The latest fishing conditions report for the week of Aug. 9, 2016, was released by the Colorado Parks and Wildlife office Tuesday with information is provided by CPW employees and local fishing enthusiasts. Keep in mind that fishing conditions change on a constant basis. A lot can change in a week from the time this fishing conditions report is produced.
Conditions Report – Statewide
Rivers and Creeks
Water conditions and insect hatches will now remain consistent until autumn. Fishing reports for specific rivers and creeks throughout the summer have a tendency to provide an influx of repetitive information. Use the following information as a general guide for fishing Colorado’s rivers and creeks in the month of August.
The month of August in Colorado means lower water flows and crystal clear water. The calm and clear water will cause the fish to become spooked easier, so being stealthy and presenting delicate casts becomes more important this time of year. Anglers will need to start focusing on using lighter leaders and tippet to ensure the fish do not see their fishing line. This is when using fluorocarbon fishing line becomes more important than monofilament.
The warmer water temperatures will cause additional stress on the fish, so catch and release anglers should reel in and release their fish as quickly as possible to avoid over exhaustion. Although your fishing line should be small, your flies and lures can still be big. The primary hatches throughout the month will consist of large caddis, attractors, and terrestrials. If the fish are not biting grasshopper patterns, be sure to try other terrestrial patterns such as ants, crickets, spiders, and beetles.
The best times to fish in August are from sunrise to 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. to sunset. When the day becomes hot and the bites slow down, try nymph fishing the deep holes and fast eddies. The most productive nymphs this time of year consist of prince nymphs, hare’s ear, pheasant tails, and copper johns. Dry flies and nymphs from a size 8 to 18 will produce the most strikes in August. If you are fishing a freestone river or creek, larger flies can be used. If you are fishing the tailwater below a dam, smaller flies should be used. Common techniques include a single or double dry fly rig, as well as a single or double nymph rig. Special techniques include a dry dropper rig or a triple nymph rig. If the nymph fishing is slow, try adding another split shot to your line.
Conditions Report – Metro Denver Area
Aurora Reservoir
The current water temperature is around 70 degrees. The trout fishing from shore has been slow lately. A few reports of trout being caught using PowerBait from a slip rig from the west and east end of the dam. The trout are deep, so try casting out a considerable distance. Boaters are reporting slow to fair success on trout trolling slowly with lures and night crawlers in deep water. The walleye action from boats is rated at slow to fair using bottom bouncers and jigs. The perch action is good using jigs and worms throughout the reservoir. Most of the perch are on the small size, but occasionally we have received a few reports of larger perch being caught. Park hours for August are from 5:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Chatfield Reservoir
The fishing remains excellent for walleye, bass, perch, bluegill and trout. Anglers are getting the most bites on night crawlers and minnows. Shore anglers are doing well around the handicap pier area for all species. Boat anglers are having luck throughout the lake.
Quincy Reservoir
The current water temperature is around 72 degrees. The bass fishing is rated as slow to fair. Most of the bass are being caught in the early morning or evening using soft plastics, drop shots, spinner baits and top water lures. The trout action is slow at this time. Park hours for August are from 5:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Conditions Report – Northeast Colorado
Eleven Mile Reservoir
A lot of great trout are being caught recently. As the weeds continue to grow, shore anglers have seen an uptick in action. As the summer progresses and the crawfish become more plentiful and closer to shore, the fish tend to move in closer to feed on them. Tube and marabou jigs are becoming more effective. Boat anglers are still catching plenty of fish, but it has become much more work as you must be vigilant to make sure your line stays clear of the weeds. Pink has been the most productive color of the summer. The northern pike fishing is rated as fair to good. Although the fish are still being caught, the bigger ones have moved into deeper water and are difficult to entice. Try the rocks around Witchers Cove and the weed line from Howbert to Witchers. Spinner baits and spoons have also produced fish. (Courtesy of 11 Mile Marina)
Golden Gate Canyon
Since the recent stockings that have taken place around the park, the fishing has picked up. Anglers are catching fish on most of the ponds including Kriley, Slough, Ranch Ponds East and West, Forgotten Valley and Dude’s Fishing Hole. Anglers are catching plenty of trout and catfish in the ponds.
Jackson Lake
The current water temperature is around 78 degrees. The lake is currently full. Fishing has been picking up lately. Fishing has been good for wipers, walleye, drum, and trout.
North Sterling
The water temperature is currently around 84 degrees. The shad have spawned, so fishing has slowed, but shad mimics have been successful on the crappie. The bluegill have been biting on worms near the Marina Slips as well as at Sunset Cove and Balance Rock. A few walleye came out near Darby Point and up the Darby Arm off worms, worm harnesses and some jigs. The catfish are being caught up the Cunningham and off the West Trailhead using worms and shrimp.
Spinney Mountain Reservoir
Fishing is better during the early parts of the morning. Try fishing along the dam face north along east shorelines and off islands. Fly anglers should try chironomids, callibaetis and damsels. A lot of good trout and northern pike catches are being reported. Spinner anglers are having luck using tube jigs, Tasmanian Devils and Rapala’s (Courtesy of 11 Mile General Store).
Conditions Report- Southeast Colorado
Adobe Creek Reservoir
Fishing is fair to good for channel catfish, bullheads and carp. The lake is lowering for irrigation, but is still fairly high. Both high water boat ramps are usable. The low-water boat ramps are still submerged.
Arkansas Headwaters
Good rains in the upper basin last weekend added some cool, clear water to the river. As a result, we go into this week with flows near 800 cfs through Bighorn Sheep and Browns Canyon. That, coupled with afternoon cloud cover, is helping to keep the water temperatures cool and the fish active. The aquatic insect activity is thick right now with strong hatches of golden stoneflies, pale morning duns, red quills, blue wing olives, caddis, tricos and midges. On the terrestrial side, the banks are simply crawling with hoppers, beetles and ants. Flows will remain at 700 cfs or above for the next week. Then, absent significant additional rain, we should see flows decline by the middle of August to a natural flow of 400 to 500 cfs.
