Who is the best angler in Northern Colorado? Here's the generic answer

 By Bill Prater

Newcomers to the Loveland Fishing Club often ask, “Who is the best angler in these parts?” Even when my name doesn’t come up, there is considerable debate over what even constitutes “best.” This is a subject more divisive than the best way to skin a catfish. Nonetheless, we are prepared to answer.  

The problem is, this sport is infested with narrow-minded anglers dedicated to one darned species or another: bass, trout, walleye, bluegill, carp. But the truth is, there is neither a single best sportfish nor a single best way to catch them. Dave, Barb, George, Kathleen, John may tell you something different, based on their angling skills of choice. But the Honest to Abe truth is:

You can catch a hell of a lot more fish if you drastically downsize your gear and stop worrying about which species or size of fish should be encouraged to take a bite of your worm. There is a related truth you may not be prepared for: You really oughta just appreciate whatever kind of fish is nice enough to cooperate on any given day.

The best angler, then, or at least the one I admire, is the guy or gal who regularly sizes up the water they’re given, chooses miniscule baits with big appeal, and then proceeds to catch whatever swims by that day. I am impressed by anyone who wins a bass tournament, or harvests a limit of tasty walleye; I truly am. These require skills and single-minded dedication I admittedly lack. But I do try to emulate the guy or gals who regularly win the Loveland Fishing Club’s monthly Fish Bingo contest for catching the most species of fish in the previous 30 days, regardless of size of fish, weather conditions or chosen body of water.

These days I fish totally from the shore or an aging but seaworthy Fat Cat belly boat. This mostly confines fishing to smaller lakes and ponds, but it turns out, that’s okay. Buddies and I do sneak onto bigger water when the weather turns blustery enough to discourage paddleboarders and wake boats. We also, by necessity, fish with the speed of a predatory turtle. We do it for fun, and because it catches fish.

One revelation I’ve had in the past decade is that some - not all - small public fishing holes are home to healthy populations of small, medium and big fish. They’re just typically hard to find because they feel vulnerable and live in a scary place, like introverts in New York City.

Admission time here: I admit, I stopped eating what I catch a long time ago; fish to me are more like friends than snacks. At some point in a life spent seriously fishing, harvesting starts to seem like dating the neighbor girl you’ve known since first grade. You can do it, even enjoy it. But for some reason it just doesn’t seem right. Some people question the ethics of bothering the fish at all with no intention of having them for lunch. But I enjoy their company, not their taste. Also, I selfishly want a lot of them around when I return. Which is why I also crimp the barbs of my hooks, don’t tell Tom Miller where I’m going, or post too many details on the Loveland Fishing Club blog or Fish Explorer.

Open water! First open water fish of 2025!

 Those who moan about frozen lakes and ponds can rest easy: the high winds and higher temps of the past week have blown away the ice caps of most water.

The ponds of Rivers Edge Natural Area, the Recycle Pond, Westerdoll, Heinrici and others are virtually clear, except for thin ice mostly along the south edges. The Marina Inlet at Boyd was still locked up Wednesday afternoon, but much of the lake appears open, and nearby Horseshoe was open as well. There was still ice across some of Lake Loveland, but it's mostly ice free as well.

Fishing's going to be slow yet for awhile, but this is a great time to get out and see what's biting. Fished Recycle for an hour or so Thursday, and found a couple of gullible trout. 

Why I gave away my boat

 By Bill Prater

Usually when a fisherman starts a conversation with, “Truth be told…” everyone nearby knows to groan and grow wary. He or she is either about to lie about fish or fishing spot, or feeling guilty over what they lied about. In my case, though, truth be told, I gave away my perfectly usable boat because I really didn’t care to fish from it anymore. And I really didn’t want to sell it. 

Let me explain.

My brother Paulie (the Reverend Paul to everyone else) found that boat for me at a bargain price 25 years ago, beginning to rust away in the back of a sales lot in Central Illinois. For the next quarter century that 18 ½-foot bass boat took over an entire bay of the Prater garage. But it also started up with a roar nearly every time she was on the water, and reliably took us where we wanted to go. During all those years, a healthy chunk of my favorite fishing time was spent with that annoying older brother of mine. My elder by just 10 ½ months (Dad called me his “six-week checkup baby”), Paulie pestered  me relentlessly as older brothers will. But he also taught me all sorts of useful things -- including how and when it’s okay for even a Methodist minister’s kid brother to lie about fishing. And after he passed away two years ago, I gradually realized I hadn’t sat in that boat ever again.

Aw, truthfully, the situation wasn’t that melodramatic. Stuff like crowded docks, Covid, paddleboarders, wake boats and evolving fishing preferences all figured into the equation. But whatever the motivation, I learned this about myself: I really didn’t want to sell that old boat. Didn’t seem right. So rather than glance her way with regret every time I got in and out of the truck, last fall I just donated that old Bass Tracker to the “Make A Wish” Foundation. Hopefully it’s funded a kid’s trip to Disney World, or fishing trip with Kevin VanDam.

Also, truth be told, these days I get more satisfaction and fish with my aging but still seaworthy float tube and increasingly tiny baits and gear. And now, over the next few months, I plan to share what I and a few enlightened Loveland Fishing Club fishing buddies are learning about the still-evolving sport of multi-species, micro finesse fishing. Between now and open water season, I plan to share a few of those tactics with a truthiness astonishing from an old, old northern Colorado angler.

Paulie in the back of the boat. Below, mine's bigger.

John the Bass Man

The air was a good bit colder and the ice a good bit thicker than expected Tuesday, when John Grady and friends stepped out for a day of fishing on a Loveland pond. Rumor has it he was using minnows to land and release three chubby largemouth, including the one below. Let us know when you've been out there and what you've found.

