Capable hands - Boat dock enhanced at Lonetree

The Lonetree Reservoir boat dock, installed by the Colorado Division of Wildlife three years ago with the help of Loveland Fishing Club volunteers and funding, is being improved by club members under leadership of Tom Miller and Dennis Kelsey. 

First, improve methods for moving the dock up and down the water column, in response to changing water levels.  On Oct. 15, volunteers installed a half-ton concrete block at the base of the Lonetree boat ramp that will anchor about 300 feet of cable for hoisting the dock up and down.  Second, later this year Tom and Dennis plan to repair and improve the dock mechanisms that move and anchor the dock in place.
 

Tom, left, and Dennis preparing to install the steel cable. (Photos by George Kral)

Photos from Senior Derby and annual Club Tourney

To view photos from this year's fishing tournaments at Flatiron Reservoir, visit our website gallery by clicking here. You can view them as a slideshow, or download or print an individual photo for your own use.  All photos by George Kral.

Thanks for the Senior Fishing Derby

This came via e-mail from Celene Van Buren, Courtyard of Loveland:

 

Hello. I wanted to take a moment to thank The Loveland Fishing Club for the wonderful Senior Fishing Derby that was held on 9/19. I wasn’t sure who to send this to, but I found George and Bill’s emails on the website. 

Please thank the whole gang, especially Ray Parks! My residents had a great time even though they did not catch any fish. You all were incredibly helpful and were fantastic hosts. Looking forward to next year.

Sincerely,

Celene Van Buren, MS

Activities Coordinator

The Courtyard of Loveland

605 California Ave.

Loveland, CO 80537

Phone: (970) 667-3342

Fax: (970) 667-3079

Club's Senior Fishing Derby is Page One success!

When you pick up the Sept. 20th Loveland Reporter-Herald, you'll see coverage of the Loveland Fishing Club's 2nd annual fishing derby for seniors all over page one, under the headlines, "My First Fish" and "Loveland Seniors cast their lines." The outing at Flatiron Reservoir is designed as a day outdoors for older anglers no longer able to go fishing without a little assistance.  Club volunteers ensured they had a good time, fed them a free meal and even cleaned their catches.  Way to go, everyone!

For reporter Pamela Dickman's complete coverage of the event, click here.

And the club derby winner is: Norm!

Past president Norm Engelbrecht, with trophy, was the overall winner of Sept. 11's annual club fishing derby.  With him at Flatiron Reservoir were Club President Dave  Boyle, left, and fellow winners Mike Scheber and Bob Rummel.

Wait! I see Gail and Norm. Where's the water?

Photo by Jim Clune

Okay, looks like they're having a good time at the annual campout up Poudre Canyon.  Here Norm Englebrecht and wife Gail celebrate a successful trip to Ranger Lakes, and their 48th wedding anniversary.  Um, where are the fish? 

Club exclusive: thermocline for area lakes!

While you were out trolling in the record summer heat, drowning worms, Tom Miller was busy logging critical thermocline information for Lakes Boyd, Lonetree, Lon Hagler and Horsetooth.

The complete spreadsheets on his findings can be found on the Resources page of the club website.  Click here.

• At Boyd on July 19, Tom found a surface temperature of 77.2 degrees and a thermocline that began at 26 feet and extended to 36 feet.
• At Lonetree, on July 31, Tom recorded a surface temperature of 73.5 degrees and a thermocline that was 70.6 degrees at 30 feet dropping to 60 degrees at 50 feet.  
• At Lon Hagler on July 31, surface temperature was 75.6, and the thermocline began at 30 feet, where it was 70 degrees, dropping to 60.8 by 40 feet.
• At Horsetooth on August 2, Tom found temperature a constant 73.4 degrees F down to 24 feet.  The thermocline:  the temperature fell slowly from 72.5 degrees at 26 feet to 62 degrees at 42 feet and 60 degrees by 50 feet. 

And as you'd know if you paid attention during Tom's presentation on trolling at the July club meeting,
here are optimum temperatures for popular fish:   

CARP	84
CATFISH	82
CRAPPIE	70
WHITE BASS	70
LARGEMOUTH	70
BLUEGILL	69
SMALLMOUTH
WALLEYE	67
TROUT	61

Club goes fishing with Girl Scouts at Lon Hagler

Our annual fishing excursion to Lon Hagler, organized by the Colorado Division of Wildlife, was another big successs.  For more pictures of the July 11-12 event, click here. 

It's hot all day. Time to catfish at night!

This club is legendary for many things.  But except for the notorious Glen Elder, Kansas expedition a few years ago, and of course the Grand Lake of the Cherokees (see Jim Clune and Dottie Bethel below) catfishing just hasn't been one of them.

