The end is near.
Bitter cold. Deep layers of ice. Frozen wastelands. The cessation of angling life as we know it.
Against this backdrop of horror, Colorado’s lake fishing enthusiasts might well choose the historic course of other pilgrims tiptoeing along the brink of the apocalypse.
Go for the gusto. Approach these final days with a sort of bacchanalian burst that might kindle the memory fires through what’s shaping up as a long winter. Put it all on the line, so to speak.
If the Farmer’s Almanac, that fount of meteorological knowledge, is to be believed, the nation in general and the West in particular are in for a bone-chilling winter. Thus we can expect early freeze-up of our favorite lakes, perhaps even a reliable ice-fishing season on Front Range reservoirs.
But in the meantime – which translates roughly to the next couple weeks or three – give it your best shot while the water’s still soft. Finish with a flourish. You might be surprised what you find.
In recent days, intrepid anglers who know how to play the weather have found some of the best action of the season, both in the mountains and in metro waters.
Perhaps the best bite of all is happening close to home, in Chatfield Reservoir. The southwest suburban impoundment is producing remarkable numbers of both smallmouth bass and walleye, an orgy that has attracted a flotilla of anglers.
Spooning, a tactic that reaches bottom-hugging fish while emulating the lake’s blossoming shad population, has been the most effective tactic. Some anglers catch dozens of walleye each outing, most under the 18-inch limit, along with trophy-sized smallies.
Elsewhere across the state:
* Aurora Reservoir: A generally slow bite can be spiced by early morning action for wiper feeding on rainbow trout stocked Tuesday at the boat ramp.
* Delaney Butte Lakes: Anglers are catching some trout fishing low and slow while awaiting ice-up in about three weeks.
* Lake Granby: Lake trout are making the shift from spawning territory to winter haunts on deeper humps, reports guide Bernie Keefe, fresh from a sensational October session targeting shallow spawning fish. Anglers still can catch lots of smaller rainbow trout, either from shore or trolling.
* Lake John: Bait fishing from shore, either with PowerBait or night crawlers, are still producing on a lake that should be ready for ice fishing by Thanksgiving. Water temp is already down to 39 degrees
“I expect ice to go on a week earlier this year,” said Bill Willcox of Lake John Resort, who reported that an inch of ice already has formed on nearby Lake Cowdrey.
* Stagecoach Reservoir: Rainbows are biting PowerBait, while what had been a hot northern pike bite has become hit or miss relative to weather patterns.
* Steamboat Lake: Ice has begun to form in certain inlets, prelude to a Thanksgiving freeze-up. Meanwhile, trout action is sporadic for larger-than-average rainbows.
* Wolford Reservoir: Rainbows are active everywhere, comes the report from the Fishin’ Hole in nearby Kremmling. Proprietress Debbie Murphy noted that ‘bows will grab almost any kind of bait that hits the water.
* Williams Fork Reservoir: “Anything with silver or red color,” Murphy touts the action. Rainbows are extremely active near shore, a condition that should attract larger lake trout.
Charlie Meyers can be reached at 303-954-1609 or cmeyers@denverpost.com.
