Busy week for LFC

 

A lot's going on next week, and a good bit of it culminates at the general meeting at 2 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 16. Here are highlights:

  - Our guest speakers are Kyle Battige, Colorado Parks and Wildlife senior aquatic biologist for northern Colorado; and Ben Swigle, our long-time aquatic biologist for the Loveland/Longmont area. They'll be updating us on the fisheries in this part of the state.

 - Chance to win a unique fly rod. All members attending Tuesday's meeting will be given a free raffle ticket for the chance to win a Kast King fly rod donated by Al Noraker, retired president of Kast King, last month's club speaker and one of our newest members. It's a high tech, quality descendant of the old collapsible rods you may have owned as a kid. This one comes complete with an 8-weight graphic rod, reel and line, that all break down into a tiny packable case.​

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 - Pat Mikulak will be taking names for folks who want to look the part of a legendary member of the Loveland Fishing Club: He's arranged with a local embroidery shop to make us classy sweatshirts and T-shirts emblazoned with the club's logo. Ranging in price from 

$16-20 for a colored short-sleeve T-shirt 

$20-24 for a long-sleeve T-shirt

$28 to 32 for a hooded pullover

$35 to 39 for a Zippered hoodie 

Sign up at the meeting and reimburse the club when the shirts are ready. You can also arrange to afterwards have your name put on the shirt for $5. 

Here's Pat modeling the zippered hoodie (your editor's personal favorite)

And on Thursday 8 a.m. to noon is the September Boat Day at Boyd Lake. Vacancies may still exist but you need to get with Danny Barker as soon as possible.970-302-8965, or e-mail him at DanBarker2337@gmail.com. Anglers meet at the boat ramp at 7:30 a.m., fish until about noon and then join the potluck picnic. Water and meat will be provided; the rest depends on what participants bring to the party.

A little help needed Friday after breakfast

 Pat Mikulak will be getting the club's fishing gear ready for the Senior Fishing Day, and needs help stringing up poles.

If you can help, just meet after breakfast Friday at the club's storage shed at the Colorado Parks and Wildlife facility east of Lon Hagler Reservoir. Pat can be reached by text or calling 303-775-1927. He'll also be looking for volunteers at Tuesday's club meeting at 2 p.m. next Tuesday at the Chilson Center.

Senior Fishing Day will be Wednesday, Sept. 24 at River's Edge Natural Area.

Merle Gordon has passed away

A Celebration of Life for Merle will be held Sunday, Sept. 28th at 2 p.m. at Merle's home, 2311 N. Garfield, Loveland.  

Merle, who was our club's president in 2016, passed away peacefully at home on Aug. 16th.  

Born in Sterling, Nebraska on July 10th, 1940, he was the son of Trientje "Tena" (Kelle) and Walter Boden. He grew up on the farm just outside of Sterling, with his six brothers and sisters, and graduated from Sterling High School in 1958. Merle attended classes for a time at Peru State College then went on to complete a program at a specialty electronics school in Omaha. He worked for AT&T for over 25 years, retiring as a supervisor. 

Merle met Janice Lee (Van Omen) Cale and fell in love. They were married on June 7, 1998 and settled in Loveland in 2001. Together they enjoyed life's simple pleasures, each other's company, and doting on their many grandchildren and great grandchildren. They were truly a pair. They had celebrated more than 26 wonderful years together at the time of Jan's passing in 2024. 

Merle was blessed with two sons, Dave and Tom. He was a great father, both loving and kind. He supported his boys in all that they did and found so much joy in being present in their lives. He taught them the value of working with their hands and taking pride in their work, sharing with them the many skills he had acquired throughout his life. He loved watching them grow to be men, then husbands, and then fathers with families of their own. Merle was so very proud of his boys and the men they became. 

He is also survived by two sisters, Ardis (Boden) Wentz and husband Ken of Sterling, NE, and Mary (Boden) Waddington of Phoenix, AZ; sister-in-law Jackie Boden of Sterling, NE; brother-in-law Ben Schole of Hooper, NE; and by his first wife and mother of his boys, Kaye R. (Jacobson) Boden of Loveland, CO; as well as many nieces, nephews, and other extended family. 

Resthaven Memory Gardens Funeral & Cremation in Fort Collins handled services. You can read Merle's full obituary here. 

Mark your calendar: Senior Fishing Day will be Wednesday, Sept. 24th at River's Edge

 

It's official. This year's amended day of fishing for seniors will be from 8:30 a.m. to noon at River's Edge Natural Area, 960 W. 1st Street. 