Tom Miller plans to change all that, with an evening outing at Jayhawker Pond, corner of 1st and Taft, this  Thursday, June 28.  Be there about dusk, bring a chair, mosquito repellent, drinks and a musical instrument if you play one.  Otherwise Tom will entertain us with a solo performances on his harmonica.

According to DOW biologist Ben Swigle, the fish feeder we installed in the pond last spring helped boost the size of Jayhawker cats.  But let's find out for ourselves.

Get up early and fish with Harry and friends

Harry Case and friends get up early on Wednesdays and bank fish the lakes and ponds around Loveland, and they're looking for a few club members to join them.

Give Harry a call or start up a conversation at the Friday breakfast at the Golden Correl.  They generally get going about 7 a.m.

Great success on annual Blue Mesa trip

Eight club members traveled to Blue Mesa for a week of fishing, and had one of the best trips to the lake ever, as shown by these photos, taken shortly before the game warden arrived and started counting.  No, honest, the kokanee were all within limits, and averaged up to 19 inches. 

Photos from 2012 Loveland Kids Fishing Derby!

George Kral took some great photos during the June 2 Derby, another great annual tradition with hundreds of happy junior anglers.  They've been posted to the Loveland Fishing Club Website Gallery in Google Picasa, and made public so everyone can view the photos as a slideshow and download a photo of their favorite fisherperson.

New fishing and stocking reports available

The Colorado Division of Wildlife has updated its reports on fishing conditions and trout stocking.  Here's the link:  http://wildlife.state.co.us/Fishing/Reports/Pages/StatewideConditions.aspxhttp://wildlife.state.co.us/Fishing/Reports/Pages/StatewideConditions.aspx

Dennis Breen and friends in Canada

Hey Mister! Lemme fish.

Photo by George Kral

Dave Harem and other club volunteers demonstrated casting techniques Wednesday, April 25, at the Lagoon near Chilson Center.  Honest, Dave reportedly did give the kid his pole back...

Reporter-Herald describes club role in new Flatiron access

FLATIRON RESERVOIR -- Loveland Fishing Club member Bob Scott gestured toward five brand new sets of stairs from the day use area to the shores of Flatiron Reservoir.

"People don't have to slide down the dirt anymore," said Scott, whose club worked for three years to secure a grant to improve access to the fishing spot west of Loveland. "You'd be surprised, this summer, how many people are going to get down there."

During the past week, the Larimer County Department of Natural Resources and the Loveland Fishing Club, with the help of people sentenced to community service, installed the stairs and a new compacted trail in the day use area of the reservoir.  For the complete article and video, click here.

Warm water fly fishing seminar at the Ranch May 2

WARM WATER FLY FISHING NEAR FT. COLLINS MAY 2

Colorado Parks and Wildlife is hosting a seminar on warm water fly fishing opportunities near Ft. Collins.

WHO: Everyone

WHEN: Wednesday May 2, 2012 from 6:00-7:00 PM

WHERE: Larimer county Events Complex-The Ranch. 5280 Arena Circle, Loveland, CO 80536, Thomas M McKee 4-H, youth & Community Building Meeting Room.

DIRECTIONS: The Ranch is located directly adjacent to I-25, just north of Highway 34, in Loveland, Colorado. To reach The Ranch, exit I-25 at Crossroads Blvd., exit 259. Travel east 1 mile to Fairgrounds Avenue (County Road 5) and go north to the entrance.

COST: No cost

SIGN UP: To register for the event, please e-mail wildlife.neoutreach@state.co.uswildlife.neoutreach@state.co.us or call (303) 291-7804 and leave a message with names, address and phone number. Space is limited to 30 people.

Open house planned for HP/Agilent Open Space April 26

The public is invited to an open house for the design of HP/Agilent Open Space. The April 26 open house will offer an overview and details of the Preferred Master Plan for HP/Agilent Open Space.

The open house is informal and citizens can drop in any time 4- 6p.m. at the Maple/Spruce Multi-purpose Room of the Chilson Recreation/Senior Center, 700 E. 4^th Street.

Citizens can view the Preferred Master Plan prepared by AECOM consulting firm, ask questions, and speak one-on-one with staff from the City and AECOM. The meeting is informal with no presentation or group discussions. Citizens will have an opportunity to comment on the proposed plan and possible recreational uses for the site. Suggestions for a new name for the open space will also be solicited at the open house. 

For additional information regarding the project progress, schedule and updates, please visit www.CityofLoveland.org/Agilentwww.CityofLoveland.org/Agilent

First steps laid in Flatiron access project

Work began Wednesday, April 11, on the first of five sets of sandstone steps that will provide easier access to Flatiron Reservoir, aided by 18 members of the Loveland Fishing Club.

