kesterke and Bill Rottman lip-hooking and landing that long dead walleye:

• Understandably, skeptic Fred Riehm asks: "Was this trip on Tuesday, April Fools?"
• But after hearing about or reading all analysis of the controversy, Bill Rottman, legendary truthteller, offers the final, definitive conclusion: 
• "I know that Ken and Doug are liars, but I was there to witness the whole thing, and on this rare occasion, they were telling the truth." 

Well said, BillR. We now await more member news of early spring fishing. Remember, we love hearing about and seeing evidence of each other's fishing trips, so drop me a note when appropriate. Also remember to send your candidates for Big Fish of the Year to Wayne Baranczyk. Um, include a photo and include a tape measure. BillP

Here's what we reported Thursday:

As news of the club's unprecedented Zombie catch roils through the Northern Colorado Fishing Community, other club members have weighed in on the news:

• Don Schott:  "Sounds fishy and there is no ruler next to it."
• Dave Boyle: "Sounds like someone in the club is into Catch and Release." (Tom Miller denies all involvement) 
• And from Club Vice President Dave Johnson: "I hate to say it but I don't think these three are trustworthy. An inquiry is in order"

3 Fishing Club veterans claim shared title for club's biggest Zombie Fish

Former Club President Doug Money swears this is what happened recently out in the middle of Boyd Lake– and why would he lie about something like this?

It seems Doug, Club Treasurer Ken Kesterke (past winner of the club’s annual championship) and Jim Rottman were blissfully trolling along when … SUDDENLY … their bait was attacked by a sizable – but long dead – walleye.

“Here she is hooked right in the mouth,” Doug notes while sharing the photographic evidence below. There’s no obvious category of Colorado Master Angler award that qualifies the fish for the club’s annual Big Fish contest. And Doug concedes “it was Ken who gets the credit for reeling in this trophy fish. I netted it.”

Doug adds that the phantom strike occurred on a purple diver running 15 feet down in 30 feet of water. How the hook got in its mouth we will never know.”

If you have an opinion and choose to speculate, drop me a note. Bill 

3 Loveland Fishing Club anglers land largest known Walleye Zombie

 

Former Loveland Fishing Club President Doug Money swears this is what happened recently out in the middle of Boyd Lake– and why would he lie about something like this?

It seems Doug, Club Treasurer Ken Kesterke (past winner of the club’s annual championship, by the way) and Jim Rottman were blissfully trolling along when … SUDDENLY … their bait was attacked by a sizable – but apparently long dead – walleye.

“Here she is hooked right in the mouth,” Doug notes while sharing the photographic evidence below. There’s no obvious category of Colorado Master Angler award that qualifies the fish for the club’s annual Big Fish contest. And Doug concedes “it was Ken who gets the credit for reeling in this trophy fish. I netted it.” We assume Jim just watched in admiration.

Doug adds that the phantom strike occurred on a purple diver running 15 feet down in 30 feet of water. How the hook got in its mouth we will never know.”

If you have an opinion and choose to speculate, drop me a note. Bill 

Water's warming; Rick's catching bass

 This chunky largemouth was one of several nice fish falling to Rick Golz and his annoying nightcrawler technique recently at Colorado Youth Outdoors. 

A fine but chilly outing at Rivers Edge

 Sixteen determined anglers turned out Thursday for a chilly day at the ponds of Rivers Edge Natural Area, bolstered by hot coffee, pastries and good company. It should be a good bit warmer for next month's Rivers Edge gathering, on Thursday April  17th, two days after the general meeting.

Tom Canchola landed this fat 15-inch largemouth on a Gulp minnow under a small float.

Others tried the new dock on Bass Pond and other points around Bass, Sandpiper and Dragonfly.

Photos by Darrell Knight

Getting ready for the May 17th Loveland Kids Fishing Derby

 Here's the flyer that will be used to inform families about this year's derby. Please share the information with friends and family - anyone who might want to participate in this popular annual event.

2025 Loveland Kids Fishing Derby

Saturday, May 17th 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

North Lake Park Duck Pond. Open to kids up to age 15

• A free Loveland tradition for decades!

• The Loveland Fishing CLub offers prizes for largest and smallest trout, and raffles giving all kids a chance to win fishing gear. 

• Colorado Parks and Wildlife stocks the pond with catchable trout.

• Colorado Youth Outdoors teaches kids to clean and cook their catch

• Loveland Kiwanis clubs provide family-priced food and drink.

• Registration is free; to qualify for raffle prizes, kids should register before starting to fish at the Fishing Club’s booth in the high school parking lot east of Duck Pond or at the shelter on the west side of the pond.  

Who is the best angler in Northern Colorado? Here's the generic answer

 By Bill Prater

Newcomers to the Loveland Fishing Club often ask, “Who is the best angler in these parts?” Even when my name doesn’t come up, there is considerable debate over what even constitutes “best.” This is a subject more divisive than the best way to skin a catfish. Nonetheless, we are prepared to answer.  

