Fishing survey updates on area lakes

In our continuing drive to motivate anglers to look ahead to spring, it is good to note that the Colorado Division of Parks and Wildlife has just updated its fisheries surveys of lakes across the state, with several northern Front Range lakes updated in 2017.  This includes discussion of fishing prospects, 2016 stocking and results of gill net surveys conducted last summer and fall.  (For some reason there’s been no update of Horsetooth since 2013).  I’m including links below to survey information updates in 2017.

Among other things, the report indicates “walleye fishing at Boyd Lake should be excellent in 2017,” with gill net survey showing walley abundance in the lake at its second highest level since the late 1970s.  (2010 was better).  And Rivers Edge should continue to improve.

Click here for link to the main page

And here are links to 2017 lake updates in our area, in alphabetical order.  Just click on the name of the lake.

Boedecker

Boyd

The 2016 gillnet survey indicates walleye fishing at Boyd Lake should be excellent in 2017. Based on the density of the gill net catch, walleye abundance in Boyd Lake is the second highest since CPW began collecting data in the late 1970’s, rivaled only by 2010. This occurrence is not by chance, stocking rates were increased starting in 2014 following the noticeable decline revealed from the 2013 fall survey. Creel data found that the majority of anglers target walleye, thus I will continue to manage for this species. Depicted in the bar graph below is the number of walleye sampled

Carter  

Lon Hagler

(The gill net census not showing significant largemouth or smallmouth improvements, but  in fairness, they’re tough to measure by gill net.) Lon Hagler is being managed as a catch-and-release trophy largemouth lake.

Lonetree.  Being managed fore walleye and largemouth, and there’s been heavy stocking of saugeye and walleye 1.3” fingerlings; and 3” largemouth.  The report notes the role of the Loveland Fishing Club in improving the fishery, including funding for a nearly 2,200 square foot spawning habitat and the installation of the lake’s boat dock. 

Rivers Edge.  Ben’s report says Dragonfly Pond’s fishery resources “have significantly improved since the public opening” after the 2013 flood, and they’ll continue seasonal stocking of rainbow trout and hope to build a forage base of redear sunfish, which are pretty rare around here.

http://cpw.state.co.us/thingstodo/Fishery%20Survey%20Summaries/RiversEdgeNaturalArea.pdf

Blue Heron (the new lake at St. Vrain State Park, whose introduction was impacted by the flood.  The gill survey shows a healthy channel cat and walleye population and gizzard shad forage base, so the club may want to give this a try in the spring.  The lake has a boat ramp and I believe allows wakeless boating.