A thick ice cover continues to grip Spinney Mountain, Antero and the reservoirs of North Park, dictating a late beginning to the open-water season on the most popular trout lakes.
Marilyn Hemphill, a staffer at Elevenmile State Park, reported 24 to 30 inches of ice remains at Spinney, half of that still very solid. No cracks have appeared and 17-degree temperature Monday night did little to speed the melting.
A late April opener once was the norm for the popular lake, but melt-out has come earlier in recent years.
“People have short memories,” said Hemphill, reeling from a volley of calls from eager anglers.
Meanwhile, ice fishing remains good at Elevenmile Reservoir and at the various North Park lakes, where spawn-happy trout have begun moving into shallow water.
Charlie Meyers, The Denver Post
