Loveland Fishing Club Blog

Warm weather and boredom is driving Coloradoans to the outdoors, making it almost perilous to venture close to a park this weekend. This was the scene at Boyd Lake Sunday about 2 p.m. - campers, boats and other vehicles were backed up from the entrance for more than a mile down County Road 15 to 37th Avenue, and south another quarter mile or so to Boise Avenue. Linda and I drove past Boedecker earlier in the day, and vehicles were parked on both sides of the State Wildlife Area entrance road all the way to the main road. Hopefully better on Monday...

Colorado Parks and Wildlife’s Aquatics section is working hard to protect fishing opportunities during the COVID-19 pandemic. by Travis Duncan Rifle Falls Fish Hatchery truck shares the message: “Your fishing license fees fund fish stocking and habitat conservation.” Thanks, anglers! Colorado Parks and Wildlife’s Aquatics section is working hard during the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure fishing opportunities are still available this coming season and beyond in Colorado. “ Fish populations across the state are strong ,” said Matt Nicholl, Aquatic Section Manager for CPW. “Warm water species such as post-spawn walleye are feeding well. Pre-spawn bass fishing is starting to pick up. These species can be found in many of the lower elevations reservoirs across Colorado. Cold water species such as rainbow trout and brown trout can be targeted in many of our mountain streams and reservoirs.” With the current health situation, CPW suggests fishing close to home and practicing ...

Jim Visger has cancelled the Lake John club fishing trip.

Mercury Marine enters into supply agreement with BRP; will immediately become outboard engine of choice for Alumacraft, Manitou & Telwater brands FOND DU LAC, WI  -- Mercury Marine, a division of Brunswick Corporation (NYSE:BC) and a world leader in marine propulsion systems, has entered into a strategic supply agreement with BRP to be the supplier of choice for BRP owned boat brands Alumacraft, Manitou, Quintrex & Stacer. BRP has made the decision to discontinue the production of E-TEC and E-TEC G2 engines effective immediately. “This agreement brings us an incredible opportunity to further grow our brand in the marketplace and introduce our award-winning portfolio of outboard engines to new customers around the world,” said Chris Drees, Mercury Marine president. “We have enjoyed long standing relationships with Alumacraft, Manitou and Telwater and we look forward to continuing to work with them while providing class-leading outboard engines and exceptional...

Company discontinues the manufacturing of outboard engines and agrees with market leader  Mercury Marine to support boat packages.   Valcourt, Quebec  – BRP (TSX: DOO; NASDAQ: DOOO) announced today it has re-oriented its marine business by focusing on the growth of its boat brands with new technology and innovative marine products. We will discontinue production of Evinrude E-TEC and E-TEC G2 outboard engines. Our Sturtevant, WI, facility, will be repurposed for new projects to pursue our plan to provide consumers with an unparalleled experience on the water. We remain committed to our Buy, Build, Transform Marine strategy which has been underway since 2018 with the acquisition of Alumacraft and Manitou boat companies in the U.S., followed by the acquisition of Australian boat manufacturer Telwater in 2019. “Our outboard engines business has been greatly impacted by COVID-19, obliging us to discontinue production of our outboard motors immediately. This business ...

Rick thinks that maybe bringing Priscilla helped catch these fish. I say if that's what works then she should come along more often! Nice Bass! Photo Priscilla Golz 22" Trout, Photo Priscilla Golz

Club President Jim Baxter checked with Perkins today; the restaurant is set up for indoor dining in accordance with Larimer County coronavirus restrictions. They are allowing groups of up to four people to eat together in tables set at least 6 feet apart. That doesn’t fit with resumption of the club’s Friday breakfasts. One of these days...