Tom Miller, who helped Larimer County Parks and Open Space obtain a federal Fishing is Fun grant for the project, says five to eight club members will be needed for future work days, which will begin at 10 a.m. and end about 2 p.m.  See Tom to sign up.  Available dates (until completion) are:
Thursday, April 12, Sunday, April 15, Monday, April 16, Tuesday, April 17, Thursday April 19, Tuesday, April 24, Wednesday, May 2 and Sunday, May 6.  

Club members after the first day of work at Flatiron.

In addition to stone steps down the step banks of the reservoir, the grant will provide for a short paved trail and railings for the steps.  To see more photos of the work in progress, click here.

Volunteers needed for Flatiron handicap project

Work begins Wednesday at Flatiron Reservoir on improved handicapped access to Flatiron Reservoir, home of the club's annual derby.

The work is financed through a $20,250 federal Fishing Is Fun grant to Larimer County Parks and Open Space, secured with the help of a $2,000 matching grant from the Loveland Fishing Club.

Tom Miller, organizer of the club's role in the project, is lining up volunteers to help with some of the initial groundwork.

Grab your shovel and gloves and meet at the lake at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, April 1l. 

Bait shop opens in north Loveland

Doc's Bait & Patio furniture, selling minnows and other live bait, has opened at 3507 North Garfield (highway 287), in the rear of the building.

The shop also offers Iuminet fishing nets and TrolControl tiller extensions for electric and gas motors built in Loveland by club member Jerry Paller, who'll also be using the shop for rod repair and sale of custom-made rods.

Doc's phone number is 970-619-8750; e-mail docsbaitandpatio@gmail.com.  More information on Jerry's tiller extensions and nets can by found at http://rpmoutdoorsports.com

New LFC website coming! Learn to use the Internet

 The Loveland Public Library is offering free computer classes in its new iLearn Technology lab, including ones that can help you get the most from the club's coming new web site, e-mail and other online tools.

I recommend two of the libary's new classes in particular:  EMail101 (with Gmail) and Internet101, a two-hour class where you will learn about web browsers, search engines (Google, Bing, Yahoo, etc.), the components of a typical webpage, and how to use common websites such as Craigslist, Amazon, and Wikipedia.

To learn more, here's a link to the library's computer class registration.


We'll be rolling out our new website soon, replacing the existing club website and blog and offering a new private forum for swapping fishing information.  Be ready! 

Don't miss this one! Swift Ponds Friday, March 29

Colorado Youth Outdoors (CYO), our long-time friends and allies on projects like the Loveland Kids Fishing Derby and Girl Scouts fishing, has invited club members to a day of fishing on CYO's 12 ponds northeast of Loveland.

Club members' spouses and immediate family members are welcome from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday, March 29, according to Loveland Fishing Club President Dave Boyle. All ponds on the 240-acre site will be open to us, but remember:  no live bait, everything catch and release.  This should be special:  fishing at Swift Ponds is usually restricted to youth-oriented nonprofit organizations.

Bring lunch, drinks and a chair.  For more information on CYO, visit their website.
Also, club members for several years now have volunteered to help CYO with its annual skeet sheet fundraiser at Sylvan Dale Guest Ranch.  This year we'll be helping run the event on Friday, May 4.
If you'd like to help, see Dave or George Kral at Friday's breakfast. 

Northern pike in northern Nebraska

The big ones were biting at the club's outing to a private lake in the Sand Hills of Nebraska, as shown by Charlie Higgs, left, and Art Johnson. (Click on photos to view full size)  The club has a return trip planned after ice out in May. 

 Photos by Leland Carpenter.

Roode named Govt Affairs chairperson

Jim Roode, previously club secretary, has been named Government Affairs Chairperson, representing the club with government agencies like the management of county-owned properties on the Big Thompson River.  Jim has been serving in that capacity, but he'll now be a voting member of the club board.  Like other board positions, it's for a one-year term.

On an icy day, go fishing online

Okay, I'll traipse back onto the ice with you folks now and again.  But it's the middle of frigging winter here in Colorado, and time to mope and look ahead to an early spring.  To really turn spring fever into a proper obsession, here is a short introduction to taking advantage of the web to put a whole range of fishing options at your fingertips. Just click and daydream...

New club officers elected

Dave Boyle

After a year of service as vice president, Dave Boyle has been elected to a year-long term as club president, and Jerry Miles succeeds him as vice president.

They were elected by unanimous proclamation of club members at the annual club banquet Jan. 20 at the Chilsen Center.

Charlie Higgs will now sere as treasurer and Eugene Speidel will be secretary.  Ray Park will continue on the board of directs as immediate past president.