Loveland Fishing Club Blog

We couldn't have picked a nicer day for the 2026 Loveland Kids Fishing Derby: sunshine and eager anglers. More than 250 kids registered to fish, before they and their families lined the banks of the North Lake Park Duck Pond Saturday. An 11-year-old Elie won the top prize for biggest trout of the day, a handsome 13/12-inch rainbow. Two-year-old Zealand earned his new rod and tackle with a 7 1/2-incher. "Everyone stepped up," says Derby Chair Bob McHale. "My thanks to all the club's volunteers, and our teammates from Loveland Police, Colorado Parks and Wildlife, Kiwanis and Colorado Youth Outdoors and Outdoor Buddies." For a slide show on the Derby, click this link: 2026 Kids Derby Photos below: Bob McHale and Zealand, and Elie with her winning catch.

  Fishing club friend and Front Range guide Brad Peterson passes this along:  BREAKING: Union Reservoir Boat Launch Advisory Water levels at Union Reservoir have dropped to the point where I am not recommending any boats over 18 feet attempt to launch, and dual axle trailer rigs should stay home. The ramp is extremely shallow right now — you’re looking at getting your vehicle nearly to the point of water in the cab just to get a boat in the water. On top of that, there are larger gravel and rocks near the loading area, and I’m already hearing reports of anglers hitting their prop while loading. That’s an expensive and frustrating end to a fishing trip. NoCo Fishing News is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Upgrade to paid We’ve talked about the reality that we’re going to lose lakes to boating as the summer wears on — and I’m afraid Union is the first domino to fall. I was hoping we’d at leas...

 Cindy and Walt Graul had some legitimate concerns about Navajo Lake, where drought and fluctuating water had loused up fishing in recent seasons. But the Grauls were back on the lake last week anyway, and so were the fish - northern pike, smallmouth and a big old catfish. Meanwhile, Kurt Henkenius had a similarly good first of the season with a trout outing on the Red Feather lakes. Cindy Walt   Kurt

 Just when we'd given up on fishing Boyd Lake this drought-cursed summer, turns out we can launch our boats and Danny says the fishing there have been biting! So this month's Boat Day, first of the season, will be from about 7:30 a.m. to noon Thursday, May 21st. Meet near the boat ramp. All paid-up club members are welcome, but space is limited based on the number of available boats. If you've not registered as a boat captain or angler needing a ride, contact Danny Barker by text or call 970-302-8965.  The club provides some protein, chicken or somesuch, and everyone is asked to bring a dish to share, and whatever you want to drink. "Fishing has been really good," according to Danny (which usually means wife Kathleen has been catching some good walleye). "And yes, we can get boats in without having to walk in the water. "Boat Day is alive." 

  This free event for kids 15 and under will be 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, May 23rd at the North Lake Duck Pond at the corner of Taft and 29th Street. To qualify for free raffle drawing prizes and prizes for the largest and smallest trout caught, anglers just need to register at the pond before starting to fish. Registration and loaner fishing gear will be available on the east edge of the pond, and at the band pavilion on the southeast. For a second year, the Derby will be earlier than its traditional date of the first Saturday in June, when Colorado Parks and Wildlife has a free statewide day of fishing. The change was done at the recommendation of CPW biologists out of concern for warming water temperatures. Holding the derby on the 23rd provides a longer window after the derby to fish for trout not taken by the kids.  After the contest, everyone of all ages will be free to fish the pond (License required for older anglers). The derby is a collective effort of Loveland Po...

  From Colorado Parks and Wildlife. Note: The following only covers state-managed properties, but other spots like Horsetooth and Carter are also being impacted. We'll just have to fish while we wait and see what happens next.   DENVER — As Colorado navigates  drought conditions  and a historic low snowpack year, Colorado Parks and Wildlife’s Northeast Region is evaluating boating recreation options for state parks and wildlife areas. Reservoirs often act as storage spaces for water used in agriculture, irrigation or municipal purposes, with aquatic recreation as a beneficial byproduct. Snowpack runoff typically begins to fill reservoirs during early spring and summer. Reservoir levels will decrease during the boating season through evaporation and withdrawals made by water rights holders.  In low snowpack years, such as 2025-2026, reservoir storage becomes a critical safety net to ensure continuity in agriculture or municipal operations, which may result i...