It looked as though we wouldn’t be able to hold the senior derby this year; an annual event for northern Colorado’s senior community since 2011. The reason was complicated, but basically the derby was just getting too much for us. Club President Darrell Knight says that, rather than trying to manage the event on our own, the Loveland Fishing Club would team this year with a great coalition that includes the Chilson Senior Center, Loveland Parks and Recreation, and the City of Loveland’s Open Lands and Trails. Colorado Parks and Wildlife will also be involved, using the event to help publicize the quality of fishing available in River’s Edge ponds.  

We won’t be focusing as much on Loveland’s assisted living centers as in years past, Darrell says. They’ll still be welcome, but need to provide their own license and like other attendees, register in advance.  

Below is information from the flyer created by Chilson Senior Center to promote attendance. The club is teaming with the Senior Center, Loveland Parks and Recreation and Colorado Parks and Wildlife. If you'd like to volunteer, you need to register with the city as a volunteer and then sign up for the event itself. Follow this link:  http://offero.CityofLoveland.org  

 The club will be providing snacks, drinks and loaner poles. Volunteers will be needed to help with the event, but members are also free to fish. 

A current fishing license is required, and both volunteers and anglers are required to register in advance. If you've not registered with the city for an activity you'll need to fill out an online form, again, http://offero@CityofLoveland.org 

Here's the language being used to promote the event.  

Wednesday, 24 September 2025 @ 08:30 AM to 12:00 PM 

Outdoor Skills  -  Seniors 

Join us for a fun day of fishing for anglers 55+, with loaner equipment and assistance provided by Loveland Fishing Club members. This is a free event open to the Loveland community, to enjoy the great outdoors with fellow seniors, learn to fish, and get to know River's Edge Natural Area. PLEASE NOTE THAT ALL PARTICIPANTS MUST HAVE OR PURCHASE A VALID 2025 COLORADO FISHING LICENSE PRIOR TO ARRIVING AT THE EVENT. Fishing license may be purchased online at: https://cpw.state.co.us/fishing/licenses-and-dates. Some local sporting goods stores also sell fishing licenses; call before visiting to confirm. PARTICIPANT REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED IN ADVANCE, so we're sure to have enough equipment and snacks for all. Registration deadline is September 23. Trails are wheelchair friendly and several accessible fishing docks are available. Meet at the picnic shelters just east of the main River's Edge parking lot to sign in, pick up gear, and meet Fishing Club volunteers. Sturdy shoes and sun protection are recommended. LFC volunteers, please use the Volunteer sign-up link. 

Questions? Call or text Darrell Knight, 679-232-2040; comnetga@bellsouth.net

It's too danged hot! Boat Day postponed a week

 With a forecast high near the century mark, Boat Day Captain Danny Barker has postponed the monthly Loveland Fishing Club Boat Day from Thursday, Aug. 21 until Aug. 28.

Basic plans are unchanged: 8 a.m. to noon at Boyd Lake boat ramp. To sign up, call Danny Barker as soon as possible at 930-302-8965, or e-mail him at DanBarker2337@gmail.com. Anglers meet at the boat ramp at 7:30 a.m., fish until about noon and then join the potluck picnic. Water and meat will be provided; the rest depends on what participants bring to the party.

 

Our guest speaker for Tuesday's general meeting will be Al Noraker, president of KastKing fishing, which offers a full line of fishing tackle, clothing and related products. Al will speak on still water fly fishing. Kastking's website is http://kastking.com. 

The meeting will be held at 2 p.m. at Chilson Center; (Don't forget the club's annual picnic has been moved to October.)

Also on the agenda will be discussion of plans for this year's modified Senior Fishing Derby, to be held from 8 a.m. to noon on Sept. 24 at Rivers Edge Natural Area.

The August Boat Day will be this Thursday, 8 a.m. to noon at Boyd Lake. To sign up, call Danny Barker as soon as possible at 930-302-8965, or e-mail him at DanBarker2337@gmail.com. Anglers meet at the boat ramp at 7:30 a.m., fish until about noon and then join the potluck picnic. Water and meat will be provided; the rest depends on what participants bring to the party.

And Doug swears these weren't even as big as the one he almost caught...

 Don't let this get around, but Doug Money hauled in a couple "sizable" rainbow trout and a decent walleye on recent outings at Horsetooth Reservoir with fellow club member/guide Bill Rottman.

