Outdoors - Hunting and Fishing

State fishing report - Grants to improve fishing and access

Colorado Fishing Report – August 7 Information for Anglers CPW ISSUES GRANTS TO IMPROVE FISHING Colorado Parks and Wildlife has selected 11 projects to improve fishing around the state that will share in nearly a million dollars in matching funds as part of the 2012 “Fishing is Fun” grant cycle. Projects receiving funding this year include a partnership with the City of Pueblo to improve seven miles of aquatic habitat on the Arkansas River through Pueblo. The complete ...

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Get ready to buy leftover big-game hunting licenses

Leftover big-game hunting licenses, a parks and wildlife commission meeting covering the basics and the start of camping fees north of Fruita fill our Sunday platter. Would-be big-game hunters who procrastinate each year until leftover licenses go on sale now can see which tags are available at the Colorado Parks and Wildlife website, wildlife.state.co.us. That list is ready but the licenses themselves won’t be sold until 9 a.m. on Aug. 14. That’s the walk-up date of sales; ...

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Trolling, spooning for stripers getting big results at Lake Powell

Lake Elevation: 3,628 asl Water Temperature 78-83 F http://www.wayneswords.com PAGE, Ariz. – Aug. 1. Yesterday was one of those days.  We went uplake to discover the fishing pattern for this week and found it, but not where we anticipated.  Last week fishing in the early morning shade of the steep walls in Last Chance Canyon was consistent for sustained boils by juvenile stripers. Previously, boils were better in the shade of cliffs in eastern Padre Bay or Navajo ...

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Miramonte mission

Once anglers read in Sunday’s Daily Sentinel that Colorado Parks and Wildlife is planning to poison the smallmouth bass infesting Miramonte Lake, they were quick to respond. The sentiments were similar: Miramonte’s fast-growing trout are too special to put at risk and smallmouth bass simply aren’t welcome in one of western Colorado’s premier trout fisheries. “I’d shoot the bastards myself,” said one angler, upset that a place where he and his ...

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Fishing report: Sediment kills Colorado River trout

Colorado Fishing Report – July 31 Information for Anglers SEDIMENT ISSUE ABOVE DOTSERO LIKELY KILLED SOME FISH IN COLORADO RIVER Heavy rain last week flushed a large amount of debris and sediment into the Colorado River above Dotsero, likely contributing to a large fish kill. Workers at the Shoshone Hydroelectric Power plant first reported seeing dead fish near the plant on Wednesday. By early Friday morning, Colorado Parks and Wildlife officials estimate that thousands of dead ...

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Falling water levels force closure of boat ramp at Blue Mesa

The National Park Service announced this morning that low water levels at Blue Mesa Reservoir will cause the closure of boat ramp at the Ponderosa Campground today at 4:30 p.m. Blue Mesa Reservoir was reported Monday to be 50 feet below full pool. “Boater safety and prevention of damage are of utmost concern to us,” said Curecanti National Recreation Area superintendent Connie Rudd. Reservoir levels have been dropping at a rate of approximately one foot every four days. At ...

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It’s a water thing

The short list of known uses for a fishing rod includes catching fish, starting a conversation and oh, yes, lightning rod. A weekend trip to Grand Mesa in part was to see how the mesa’s lakes are holding up this drought-hit summer and also to find someplace cooler than the scorched-earth flatlands of the Grand Valley. The latter didn’t prove very hard, given that several thermometers around town were hitting the high 90s by the time Interstate 70 came into view around 2 ...

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Over-the-counter big-game licenses now available

Over-the-counter elk or black bear licenses are now available at more than 730 authorized license sales agents around the state, at Colorado Parks and Wildlife service centers, by phone, or on-line. Licenses will be available through the upcoming hunting seasons or until supplies run out, depending on the license type. A list of available over-the-counter licenses is updated every 15 minutes on the Colorado Parks and Wildlife website at ...

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Over-the-counter big-game licenses now available

Over-the-counter elk or black bear licenses are now available at more than 730 authorized license sales agents around the state, at Colorado Parks and Wildlife service centers, by phone, or on-line. Licenses will be available through the upcoming hunting seasons or until supplies run out, depending on the license type. A list of available over-the-counter licenses is updated every 15 minutes on the Colorado Parks and Wildlife website at ...

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Gunnison Basin mule deer management to be discussed

Colorado Parks and Wildlife has scheduled two public meetings to discuss new management plans for mule deer in the Gunnison Basin. The first meeting will be from 5:30-8 p.m. Thursday at the College Center building north ballroom at Western State Colorado University in Gunnison. The second meeting will be from 5:30-8 p.m. Aug. 6 at the Coursey Annex, 317 Henson Street in Lake City. Parks and Wildlife is in the initial stages of revising plans for the three mule deer herds in the area: the ...

