IDALIA — Glancing across Bonny Reservoir can quickly separate the optimists from the pessimists.
On the bright side, the lake has water. The level, at least for the time being, is the highest it has been in four years, and launching a boat is easy enough.
On the other hand, an ugly gray bathtub ring rises well up onto the rocks of the dam face. The primary boat ramp and jetties that for years were favorite fishing spots for many are completely out of the water, and lush, new growth sprouts along the former bottom of what once might have been Colorado’s most reliable warm-water fishery.
Half full? Half empty? The long-term outlook is uncertain. Bonny Reservoir, on the south branch of the Republican River, is subject to the terms of the Republican River Compact, involving Colorado, Kansas and Nebraska. During recent drought years, when Kansas claimed its water, the level of the reservoir dropped. Lacking the major rain events that had kept the level up through earlier weather cycles, the reservoir has remained low.
While water lawyers, water engineers and politicians from the three states are involved in ongoing legal proceedings to resolve the complexities of the compact, fishermen by their very nature are an optimistic lot. And Bonny Reservoir — or what’s left of it — still has something to offer.
Population sampling conducted by the Colorado Division of Wildlife in 2009 revealed a mixed bag. Walleyes and catfish, possibly because they were more adaptable to the reservoir’s turbidity, appear to have fared better than other fish.
DOW sampling found an excellent population of walleyes, with lots of 17- to 19-inch fish and a good number exceeding 20 inches, according to Gary Dowler, aquatic biologist for the drainage. That is consistent with reports from fishermen, who in late May and early June a year ago enjoyed some good success for 5- to 7-pound walleyes by trolling crankbaits and worm harnesses.
Optimists expect similar results this year. With the water temperature at 54 degrees, as reported by the Bonny Reservoir State Park office, this year’s walleye bite has not yet taken off, but with warming weather, it could begin at any time.
The DOW continues to stock young-of-the-year walleyes in hopes of maintaining the population. Fishermen have reported catching some small walleyes this year, suggesting the effort is showing signs of success.
Wipers appear to have been more impacted by the lower water. Though some large wipers remain in the lake, the overall population and catch rates have been down significantly the past few years. Fishermen can expect considerably slower action than in earlier times.
White bass, once a mainstay of the reservoir, also appear to have declined. Even so, they have been providing much of the early-season action. Fishermen have been taking 12- to 14-inch white bass along the dam face on jigs and worms suspended about 6 feet below a bobber, according to state park manager Bob Shade.
The dam area also has been yielding some catfish. Fishing for the channel cats should improve as the season progresses.
On the downside, crappie, once the top early-season attraction at the lake, have become scarce. Though a few still may be taken along the dam, much of the prime crappie-attracting structure disappeared as the water level receded.
Optimist or pessimist, the water level remains the key element in the Bonny fishery. At present, the reservoir stores about 13,700 acre feet, covering roughly 1,000 surface acres, about half the historic surface acreage. That is up from a low of 8,000 acre feet, which made boat launching all but impossible. Storage must remain in the range of 11,000 to 12,000 acre feet to keep the boat ramp operative for all but the smallest boats.
Water at the boat ramp is 4 to 5 feet deep, according to Shade, and the sandbar beyond is covered by 4 feet of water. He’s cautiously optimistic the ramp will remain operational through the summer (but check the park’s website).
“We’re hoping we can maintain the level through Labor Day and the boating season,” said Mike Sullivan, deputy state engineer for Colorado, whose office determines flow regimens. “Several things would have to come together for that to happen. The most important would be good rainfall along the drainage.”
Optimists project a year of bountiful precipitation and adequate water in the reservoir. Pessimists will believe it only if it happens.
In the meantime, realists accept Bonny for what it is — shrunken, no doubt, but still worth checking out.