 Editor’s note: we’ve been encouraging club members to share stories of their lives, even when it’s time not spent fishing. Some time ago Charlie Higgs wrote down his memories of the summer of 1945, which we share with you on this Memorial Day.. DAD’S DISCHARGEI ​ It was great news “Dad is home for good!” ​ In the summer of 1945, Joe was almost 10, I was 5 and Rich was 3.  The big war was over!  Soldiers, sailors, airmen, husbands, fathers, brothers were being discharged from the military service and returning home. ​ Those are the historical facts.  As a 5 year old, what was important to me and my brothers was that Dad was home to stay! ​ He had been away for almost 2 years se rving in the navy.  We had seen  him only two times when he  was allowed to co me home on short furloughs.  On one visit Dad and Mom took Rich and me to a photographer in Memphis.  They had our pictures taken wearing  little sailor suits. ...

Jim Visger has confirmed that the Lake John Trip is still on. Come out for a day or come out for several days and join club members in their efforts to catch some nice trout and spend some time together .I did talk with the Lake John Resort and the camping restrictions have been lifted. Some spots are reservation only. You can call them at 970-723-3226 to find out about cabin availability or camping spots, some with electric etc. on their property. Lake John fishing When Jun 2 – 5, 2020 Where Lake John west of Walden  Description Club contact: Jim Visger, 970-800-3399. Lodging available at the lake includes 4 cabins and RV park with full hookups and drive-through sites. (Contact http://lakejohnresort.com ) Free state campsites are also available around the lake on first-come basis.

Our intrepid club secretary, Christina, knows the value of getting up early in the morning and getting on the water. Not only do you avoid the crowds, you also have a better opportunity to catch fish. Often times we are rewarded with a welcome statement, a good morning call out from the planet on which we live, like this one that greeted Christina yesterday. It's a reminder that being there is why we go, catching fish is just a bonus. Photo by Christina Weiss

No surprise here, but it's disappointing to all:  Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the club is cancelling the derby this year.  It had been scheduled for Sept. 16 at Flatiron Reservoir. Kathy Barker, this year's chair, says the club plans to resume the annual competition in 2021. The decision was made after previous chair Ray Park talked over the situation with management of several assisted living centers in Loveland. Scene from the 2019 derby. The event for Loveland assisted living center residents has been a tradition since 2011. The derby remains, we think, this nation’s  only  free fishing derby focused on  community's assisted living center residents, run by and for seniors. Other Loveland seniors are welcome, but the primary invited guests are residents of about 10 assisted living centers.

Wayne Baranczyk didn't travel far to use his new float tube (the old one kinda leaked) but put it to good use Monday with this 21-inch rainbow. We won't tell you where - get out and find it for yourself - but we will say he took it with a Gulp minnow...and put it back in the lake.

Came out for picnic and never saw the number of boats out here. Fun watching everyone try to launch.

A long, long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away we asked for contributors to the blog to share a story or two about ourselves. For such a chatty group at breakfast it feels like the vacuum of space, with the exception of a few brave souls that took the risk to tell us all a story. Those few stories were pretty good, they took us to places we would have never imagined. This reminded me of a story I wrote as part of a writing class for beginners at Front Range Community College. Trying to write anything at all seemed to be an insurmountable task at times for most of us . We had a great teacher who used different tools to teach us that we could write and often times write quite well. Once, as part of freeing up the mind and getting us to be creative she had  reach into a bag and pull out two pieces of paper. Each piece of paper had one or two words on it and the challenge was to combine the words in some fashion and write something. She had given us a starting point, one that didn...

By Bill Prater 1.      I have discovered Linda can sit in silence for hours, happily knitting away, while I telepathically anticipate her inevitable next few words. Sounds impressive, until you remember we have been in blissful binary confinement for the past two months. There is just not much variation in our daily conversations; the sight of a familiar squirrel in the backyard can trigger dramatic new dialogue for hours. As I was saying, Linda can utter three simple words and I can tell you everything else that she is about to say. (The three you have to watch out for are:  “Would you mind...?”) 2.      Also, I have discovered Linda can sit in silence sit for hours, happily knitting away… And remain just as happy when she “drops a stitch” and has to pull apart the last 20 rows of the scarf she began when this cursed pandemic began. 3.      Meanwhile, I can also sit in silence for hours (or at least just curse unde...