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Purdy/Juniata management up for discussion at Wednesday meeting

July 24 Information for Anglers Low water and high temperatures continue to change the game in Colorado waters Fish salvages: – Barr Lake State Park (Adams County, NE of Denver) see press release for details; – Crystal Lake (Ouray County, S of Ouray) see press release for details; – Jumbo Reservoir (Logan and Sedgwick Counties, SW of Julesburg) see press release for details Voluntary fishing closures: Bear Creek (Jefferson County); Tomichi Creek (Gunnison County); ...

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The doldrums are over as action returns to Lake Powell

Lake Elevation: 3,629 msl Water Temperature 78-83 F http://www.wayneswords.com PAGE, Ariz., July 24 – With great relief the fishing report is much better this week. Looks like last week’s dismal report is gone and buried.  Here are the bright spots. Scattered striper boils have been reported the past few days. Navajo Canyon and the high shady wall separating Padre and Last Chance got the most praise.  Shade lasts in the eastern most part of Padre Bay until about 9 ...

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Taryn’s tale

In a twist to the dog-bites-man turnabout, a Grand Junction youngster caught a fish that bites back. Ten-year old Taryn Rowland of Clifton was fishing July 11 with her mother, Colene, at Connected Lakes State Park when the youngster hooked a 16-inch pacu, a South American fish and a cousin to piranha. Unlike its saw-toothed, meat-eating cousin made infamous in Tarzan lore, pacu are omnivores sometimes called “vegetarian piranha” by pet shops. The fish have sharp, ...

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Western Slope rivers benefit from storms

REDSTONE — Dare it be said in this year of semi-drought? Sunday, midway through what the Chinese zodiac calls the Year of the Water Dragon, the Crystal River was too high to fish. Not your normal runoff, bank-to-bank too high, but flash-flood type too high, remnants of a thunderstorm earlier slamming the high country around McClure Pass. The river rose quickly, spiking from around 150 cubic feet per second early Sunday to more than 300 cfs in a few hours. Every gully in the ...

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Free deer hunting seminar held this weekend

Face it. Deer hunting this fall is going to be tough. Herds are down, licenses are limited, the weather hasn’t cooperated. Get an edge from Colorado Parks and Wildlife and the Colorado Mule Deer Association at Saturday’s free Mule Deer 101 seminar. The day includes hunting tips and strategies and special classes for women and youths, along with door prizes, raffles and free barbecue. Also get tips on proper clothing, using your camera and a 3-D archery target from the ...

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Colorado fishing report: Poudre River impacted by High Park fire

Colorado Parks and Wildlife fishing report, July 17 Poudre River being impacted by ash from High Park Fire The Poudre River has seen significant inflow of ash and debris during recent rain events, leading to the loss of some of the fish in the river. Ash and debris from fires can suffocate fish and can also change the chemical balance of the river. Because of the volume of ash still in place on the hillsides, sediment loading during rain events is likely to continue for some time, making ...

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Free deer hunting seminar offers tips for all hunters

Hunters are known to love a challenge, but this year’s deer-hunting season may be one of the diificult. The herds are down, licenses are limited and the weather isn’t cooperating. Whether you have years of experience or you’re just getting started, you can get an edge on deer hunting from the free Mule Deer 101 seminar 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Saturday at Colorado Parks and Wildlife’s Northwest Region Office, 711 Independence Ave, in Grand Junction. The seminar is ...

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Warm water slows fishing at Lake Powell

Lake Elevation: 3,632 asl   Water Temperature 80-83 F http://www.wayneswords.com PAGE, Ariz., July 11 – Water temperature has now reached the high point for the year.  Early morning temp is 80 and by afternoon it reaches 83 or higher.  From now on the temperature will remain the same but the band of warm water will deepen.  These warm temperatures are higher than any of the fish in Lake Powell prefer.  It makes sense then that fishing has slowed down all ...

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Duck populations reach all-time high

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State fishing report – Voluntary closures continue

Colorado Parks and Wildlife Tuesday, July 10, 2012 Voluntary closures continue in Yampa, White and Bear Creek Despite recent rainfall, voluntary closures continue in the Yampa River, White River and Bear Creek. Hot, dry conditions are forecast to continue in the coming weeks and biologists anticipate water temperatures to return to levels stressful for fish. Voluntary fishing closures continue on the Yampa River (Chuck Lewis SWA downstream through Steamboat Springs), White River (fish ...

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