Doug didn't get a measurement on the trout, but I'd say they would have put him in the running for Angler of the Year. But, as Doug says, "hey, the 'one that got away' story is even better."

Finally, some catfish!

 It is safe to say that the Loveland Fishing Club's catfish outings in 2025 have been enthusiastic but a bit nonproductive. Until Tuesday that is, when Bob Dierkes and Wayne Baranczky's twin giant channel cats shattered everyone else's modest expectations.

All the lads would say is that both were fishing in the same style, from their float tubes, using similar baits on the same St. Vrain State Park pond. "Same bait, same lake," Wayne says. 

Wayne, whom Bob insists "tells the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth," estimates his admittedly impressive catch at 27 inches. You be the judge. whose is bigger.

Bob's channel cat. Photo by Wayne Baranczyk

Below: Wayne (honest, that's him behind the Invisible Man getup) 

and his cat. Photo by Bob Dierkes​

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Published on

7/22/25 7:23 PM

George Wist tries his luck in a belly boat

 So some of the club's Float Fishing Group talked George Wist into investing in a belly boat, and on Friday took him for a maiden voyage on a pond near Fort Collins. To show his gratitude, George promptly outfished the entire crew, landing not one but two Colorado Master Angler largemouth. 

He didn't get an exact measure, but estimates one of prize catches at 18 inches, the other about 21.​ George didn't say what he used for bait, but that sure looks like a big old plastic worm in one of the fishes' mouth.

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LFC July meeting is Tuesday, July 15; Boat Day is the 17th

 

Danny Barker reminds us that the Loveland Fishing Club's July Boat Day on Boyd Lake is coming up fast, and he's looking for more boat captains and potential riders. "Let's make a strong showing," he says.

To sign up, call Danny as soon as possible at 930-302-8965, or e-mail him at DanBarker2337@gmail.com. Anglers meet at the boat ramp at 7:30 a.m., fish until about noon and then join the potluck picnic. Water and meat will be provided; the rest depends on what participants bring to the party.

You can get tuned up for the day's fishing by listening to our guest speaker, walleye pro Steve Shelton, at Tuesday's 2 p.m. meeting at the Chilson Center. 

Loveland walleye pro speaking to club Tuesday, July 15th

Loveland resident and Cabela's walleye pro will be the Loveland Fishing Club's guest speaker at the 2 p.m. meeting at Chilson Senior Center. He'll talk on fishing Boyd Lake and other area waters. 

In advance of this month's meeting, the LFC Board will meet at 9:30 a.m. on Monday, July 14th. All members are welcome. 

 

When the Barkers headed out of town recently, they had their eyes set on a familiar destination: Lake Okoboji, one of the Great Lakes of northwest Iowa. Prowling a home- and dock-lined canal, both landed memorable bass.

Danny recorded his at a whopping 6.4 pounds, but left us to guess at the size of Kathy's. You can be the judge on whose is biggest... 

Fly fishing trip in the works for the North Platte. Interested?

 Jim Roode, who's happily fished the Northgate Canyon area of the North Platte for many years, is plotting an overnight trip there as soon as water levels reach an optimum level.

Want to go? Jim says he'll be camping at a public access area parking spot. If interested, contact Jim at jimroode@yahoo.com. 

The river levels are understandably high right now, and Jim will set an exact date when they recede, which may be quite soon with the current heat wave. Here's a link to information on the Northgate Canyon area, north of Walden near the Wyoming border.

https://www.inaraft.com/colorado-river-maps/north-platte-river-map/

Jim B lands Master Angler Sunfish

 

Fishing a private pond in Larimer County, Jim Barborak recently hooked and landed a 10-inch green sunfish, a giant of its species and 100 percent of the requirement for a Colorado Parks and Wildlife Master Angler award. It's not a contender for the club's annual Big Fish contest, limited to fish taken from water available to all club members. If you land a big one, tell Bob McHale all about it. 

Here tis:​

Possibly the only lousy advice I've ever gotten from Chad LaChance

 

By Bill Prater

I was headed home from Chicago Friday when I saw that legendary angler's painful video about his cancer diagnosis. The distressing news prompted me into an adventure I’d thought about off and on for the past 10 or 15 years:

In other words, ever since I’d watched Chad's Fishful Thinker program about the legendary I-80 fishing lakes dotting the interstate’s route across Nebraska. I’m pretty sure I recall him saying, “I just picked one at random” before hopping onto that little 12-foot jon boat of his and predictably catching one big bass after another, along with a wad of crappie and bluegill.