Clear Creek Reservoir
Trout fishing at Clear Creek Reservoir has been slow from boat and shore. A majority of boat anglers caught very few trout. A few shore anglers reported landing 18- to 23-inch rainbow trout on bait at the northeast part of the reservoir. Boat anglers that caught multiple trout used pink Tasmanian Devil lures and trolled worms with flashers. Boat anglers also had some success with garlic-scented PowerBait off the bottom. The kokanee salmon fishing conditions improved from last week, but the fishing overall remains slow. Almost all of the kokanee salmon were caught midday by trolling a Dodger as an attractant with a lure. The tiger muskie fishing has slowed down from last week. The best time to fish for tiger muskie has been during the evening. A few tiger muskie were caught on crank baits resembling a rainbow trout. Midday water surface temperatures averaged around 60 degrees. The reservoir is closed to trailer motorized watercrafts on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. The current boating hours are from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.
John Martin Reservoir
The reservoir is around 82 degrees at the surface. We are still seeing small white bass being caught mostly from boats. Anglers are having success using hard baits and soft baits. There are some larger white bass being caught near the trestle. Fishing from the shoreline has slowed, but there are still some white bass and crappie being caught. Fishing at the spillway has slowed with some reports of catfish being caught with better success at dark. There are currently two gates open. Fishing at Lake Hasty has been slow.
Midwestern Farms Pond
Fishing has been rated as slow to good. A few pan fish have been caught during the warmer part of the day and we are seeing a few catfish being caught in the pond and in the river. Tube jigs and crank baits are currently the most productive lures for all species.
North Gateway Park
The fishing is steady but beginning to slow down. Anglers are still catching bass, bluegill and crappie. Anglers are having success near all of the habitat structures.
Queens Reservoirs
Increased water levels allow for launching of boats from west ramps. The south ramp is completely under water and not accessible at this time. A few anglers have been trying primarily upper and lower queens and have caught a few catfish and some carp. It will probably be next year before the fish to grow to a catchable size. Boaters are urged to use caution as there is floating debris and unmarked obstacles.
Trinidad Lake
The water temperature is around the low to mid 70s. We are seeing a few trout being caught on PowerBait from shore. Early mornings and later evenings continue to be the most productive. Perch are also being caught from shore in some coves. The catfish are still being caught throughout the lake at night using worms and liver. Boaters are still catching trout, walleye, and perch using jigs tipped with a night crawler or artificial minnow. Some boaters are catching fish trolling with worm harnesses.
Twin Lakes
The water level at Twin Lakes is still low, although the runoff is starting to increase water levels. Fishing from boats has been fair for both rainbow trout and lake trout. Fishing from shore is starting to pick up, especially near the power plant. Anglers are reporting lake trout being caught from shore with both sucker meat and PowerBait.
Turquoise Lake
The lake is starting to rise and the increased water levels are increasing boat fishing success. The fishing from shore is really good for both rainbow trout and lake trout. Anglers are catching fish on assorted baits, lures and flies.
Conditions Report – Northwest Colorado
Rifle Falls
The rainbow trout and cutthroat trout are found in East Rifle Creek which flows through Rifle Falls. Fish up to 19 inches long have been taken, with 6- to 9-inch fish being the average size. Brown and black flies or spinners work the best. Bait, except for live fish, can be used.
Rifle Gap
The fishing has picked up over the last couple of weeks. The trout and perch are being caught throughout the lake. Anglers are catching walleye and bass near the dam.
State Forest State Park
Our two sub-alpine lakes, North Michigan Reservoir and Ranger Lakes, have experienced fantastic fishing this season with both spinning gear as well as fly rods. These lakes are both stocked with rainbow trout with a size range from 8-14 inches. Gold and copper Kastmasters as well as Red Devil lures seem to have the best luck on spinning gear, and fly anglers are having plenty of success on nymphs and dry flies. These are great fishing spots, but before the snow gets here anglers should hike up to some of our beautiful alpine lakes. These lakes offer native cutthroat trout with a range between 8 to 16 inches in length. The same gear works up at these lakes as well, but only lures and flies are allowed. At these alpine lakes the limit is two fish per person while the sub-alpine lakes have a four-fish limit to them.
Vega Reservoir
The lake level is receding and all three boat ramps are still open. Fishing is starting to pick up with some anglers reporting catching some nice rainbow trout and cutthroat trout in the 16- to 17-inch range using PowerBait and night crawlers. All boats, if they do not already have a seal on them, must be inspected prior to launching.
Conditions Report – Southwest Colorado
Ridgway Reservoir
Shore anglers and boaters are reporting good fishing for stocked-sized rainbows with a few larger fish in the 18- to 22-inch range being caught. Anglers are catching mostly rainbow trout, but there have been some brown trout caught as well. The kokanee bite is picking up in the Dallas Creek area. Look for the fishing to get a lot better in the weeks to come. Bass fishing has been slow lately. Shore fisherman should try gold Kastmasters and green PowerBait. Boat anglers are having luck with countdown Rapala’s and spoons near the dam and around the opening to Mears Bay.
Uncompahgre River
The river flows are currently around 441 cfs. The fishing is good and anglers should expect the flows to stay steady until we get the call for irrigation. Bigger bug activity is occurring with the low water. Play with your weight and get it down in the strike zone. San Juan worms, bead-headed nymphs, small midges and caddis flies are all working. Dry flies are starting to get hot. A lot of grasshoppers are out on the river banks. Try hopper-dropper rigs.
