Chatfield Reservoir walleye are moving at an accelerated pace into nets set by biologists in the annual spring ritual egg-taking that populates Colorado reservoirs.
Whether anglers have similar success at the southwest suburban impoundment remains a matter of conjecture. Even as Division of Wildlife crews collect the eggs that spawn a new generation of fish, concern lingers that a significant portion of Chatfield’s walleye might have escaped through the dam during last year’s high-water releases.
“We always lose some fish, but last year’s higher flows may have flushed more than usual,” Paul Winkle, biologist for the metro area, said during a break in the netting operation along the Chatfield Dam.
Winkle counted approximately 50 percent fewer walleye during his fall census, giving cause for worry over the number that made their way into the South Platte River. Anglers last summer reported catching walleye, smallmouth bass and rainbow trout in the river adjacent to downtown Denver and beyond.
“I should know more after we finish with the spawn-taking,” said Winkle, who typically handles 600 to 700 walleye during the three-week period.
Fewer fish, coupled with a dense forage base of shad for these to feed on, could spell tough fishing this year at the popular state park site. Chatfield shad numbers have swelled after bottoming out in 2004, a year when anglers celebrated a high catch rate for hungry fish.
Prospects for an even heavier runoff down the Platte system could translate to another heavy water release this spring and, perhaps, more escapees through the dam.
Should walleye success indeed lag in 2008, there’s no reason for long-term concern.
“We stock Chatfield aggressively every year,” Winkle said, expressing biologists’ far-horizon view of resource management. He also said smallmouth bass and trout numbers remain high.
Using these same eggs, he’ll soon replenish Chatfield with more than 2 million quarter-inch walleye fry, then return with 10,000 more four times as long. It takes two weeks for fry to emerge from the eggs at the Pueblo or Wray hatcheries; remarkably, the fry are planted when only three to five days old.
It’s all part of a DOW ceremonial of netting, stripping and stocking that requires collecting a total of 85 million eggs from Chatfield, Cherry Creek and Pueblo reservoirs. Approximately 25 million are used to make the hybrid saugeye; 10 million are reserved for barter with other states.
Following a slow start tied to cold temperature, the pace accelerated late last week. Jim McKissick, assistant hatchery chief, expects the count to pass 60 million after Saturday.
Even Pueblo, which typically yields as many eggs as the other two sites combined, experienced a tenuous beginning.
“We’ve netted fewer fish, but larger,” said area biologist Jim Melby, who reported that the big impoundment has filled for only the third time since the dam was completed in 1974.
Melby expects continued improved production from bass and panfish species that thrive on flooded brush.
“It’s going to be a good year for tackle manufacturers. I know I’m going to lose my share of lures,” Melby said.
The biologist reported an improved count of walleye in his fall sampling.
Winkle will employ an even more aggressive stocking strategy for Cherry Creek, where the shad forage base is extremely high.
“I’ll increase the number of quarter-inch fry to 3.5 million, along with 8,000 inch-long fish,” he said. “The shad are so prolific there, we can sustain a higher walleye population.”
It’ll take awhile for all those mommas and poppas to recover from their spawning rigors and get back on the bite. Front Range enthusiasts can scarcely wait.
Charlie Meyers: 303-954-1609 or cmeyers@denverpost.com