Photo by Wayne Baranczyk

Barbaryk and friend on the ice

 

With last week's Loveland Fishing Club's St.Vrain State Park outing fresh in his mind, Jim Barbaryk took a young neighbor and his Dad to the park this week. Jim and the kid did great. 

Largemouth and Bluegills and 5 inches of Front Range Ice. Oh My.

Three of the Loveland Fishing Club's finest took to the ice on a pond near Loveland Tuesday. It was a beautiful, balmy day though fishing was lousy for small stuff. But some very nice largemouth and bluegill just couldn't resist our deadly ... waxworms. 

Bill Prater got the day going with a pot-bellied 21-inch largemouth, and Wayne Baranczyk followed up with some nice fish of his own. New Club President Darrell Knight? Well, someone had to take pictures.

The largemouth easily earns Colorado Master Angler status, at 117 percent of qualifying standard, and at least one bluegill measured close to a Master Angler qualifying 10 inches. But neither is eligible for the Club's Big Fish Contest for 2025, since they came from private waters not open to all club members. So start tallying up some fish of your own.

 

 

A dozen of the Loveland Fishing Club's most stalwart anglers took to the ice at St. Vrain State Park Thursday, girding their loins for a rugged display of fishing toughness. That proved to be the only aspect of the outing that was a disappointment for the masochists among us, on a flawless winter day.

"It was really a great day on the ice," says the club's newly crowned President, Darrell Knight, who set up a warming room with coffee and muffins in the park's main building a few yards from Mallard Lake. 

He also provided a nice Berkley ice fishing rod and reel for the angler with the biggest fish of the day. Um, but most of us didn't bring a ruler, so Wayne Baranczyk won the price for the most fish pulled out of a hole, nine including the prize catch at left, below.

Photos by Darrell Knight

The ice fishing trip is a new wintry version of the club's monthly Boat Day held throughout warmer weather, a way to get club members together for friendship and hopefully finding new fishing buddies.

For more photos of the event, here's a link to the Google photo album: https://photos.app.goo.gl/RjXqBwLQAEkj4HXY8

Newbies and Old Timers! Time for a club ice fishing outing!

 Yeah, it's a bit chilly this weekend. But that'll make things seem downright balmy by next Thursday, Jan. 23rd, at 9 a.m. down at St. Vrain State Park east of Longmont. Whether you're a grizzled ice fishing veteran with more gear than common sense, or never set foot on frozen water, this is a day for you.

Our newly inaugurated President, Darrell Knight, is encouraging as many club members as possible to show up for the club's first ice fishing social event of 2025. Highlights include:

• Cold-blooded? For those lacking ice water in their veins (not mentioning any names here, except maybe outgoing President, Danny Barker) Darrell has even reserved the conference room at the state park for the club's use. So if you just want to sit and b.s. in the warm, you won't find a better time to do it.
• Hungry? Thirsty for something besides sushi? The club will have coffee and donuts in the conference room for as long as they last.
• Don't have ice fishing gear? Well, that's not really a problem in this club; a fair number of us have more spares than our spouses even know about. So bring what you have and, if need be, someone will drill you a hole in the ice and hand you a freshly baited rod and reel. 
• Think seriously about joining us, especially if you're new to the club. It'll be a great way to socialize and maybe line up a few fishing buddies.
• And think about carpooling; we can talk about it at Tuesday's general meeting, 2 p.m. at Chilson Center.
• St. Vrain is located just west and north of the highway 119 exit off I-25. The conference room is in the park's main building with windows facing Mallard Pond, which is stocked with trout.

Sportsmen's Expo is Jan. 9-12

 (From Colorado Parks and Wildlife) DENVER – Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) is sponsoring and hosting educational booths at this year’s annual International Sportsmen’s Exposition at the Colorado Convention Center in downtown Denver on Jan. 9-12, 2025. A digital coupon for a $3 discount off one adult ticket is available on the CPW website. 

The International Sportsmen’s Expo is an event where more than 200 companies pack two giant halls with outdoor camping, off-roading, fishing, and hunting gear and expert presentations are offered to attendees each day. 

This premier expo allows hunters, anglers, and outdoor enthusiasts to preview new outdoor products, learn new techniques at the seminars, see what premier lodges offer, test shooting skills, look at live raptors up close, explore the latest RV, camping and off- road vehicles, and find new places to go off the beaten path.

Event ticket and parking information is available at www.sportsexpos.com/attend. Youth 15 and under and active military with ID can enter for free. 

Some of CPW's featured exhibits will include:

• Stocked Fishing Tank – Kids can experience the thrill of catching and releasing a fish. Equipment, bait and helpers are provided. 
• Boating Safety Booth - Learn about the importance of always wearing a life jacket, the classes offered, and testing your boating skills in the new boating simulator. 
• Invasive Species Displays - Check out the Invasive Species section's new boat cleaner and learn how to prevent the spread of invasive species in Colorado.
• Fish Hatchery Trailer – Learn how our hatchery technicians produce over 90 million fish annually and stock them into Colorado waters. See if you can identify the aquariums' cold-water and warm-water fish species.
• CPW Info Booth – Got a question? We’ll have officers and staff who can answer the question(s). Pick up a brochure or passport to plan a state park visit, and learn about new hunting changes in Colorado.
• Colorado Clays Shooting Park – Did you know a premier shooting range located 30 miles from Denver is open to the public six days a week? Visit with the staff at this booth and learn more about the trap, skeet, sporting clays, and shooting opportunities available.

This event aligns with CPW’s mission to educate outdoor enthusiasts on how to balance outdoor recreation with mindful conservation, and how to keep our outdoor spaces thriving and available to anyone who wants to experience them. 

For more information about the expo and a complete list of exhibits, visit CPW's website or the International Sportsmen's Exposition website.