Sometime in late October, the telephone at the Budget Tackle Shop in Granby begins to ring more often. The volume of calls picks up through November into early December with the question of the day: “How’s the ice?”
With the recent cold snap, winter appears here to stay. Many popular lakes already were ice-capped, and frigid nighttime temperatures are likely to continue thickening the ice. On some of the largest reservoirs, however, conditions remain marginal at best.
The feeling around the area is some fishermen are starting to get kind of desperate to get out. There are hardcore ice fishermen who don’t fish the open water at all. Others have stopped fishing from the shore, the boat has been put away and the hunting season is over. They are looking for something else to do.
Similar observations come from tackle outlets, resorts and recreation-administration agencies near trout lakes across the state.
“We started getting inquiries a few weeks ago,” said Paul Sabourin, a ranger at Elevenmile State Park. “A lot of people are just ice fishermen. They’re very enthusiastic about it, and they’ve been waiting all year so they can get back at it.”
Whether a hard-water specialist, an all-seasons fisherman or a more casual recreation seeker, the attractions of the annual ice age are numerous.
“People come in and see the trophy fish on our wall and assume they’ve been taken through the ice,” said a woman at the Granby shop who asked not to be named. “A lot of them were. You can catch them in the open water, but chances are you’ll need a boat, downriggers and other specialized equipment to do it.”
While there is plenty of high-tech ice fishing gear available, it’s really not necessary. The basics for ice fishing remain the same: a hand auger, an ice fishing rod and a bucket.
The simplicity and accessibility of fishing through the ice is always a draw. Anglers can walk anywhere on the lake, drill a hole and start fishing. The whole lake is accessible, and it is less crowded.
“Ice can be dangerous at any time of year, but especially so early and late in the season,” he said. “People should drill a series of test holes to check the thickness as they go out, fish with a buddy and carry 50 feet of rope as a matter of course.”
Anticipation of ice fishing has turned to reality on many lakes. On others, truly good conditions might not appear until Christmas. In any case, the rush to the early ice is on.
A sampler of conditions
Elevenmile Reservoir: The lake has an ice cover, but the thickness is inconsistent, ranging from 3 to 8 inches according to Paul Sabourin of Elevenmile State Park. The best ice appears to be in the west end. The freezing pattern has been different from the past few years. Some areas like Witcher’s Cove, which usually is the first to freeze, have been among the last to get ice this year. Little snow was on the ground Tuesday morning, but the wind was blowing. Early-season fishermen have enjoyed consistently good success for trout. The 11 Mile Marina store will be open for the weekend.
Antero Reservoir: The ice was reasonably good along the north shore last weekend, with some weak spots and possibly patches of open water in the middle of the lake. Recent cold weather is likely to significantly improve ice thickness, but caution always is in order. Though fishermen so far have reported mixed success, Antero usually is especially good early in the season. A handful of trophy- sized fish reportedly have been taken, but the average might be somewhat smaller than last year.
Tarryall Reservoir: The final member of the South Park trifecta had some of the best early ice. Though Tarryall trout generally are smaller than at Antero or Elevenmile, catch rates have been quite good. A few northern pike also have been pulled through the ice.
North Park Lakes: At least 10 inches of ice were found on Lake John and the three Delaney Buttes Reservoirs last Sunday, according to a report posted by Bill Wilcox of the Lake John Resort. The only known unsafe ice was the inlet area of Lake John. Nighttime temperatures have been well below zero, and additional ice is forming fast. Experienced fishermen have taken a number of large fish on the Delaneys and Lake John. Tube jigs, marabou jigs and Rat Finkees all have been productive. Wilcox suggests starting out in 8 to 10 feet of water, looking for the edge of wed beds and staying on the move until fish are located. If one lake is not fishing well on a given day, chances are another will be.
Granby area: Granby Reservoir remains mostly open, according to the Budget Tackle Shop in Granby, though ice has started to form in some of the bays. Shadow Mountain Reservoir has had areas of ice for 3 to 4 weeks, but pumping operations keep other parts of the lake open through the winter. Willow Creek Reservoir capped with ice last week.
Blue Mesa Reservoir: Andy Cochran of Gene Taylor’s Sporting Goods in Gunnison reports open water except for about 200 yards of fishable ice near the inlet. Better conditions are expected by Christmas or New Year’s Day. Unlike many other waters, the best ice fishing on Blue Mesa often is found in the later part of the season.
