Fishing Report - Northwest (6/18)
Delaney Buttes, Cowdrey and Lake John (Jackson County)
The folks at Lake John Report are reminding everyone that a fire ban is in effect in Jackson County. The fishing is good. Here are some highlights for the week: Bill trolled Lake John last week and with two people on the boat they landed about 40 to 50 fish in less than three hours. Most were 9 to 15 inches. The warmer weather, along with 60 degree plus water temps, now has the fish moving downward, where lead-core is desirable. Bill says fly guys and gals are also doing very well, although once again it will help to be out on the water where there’s access to deeper water. A variety of flies are working, including midges, nymphs, and buggers, retrieved slowly just above the weed level or hung at the correct depth below an indicator. Not much dry action currently on John. Shore fishermen and bait-dunkers on John are also having extreme amounts of fun floating PowerBait up off the bottom from a slip-rig.
Dumont Lake (Grand, Routt and Jackson County)
LAKE IS CURRENTLY DRAINED FOR REPAIRS. Dumont Lake is not expected to reopen until 2013 or 2014.
Elkhead Reservoir State Park (Moffat County)
Fishing is picking up. The water has cleared and water temperatures are reaching 60 degrees. Fishing is excellent at this time. Large pike are being taken all around the lake on minnow imitations. Small and largemouth bass activity has picked up quite a bit. Jigs and crankbait are catching fish. Crappie are feeding in the brushy areas on the north end of the lake and their activity is picking up. Fishing should remain very good until summer temps drive the fish into deeper water and slow feeding activity. The variety of species in the lake is small mouth bass, crappie, northern pike, catfish and trout.
Harvey Gap State Park (Garfield County)
No report this week.
Highline Lake State Park and Mack Mesa Reservoir (Mesa County)
Trout are still biting at both Mack Mesa and Highline Lakes - some are nice-sized; others are pan-sized! Bass and crappie are biting near the dam at Highline Lake, from the bank or from a boat. PowerBait is now available in the Visitor Center, along with nightcrawlers and fishing licenses. For those who prefer to troll Highline Lake, ANS boat inspections are available at the WEST ramp, from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. ONLY. If you catch or see a northern pike at either lake, please remove it from the water and turn it over to park staff.
James M. Robb Colorado River State Park (Mesa County)
If you are fishing from a hand launched boat you will probably have some luck catching some trout at Old Orchard Lake at Island Acres. In the shallows try using flies and black midges or pink power bait. Early morning has been the best time. At Corn Lake the fishing is decent from shore and from the fishing pier. People are catching trout, catfish and crappie in Red Rocks Lake at Fruita -mostly on flies and PowerBait.
Lake Granby (Grand County)
Trout are active on jigs. Shore anglers are seeing best action on the north end coves.
Pearl Lake State Park (Routt County)
Belly boaters are doing well around the willows, bank fishing has been OK. The dam area has been producing pretty well also. Please remember Pearl Lake is regulated to flies and lures only, with a bag limit of two 18"+ trout.
Rifle Gap State Park (Garfield County)
No report this week.
Stagecoach State Park (Routt County)
Fishing reports from anglers fishing the shore or from a boat have been great. Multiple reports of trout over 4-lbs have been landed using power bait near the inlet. Trout have also been hitting on kastmasters and spoons. Pike have started moving into the shallows and coves and are being caught on tube jigs, rapalas, and various crank baits. Tailwaters anglers are using San Juan worms, RS2's and zebra midges. During the busy season for the Tailwaters, anglers are asked to be mindful of the resources and help avoid overcrowding.
Steamboat Lake State Park (Routt County)
The reports on fishing are strong at this point. Rainbow Ridge in the early morning continues to be hot.
Sylvan Lake State Park (Eagle County)
Anglers are enjoying the cooler weather here in the high country with good trout action still being reported from earlier stockings. For fly fishing, fish are biting on olive wooley worms #12, olive. Midge flies with white beads in olive and red. The stocker cutthroats and rainbows, along with native brook trout are moving around in schools close to shore, eating a variety of midges. As for bait fisherman, red and green power bait has been doing very well, along with a variety of spinners.
Vega State Park (Mesa County)
Fishing has been very good. Successful anglers are using PowerBait (pink, yellow and white), worms, and Panther Martins. Please remember to stop at the entrance station and/or visitor's center and have your boat inspected prior to launching. You can buy fishing licenses at the Visitor's Center open daily from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