Anyway, come Saturday morning I paused on the drive home to try replicating Chad’s long-ago day on I-80 roadside water. I picked a little lake at random – War Axe State Recreation Area, a few miles east of Kearney. It was just as he’d described – a crystal clear lake all to myself,  filled with healthy coontail, cabbage and other fish-attracting weeds. Predictably, I even began the morning with Chad’s most regularly recommended lure - a 2 ½-inch shad color Gulp Minnow on a micro jig. Trouble was, though my float-tubing technique was as flawless as my bait, I then flipped the length of that pond and back and located only one lonely yellow perch.

Even worse, after heading back to the ramp, I paused to study the sign I should have read first: “Lake Renovation. Closed to Fishing until further notice.”

Though I had faithfully followed Chad’s recommendation, I guess I should have been less random in that choice of I-80 lakes. In fairness, if the fellow were dispensing advice now, it would probably be, “Next time, read the sign.”

Also in fairness, an hour or so later I did make an equally random stop about 50 miles down I-80, Birdwood SRA, down a gravel road west of North Platte. And in almost no time, following Fishful Thinker guidance to the letter, I landed and released half a dozen decent bass, a couple fat crappie and a trout. So even though my interpretation of Chad’s advice led to an I-80 fiasco, turns out he was right as always. I have to add, that good man’s flawless teaching and guidance have improved the skills and joy of angling for darned near every fisher man, woman and child in this state. Even the ones who don’t always read signs. ​

June Boat Day is on Boyd, Thursday, June 22, two days after the general meeting

 

Lately even when it's pouring rain with occasional hail, the fishing's around here has reportedly been downright scary good. So if you haven't signed up yet, get going.

This month's Boat Day outing, the first of the season, will be from about 7:30 to noon on Thursday, May 22 at Boyd Lake (two days after the June general meeting, followed by a potluck lunch. If you'd like to participate, contact this month's Boat Day organizer, Tom Miller, 970-669-3585; ranger1936@icloud.com

He'll match up boat captains with anglers needing a ride. 

All club members are welcome, but space is limited based on the number of available boats. The club provides some protein, and everyone is asked to bring a dish to share, and whatever you want to drink. 

Funeral services for Dick Hunsaker will be June 14 at St. John the Evangelist

 

Funeral services for Richard M. "Fish Head" Hunsaker, 89, one of the club's founding members, will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, June 14, at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church, 1730 W. 12th St. A reception will follow in St. John's Hall.

Burial for Fish Head, who died last year in Ogden, Utah and was cremated, will be at Fort Logan National Cemetery in Denver. (Fish Head was known for his love of fishing and infamous hat.)

Dick graduated from South High School in Salt Lake City.  Dick met the love of his life, Claudia, while they were attending the University of Utah, where he received his Bachelor’s degree.  Claudia preceded him in death.  She and Dick were married June 13, 1956 in Salt Lake City, Utah while Dick was serving an active duty tour for the United States Army. Their journeys took them through Utah, Oklahoma, Montana, Wyoming and Colorado, eventually retiring in Loveland, Colorado.  

During his career he had many varied interests to include Law Enforcement in multiple states, Real Estate, Phillips 66, and retiring from Marion Merrell Dow Company in 1994. 

For Dick's complete obituary, click here.

Here's a link to a photo album for the 2025 Loveland Kids Fishing Derby

 You can view, copy and share photos from this Google Photo Album; we plan to add additional photos over the next few days. 

https://photos.app.goo.gl/9BxYzf3pB8U63NEG8

Great Day of Fishing at the 2025 Kids Derby

 Great day of Fishing at the 2025 Kids Derby

The first-time anglers ruled the day Saturday at the North Lake Duck Pond, with a 4-year-old and 3-year old capturing prizes for biggest and smallest trout. But everyone seemed to be hauling in fish on a perfect sunny day.

Herons and cormorants gathered on the Duck Pond island and flew overhead as hundreds of youngsters crowded the banks and kept volunteers from Colorado Youth Outdoors and Outdoor Buddies busy cleaning and cooking trout donated to the event by Colorado Parks and Wildlife.

Loveland Fishing Club kept busy registering anglers, handing out fishing gear and bait and later measuring their catches and presenting fishing gear prizes at the free raffle on the half hour. 

Winner of the fishing pole and tackle box for largest catch of the day was 3-year-old Weston Pharris of Loveland with a whopping 14-inch rainbow. Winner of the prize for smallest trout of the day was 4-year-old Lilah of Loveland.

