Loveland Fishing Club Blog

April newsletter:  In the news By Bill Prater Fishing Calendar updated for April (click here) Carter, Horsetooth open for boating April 1 (no fooling) City technology park appears to include new fishing access near Jayhawk Ponds   Patience, Spring is Coming    Those of you who know fishing probably know a fair number of club members who are arguably better than me at actually catching anything. 

Learn fishing safety, ethics, techniques, where to fish and more from Club Member Milt Mays, in a one-day course at Chilson Center.  Bring your own pole, as he'll lead the class in actual casting during the class, which runs from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, April 16.  The fee is $15, and enrollment is limited.  Sign up at Chilson's.

The Lonetree Reservoir dock partly financed by Loveland Fishing Club donations is ready for boat traffic, thanks to some helping hands from club volunteers and Division of Wildlife District Manager Aimee Ryel. Where'd Bob Scott learn to drive a tractor?  Well, we have to admit, he's pretty good with the darned thing, after watching him haul to ramp down to the boat dock for seasonal installation. Meanwhile, Boyd Lake's ice free and zebra mussel inspectors are on duty during daylight hours.  No word yet on Carter or Horsetooth, which are controlled by Larimer County. Bob Scott with DOW tractor and boat ramp

Bill Prater The legendary Loveland Fishing Club is comprised of fisher men and women with a median age well into the '70s, maxing out at just over 90, with a tendency to test ourselves against the elements. With March winds howling, it's time once again to ponder, "Who's Loveland's toughest angler?" My own claim to the title of toughest came during a February journey to the Sandhills of northwest Nebraska, where I'd forgotten my heaviest coat but bravely kept whimpering to a minimum on a day where the temperature never rose above zero. Others arguably have a more legitimate claim.  There's Shirley Smillie , for example, who just celebrated 80, who kind of stunned everyone a few seasons ago when she turned out for a legendary minus-23 degree ice fishing trip to Lake Grandby, followed by an equally memorable midsummer catfishing trip to Kansas a few weeks after a lengthy hospital stay for heart problems.  Followed in turn by her hauling in a 45...

Okay, fishing folks, it's March, and the only thing that's certain is, you have to be flexible.  Jim Kucera, Frank Zupanc and John Grady have put together a recommended fishing calendar, with a lot of variety and back to twice a week to reflect the arrival of very early spring.  Jim notes that as of the end of February the flatland lakes were pretty much done for as far as ice fishing goes; a few unnamed club members may try them anyway.  The only reliable ice fishing left is in the high country - North Park/Lake John and lakes around the top of Cameron Pass. Pinewood, Flatirons, Carter, Lon Hagler and Lake Loveland are open enough for bank fishing, which is reflected in the March calendar.  The lower end of the Big Thompson and portions of the river above Drake were open and fishable.   The calendar's on the club website; click here for the link.

Fortunately the northern pike were biting, like this 24-incher held aloft by John Grady.  Club members were guests on a 20,000-acre cattle ranch. 

Dave Bryant of LakeIceUSA created a video of the recent club outing to Lake Antero.  To see how the trip went, click here. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJfJL-2yTAQ