The problem is, this sport is infested with narrow-minded anglers dedicated to one darned species or another: bass, trout, walleye, bluegill, carp. But the truth is, there is neither a single best sportfish nor a single best way to catch them. Dave, Barb, George, Kathleen, John may tell you something different, based on their angling skills of choice. But the Honest to Abe truth is:

You can catch a hell of a lot more fish if you drastically downsize your gear and stop worrying about which species or size of fish should be encouraged to take a bite of your worm. There is a related truth you may not be prepared for: You really oughta just appreciate whatever kind of fish is nice enough to cooperate on any given day.

The best angler, then, or at least the one I admire, is the guy or gal who regularly sizes up the water they’re given, chooses miniscule baits with big appeal, and then proceeds to catch whatever swims by that day. I am impressed by anyone who wins a bass tournament, or harvests a limit of tasty walleye; I truly am. These require skills and single-minded dedication I admittedly lack. But I do try to emulate the guy or gals who regularly win the Loveland Fishing Club’s monthly Fish Bingo contest for catching the most species of fish in the previous 30 days, regardless of size of fish, weather conditions or chosen body of water.

These days I fish totally from the shore or an aging but seaworthy Fat Cat belly boat. This mostly confines fishing to smaller lakes and ponds, but it turns out, that’s okay. Buddies and I do sneak onto bigger water when the weather turns blustery enough to discourage paddleboarders and wake boats. We also, by necessity, fish with the speed of a predatory turtle. We do it for fun, and because it catches fish.

One revelation I’ve had in the past decade is that some - not all - small public fishing holes are home to healthy populations of small, medium and big fish. They’re just typically hard to find because they feel vulnerable and live in a scary place, like introverts in New York City.

Admission time here: I admit, I stopped eating what I catch a long time ago; fish to me are more like friends than snacks. At some point in a life spent seriously fishing, harvesting starts to seem like dating the neighbor girl you’ve known since first grade. You can do it, even enjoy it. But for some reason it just doesn’t seem right. Some people question the ethics of bothering the fish at all with no intention of having them for lunch. But I enjoy their company, not their taste. Also, I selfishly want a lot of them around when I return. Which is why I also crimp the barbs of my hooks, don’t tell Tom Miller where I’m going, or post too many details on the Loveland Fishing Club blog or Fish Explorer.

Open water! First open water fish of 2025!

 Those who moan about frozen lakes and ponds can rest easy: the high winds and higher temps of the past week have blown away the ice caps of most water.

The ponds of Rivers Edge Natural Area, the Recycle Pond, Westerdoll, Heinrici and others are virtually clear, except for thin ice mostly along the south edges. The Marina Inlet at Boyd was still locked up Wednesday afternoon, but much of the lake appears open, and nearby Horseshoe was open as well. There was still ice across some of Lake Loveland, but it's mostly ice free as well.

Fishing's going to be slow yet for awhile, but this is a great time to get out and see what's biting. Fished Recycle for an hour or so Thursday, and found a couple of gullible trout. 

Why I gave away my boat

 By Bill Prater

Usually when a fisherman starts a conversation with, “Truth be told…” everyone nearby knows to groan and grow wary. He or she is either about to lie about fish or fishing spot, or feeling guilty over what they lied about. In my case, though, truth be told, I gave away my perfectly usable boat because I really didn’t care to fish from it anymore. And I really didn’t want to sell it. 

Let me explain.

My brother Paulie (the Reverend Paul to everyone else) found that boat for me at a bargain price 25 years ago, beginning to rust away in the back of a sales lot in Central Illinois. For the next quarter century that 18 ½-foot bass boat took over an entire bay of the Prater garage. But it also started up with a roar nearly every time she was on the water, and reliably took us where we wanted to go. During all those years, a healthy chunk of my favorite fishing time was spent with that annoying older brother of mine. My elder by just 10 ½ months (Dad called me his “six-week checkup baby”), Paulie pestered  me relentlessly as older brothers will. But he also taught me all sorts of useful things -- including how and when it’s okay for even a Methodist minister’s kid brother to lie about fishing. And after he passed away two years ago, I gradually realized I hadn’t sat in that boat ever again.

Aw, truthfully, the situation wasn’t that melodramatic. Stuff like crowded docks, Covid, paddleboarders, wake boats and evolving fishing preferences all figured into the equation. But whatever the motivation, I learned this about myself: I really didn’t want to sell that old boat. Didn’t seem right. So rather than glance her way with regret every time I got in and out of the truck, last fall I just donated that old Bass Tracker to the “Make A Wish” Foundation. Hopefully it’s funded a kid’s trip to Disney World, or fishing trip with Kevin VanDam.

Also, truth be told, these days I get more satisfaction and fish with my aging but still seaworthy float tube and increasingly tiny baits and gear. And now, over the next few months, I plan to share what I and a few enlightened Loveland Fishing Club fishing buddies are learning about the still-evolving sport of multi-species, micro finesse fishing. Between now and open water season, I plan to share a few of those tactics with a truthiness astonishing from an old, old northern Colorado angler.

Paulie in the back of the boat. Below, mine's bigger.