Darrell Knight stakes a claim for first in early days of Angler of the Year contest

 Using a revolutionary new bait that looks alarmingly like a cricket on steroids, Darrell caught and released an 18 1/2-inch largemouth bass Wednesday. The fish was a half inch over the minimum requirement for a Colorado Master Angler award.

The day followed close on the heels of a 7-inch snowstorm, and colder and windier than forecast. Still, Darrell laid into several bass and both black and white crappie on the day, and had a bluegill up to the top of his float tube. 

Photo by Bill Prater

Wyoming Game and Fish reports a winterkill in Meeboer Lake

 

LARAMIE - For the first time in 10 years fish in Meeboer Lake have succumbed to a winterkill event due to snow and ice cover on the lake. The fish in the lake, located 15 miles west of Laramie, depend on an aeration system maintained by the Wyoming Game and Fish Department during the winter months. The aeration system failed unexpectedly from complications in February. Although fisheries biologists resolved the issue, the residual effects of the system failure resulted in a winterkill. 

“Unfortunately the combined effect of the system failure, lack of sunlight and dying vegetation created extremely low oxygen levels in the lake,” said Bobby Compton, Game and Fish fisheries supervisor in the Laramie Region. “When oxygen depletion is severe, fish die.” 

From 1978-2013, Game and Fish maintained the trout fishery during the winter in Meeboer Lake by running oxygen bubblers to keep parts of the lake ice-free and provide additional oxygen. Even with these efforts the lake still experienced winterkill every four to six years. In 2013 the Laramie Valley Chapter of Trout Unlimited donated funds for the installation of power to the lake. The aeration system proved successful and for the last decade prevented a winterkill event from occurring until earlier this year.

Meeboer Lake will be stocked in April with fingerling-sized rainbow and Snake River cutthroat trout. 

“The stocked fish are expected to excel in growth due to the highly productive nature of the lake. Anglers can expect to catch fish this fall,” Compton said. 

As of now Game and Fish does not believe any other significant winterkill events have occurred in the Laramie Plains Lake system.

Club volunteers sought to help with annual Chilson pancake breakfast

After a 3-year hiatus due to Covid-19, the Chilson Senior Center Pancake Breakfast and Plant Sale will be held Saturday, April 15 from 8 to 11 a.m.

As in years past, Loveland Fishing Club volunteers will be helping make the annual senior center fundraiser a success, by helping with food preparation, serving and cleanup. It's easy and a fun way to help the center raise money for its schlolarship program. "It's something we do in exchange for use of Chilson for our meetings," says President Tom Miller.

Cost of the breakfast of pancakes, sausage, orange juice and coffee is $8 in advance, $10 at the door.

Volunteers will be needed to help with setup on Friday, April 14, and on Saturday to help in the kitchen, serve food, make coffee and help with the plant sale. Stop by the Senior Center desk or call 970-962-2783 for more information or to sign up.

Got plants?

Donations needed! Bring your indoor or outdoor plants, seedlings, starts, cuttings or bulbs to the senior center on Thursday the 13th or Friday.

The gauntlet has been thrown.Time to show us your big one!

Here's the first submission for 2023 Angler of the Year - a fat 18-inch largemouth winched up by Bill Prater Friday morning from an unnamed northern Colorado pond.  

Yes, the 2022 contest officially began Jan. 1 and runs through year-end. Awards are based on a percentage of the Colorado Master Angler criteria for the individual species entered. Skeptics may note that Bill's 18-incher barely qualifies for a Master Angler, but hey, it's bigger than anything you've entered so far. He suggests getting off your duff and going fishing.

Entries must be caught within the state of Colorado, from water potentially open to any club member. Last year's winner was a hefty walleye from Boyd Lake by the late Norm Engelbrecht. 

When you have an entry, submit it, ideally with photo, to Jim Roode, jimroode@yahoo.com

Photo by Darrell Knight

Boyd Lake opens for boating Wednesday!

 With the ice freshly thawed from the lake, Colorado Parks and Wildlife plans to open Boyd Lake to boating at 8 a.m. Wednesday, March 22.

The dock will be in place at the main ramp, but the north ramp used by jet skis is out of the water and closed. 

As usual, boats hauled in by trailer may only be launched after Aquatic Nuisance Inspection. Hours in March are 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., and decontamination will be in operation from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Hours expand in April to 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

As you'll see when you drive up, water levels are considerably lower than average, so watch for shallow water hazards. 

Walleye Pro angler Steve Shelton speaking at March meeting Tuesday

 Loveland resident and Cabela's walleye pro will be our guest speaker at the 2 p.m. March 21 meeting at Chilson Center.

Don't forget, 2023 Colorado fishing licenses should be purchased by March 31. Here's a link to Colorado Parks and Wildlife information.