While we never tire of admiring our own, Rick and I urge club members to Show Us Your Big One.” Doing things in solitary, with faces frequently hidden by masks, we find ourselves without the usual opportunity to allow others to admire our most prized possessions. Mindful of social distance, we ask that you e-mail us a photo of your Big One so we can share It with the rest of the club online. Aware of Dave’s and Dan’s and Norm’s shared fondness for wide angle photography, the editors note that photos of a Big One grasped by suspiciously enormous hands will be subjected to skepticism once reserved for breakfast at Perkins. In case Tom or Arnie are reading this, we should stress that we’re talking big fish here.  Also, A reminder that Jim Roode is seeking candidates for 2020 Angler of the Year. All species included in the Colorado Master Angler program are eligible. Here’s where to e-mail your entries: Angler of the Year:  Jimroode@yahoo.com Show us your Big One:...

Gov. Jared Polis announced on Monday campgrounds at Colorado state parks will be back open on Tuesday, as long as the host county allows it. The campgrounds are open by reservation only.

A planned overnight trip this week to jumbo reservoir has been cancelled due to forecasted foul weather. Dan Barker hopes to reschedule..

After a terrific seven-year reign as our club's treasurer, Barb Ding will be stepping down in 2021. After introducing professional standards to the tracking of our small but precious budget, she's kept us informed on how much we have to spend and how we've spent it. And been a key member of the club Board. Never done something like this, but like to learn? Barb would like to ensure a painless crossover by introducing her successor to the techniques involved between now and the new year. If you've never been able to keep your own checkbook in balance, here's a great opportunity. If you're interested, contact Barb at  sales@groomroom.com

Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon announced Thursday that Game & Fish will begin selling temporary non-resident licenses Saturday, May 9. Gordon also announced that state officials will let a quarantine for people entering Wyoming expire on Friday. In order to slow the spread of COVID-19, state officials ordered that people entering Wyoming for non-work related reasons self-quarantine for 14 days. Officials also suspended selling temporary fishing licenses to out-of-staters. The governor said he hopes people who travel out-of-state do so judiciously and avoid areas hit hard by the Coronavirus.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife is working with federal and local partners to determine a timeline for opening camping. DENVER – Camping at Colorado state parks and State Wildlife Areas will remain closed until further notice, as Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) works to implement system-wide safety protocols related to social distancing in campgrounds.  Customer, volunteer, and employee safety remain a top priority. CPW is committed to providing park services at the highest level possible while also ensuring public safety. System camping cancellations will be sent via email. Currently, no definitive date is known for when sites will reopen.  “We understand the strain these continued closures put on all of us, and we appreciate the public’s flexibility as we work through the process of ...

An overnight trip to Jumbo planned for Thursday, May 7 and May 8 has been cancelled due to a forecast of high winds. Norm Engelbrecht says a club outing set for May 12 and 13 has also been dropped because of concerns over Coronavirus. Dan Barker says he and Kathleen may reschedule their trip for May 12-13 if weather improves. If interested contact him at  Barkerdan2@aol.com

DENVER – A valid hunting or fishing license will be required for everyone 18 or older attempting to access any State Wildlife Area or State Trust Land leased by Colorado Parks and Wildlife, beginning July 1. The rule change was adopted unanimously April 30 by the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission. “By policy, state wildlife areas are acquired with hunter and angler dollars, and are intended specifically to provide wildlife habitat and wildlife-related recreation,” Southeast Regional Manager Brett Ackerman told the commission at its meeting. “This rule is aimed at curtailing non-wildlife-related use of these properties. At the meeting, Ackerman presented examples from across the state of the increasing use of state...