Nice article on dropshotting

We've no doubt had a setback with the past week's snow and icy cold weather, but hey, it's warming up some and the bass should be starting to get active.  I'll be looking for them with a lipless crank bait, and maybe a football jig, but you should also be testing the water with a drop shot.  For the water around here, particular the gravel ponds that warm up first, it's a good technique right on through the spawn.  Not real complicated, just requires you to learn to tie a Palomar knot, and exercise a little patience and imagination.

Having said that, you might want to look over this article on the Tackle Warehouse website; they're trying to sell you stuff, but it's a pretty non-commercial discussion of how to go about dropping your worm right where you think they're hiding.  Bill  http://www.tacklewarehouse.com/guides/dropshot.html

Club conducting tour of area fishing spots

Past President Tom Miller will be leading a tour of Loveland area fishing spots on Friday, March 29.

Tom says the plan will be to visit southern Larimer County ponds and lakes - Pinewood, Carter, Jay Hawk and the Lon Hagler, Simpson and Big Thompson State Wildlife Areas.

The tour will began after Friday morning's breakfast at the Loveland Perkins, 9 a.m. or so.  It's intended to acquaint new members with these fishing spots, but all members are welcome.  We'll carpool.  No need for registration, but if you'd like to talk to Tom about it, contact him at 970-669-3583.

At Pinewood, a Loveland Fishing Club grant and volunteer work helped Larimer County make major improvements to shoreline access to the popular trout-fishing lake.  The club installed a belly boat launch at Jay Hawk, and funded and help install fish feeders there in 2011.  The club has also pledged financial and volunteer support for proposed improvements at Lon Hagler. 

Stream anglers: info on water levels

If you're not using it yet, you may find the Colorado Division of Wildlife's stream flow information useful before you head up and find your river's gone dry.  You just go to this Colorado Division of Water Resources website and look for the monitoring site you want, such as this one for the Cache La Poudre at Fort Collins.  With a few clicks of the button you can learn current flows and compare it to historic levels. If you do it right now, it's kind of depressing.  Bill

Catch a big one? Be a Master Angler

            Exhausted from washing all the dishes?  Embarrassed from losing every basketball game with your granddaughter?  Well, if you can’t be Master of the House, you can be a Master Angler.

Merle Boden, who earned a Colorado Master Angler patch and certificate from the Colorado Division of Wildlife for an 18 /12 inch largemouth, urges other club members to be aware of and take advantage of the program.

            Like the Club’s new Monthly Tournament, the Master Angler program The Master Angler Recognition Program is designed to recognize anglers for success in their sport, as well as to promote the conservation of fishery resources and quality fishing .  It also encourages the careful release of trophy-size popular sport species by awarding certificates in two categories:  fish caught and released, and fish caught and kept.  So you can measure the fish and return it to the water alive if you choose to do so. 

Here’s a link to the DOW website with information on qualifying size and how to submit an application.  Fish you catch during the tournament can qualify:  like the tournament, the DOW requires a witness.  You also need to submit a clear photograph – which we’d also like to see to post on this blog.  If you have questions, contact Merle, who pulled his Master Angler-winning largemouth from a hole in the top of Lone Tree Reservoir while ice fishing in February.   categories: fish caught and released, and fish caught and kept. details.) This allows anglers to measure fish and return them to the water alive if they choose to do so.

Boyd's open for boating

Boyd Lake opened for boating on Sunday, March 17; I (and a couple other optimists) took the boat out for a few hours that afternoon to test the waters, which are still pretty cold, about 38 degrees. 

Inspections are still required; current hours are 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.

North Sterling State Park has also opened to boating, about a month earlier than scheduled.  The Division of Wildlife says they've begun "aggressive stocking" and fishing should pick up as water temperatures rise."  That may be a bit optimistic:  last summer's water drawdowns for irrigation was expected to lead to a total fish kill.  That didn't happen last year, but losses were set at more than 75 percent.

Miller honored for volunteer service by RSVP

Tom Miller, who helped found the Loveland Fishing Club a decade ago and served as its first president, was honored Tuesday, March 12, with the RSVP Senior Corps’ “Lead with Experience” Service Award.

RSVP noted Tom “continues to redefine the way seniors contribute to the quality of outdoor recreation in northern Colorado. “  As noted in his nomination by Club Vice President Bill Prater, Tom’s “in-depth knowledge of public policy and fishing and hunting continue to pay remarkable benefits for seniors, youngsters and other residents of Larimer County. “

Joining in support of Tom’s award were staff of Colorado Parks and Wildlife, Larimer Parks and Open Lands and Chilson Senior Center, along with club members.  LFC’s Walt Graul and Jim Roode both praised Tom’s leadership in pushing to save county-owned properties along the Big Thompson River, and involvement with Larimer County Parks Advisory Board.

In creating the Loveland Fishing Club in September, 2003, Tom helped forge a strong relationship with Chilson Senior Center and Loveland Parks and Recreation Foundation, and has since been a consistent leader in initiatives with the Colorado Division of Parks and Wildlife, Colorado Youth Outdoors fishing programs at Swift Ponds, and Loveland Police, our teammate in the annual Loveland Kids Fishing Derby.  

Tom accepts congratulations from other nominees for the TSVP Lead with Leadership Service Award at the Loveland Museum and Gallery.