Weston Pharris, 3

Lilah, 4

Captains and riders needed for May 22nd Boat Day at Boyd!

 

 This month's Boat Day outing, the first of the season, will be from about 7:30 to noon on Thursday, May 22 at Boyd Lake. If you'd like to participate, contact Boat Day organizer Danny Barker asap at danbarker2337@gmail  or 970-302-8965. He'll match up boat captains with anglers needing a ride. 

All club members are welcome, but space is limited to the number of boats. Fishing is followed by a potluck at the state park beach house. The club provides some protein, Dan says, and "everyone is asked to bring a dish to pass, and whatever you want to drink." Dan will also bring cold water. Here's a look at one of last year's outings:

Let's see some fish pictures.

 

Barring a little late spring rain or snow, we should be out fishing! And the rest of the club needs to see some fish pictures. So let's have them! Got any favorites from the distant past? Let's see those too. You can reply to this note or e-mail to billjohnp@gmail.com.

A Big Fish Story about Tiny Little Fishing Gear

 

By Bill Prater

I’m not one to either endorse or talk ugly about anyone's fishing equipment. But I’ve got to tell someone about the remarkable experience I had this week with the lightest  gear I can lay hands on, especially my new 7’ ultralight Fenwick HMG Trout & Panfish rod. And I want to tell everyone I know to forget that old cliche’ about it taking a big lure to catch a big fish.

So there I was, peacefully fishing a small Northern Colorado pond from a belly boat with that 4.8-ounce Fenwick rod, a 1000 series Daiwa reel spooled with 4-pound Nanofil braid and a fluorocarbon leader, tied to a barbless 1/32-ounce Mule Fishing mushroom head jig. Just hoping for a nice bass or bluegill, with no warning I found myself confronted by the biggest carp I’d ever seen: 34-inches long, just a tad under the Colorado state record.

That bruiser and I battled it out for well over half an hour, likely longer. At least I thought of it as a battle; the fish seemed indifferent as it tugged me around and around that pond in a Colorado equivalent of a “Nantucket Sleigh Ride.” Nonstop, the rod was bent like a pretzel and yanked from side to side. From the outset, I was pretty sure I was about to test the replacement warranty on that Fenwick.

Anyway, though it was terrifying to see that $160 rod being put to such an ultimate test, the sweet little thing just wouldn’t break. When part of the fish was finally crammed into my net, I was exhausted, my right wrist was bruised and sprained, but the carp and the Fenwick were unharmed.

Over seven-plus decades of fishing, I’ve managed to torture and snap my share of rods: tried to pull a jig free from an overhead tree, mishandled more than one rod while landing a fish, dropped a couple over the side of my belly boat, even had the wife slam a trunk lid on three rod tips all at once. Also had a kinda costly, heavier rod snapped by a much smaller carp a decade or so back.

Anyway, I’m sold on that ultralight rod and ultra finesse fishing, and thinking I really should add that little Fenwick one-piece 5-footer to my arsenal. Father's Day is coming.

Help us at 9 a.m. Thursday get our loaner fishing poles ready for the Kids Derby

 

Please join Pat Mikulak at 9 a.m. Thursday at the Fairgrounds Park Pavilion to help get our loaner poles ready for the May 17th Kids Derby. Pat will have all we need to get the stuff ready for the Derby at North Lake Duck Park.

The Delaneys are open!

 Okay gang, we've messed around and flat missed first ice out of 2025, but hungry fish still await. North Park Anglers in Walden today reported the following:

"The Delaney lakes and Lake John are fully open. The wind over the last few days has taken care of the last of the ice on the valley lakes. The smaller lakes like Cowdrey, Seymour, and many of the other lakes around the valley are fully open as well. Nymphing with leeches and chironomids is the main game during the day, and stripping buggers, leeches, crayfish, and boatmen in the early and late hours of the day is always a good bet." (I still prefer a good old Gulp Minnow, 2.5 or 3 inch smelt.)

Trouble is, your editor is dealing with the aftermath of a suspect unprecedented fifth visit by Covid-19, and not yet ready to go back to living, much less fishing on a cold, windy but trout filled lake. So if you want to take part in this annual Loveland Fishing Club tradition, someone needs to step up and get things going. Jim Roode last week indicated he was about ready, and willing to carpool. Let me know how you do. Bill

Club members on a previous ice out adventure.​