DOW Fishing Forcast for SE Colorado

SE FISHING FORECAST

Biologists from the Colorado Division of Wildlife have prepared a 15-page fishing forecast for the Southeast Region. The document lists some of the most popular waters in the southeast part of the state. It highlights changes and gives anglers an indication of which species they can expect to catch this year. The 2008 report is available in PDF format on the Division's web site at:

http://wildlife.state.co.us/Fishing/Reports/SeasonalReport/ The Colorado Division of Wildlife is the state agency responsible for managing wildlife and wildlife habitat, as well as providing wildlife related recreation and maintaining a balance between human activities and wildlife. Funding for the Division of Wildlife comes from the sale of hunting and fishing licenses and the habitat fees collected in conjunction with those sales. The Division does not receive tax dollars from the Colorado general fund.

REPORT

Talk about some scrambled signals. The calendar says April, but a cabin-weary Colorado fisherman might not be so sure.

A fly rod? An ice auger? A float tube? ...On a given April day, a fishermen might find a use for all – possibly even in some unlikely combination.

Heavy frost might coat the windshield of the fishmobile in the morning. Frost may give way to sunshine just a little later, as mourning doves, robins and grackles glide into the backyard to feed. Sunshine might yield to clouds, to rain, to thunder snow, but by midafternoon, skies are clear again. The forecast calls for more snow in the mountains, followed by warm days, followed by more snow ...

Springtime in Colorado is a time of transition, and such not-so-unusual weather patterns are reflected in the fishing outlook. While the high country still is locked away by snow and ice, lower-elevation waters are open. Ice fishermen still punch holes through the hard water of many popular reservoirs including the lakes of North and South parks, but the ice is quickly deteriorating on many other mid-elevation lakes.

High-country creeks and the upper reaches of some streams still have ice, but just a little lower, rivers are in a pre-runoff stage, complete

with trout at least sporadically rising to emerging midges. Blue-wing-olive mayflies have appeared on some streams, and the main hatches are just around the corner. Such rites of spring might be short-lived, however. The statewide mountain snowpack is above average; in some basins exceptionally high. Once the thaw begins, a prolonged runoff is expected on free-flowing rivers across the state.

While rivers might become virtually unfishable into early summer, the runoff also is likely to improve water levels in reservoirs that have suffered through several years of drought.

In the meantime, lower-elevation reservoirs offer fishing for trout. Walleyes have been spawning in Front Range impoundments, and here and there, a few catfish have been taken off the bottom. But with water temperatures generally in the 40s, good warm-water fishing still is a few weeks away.

Warm water or cold, anticipation among fishermen is running high. April might be rushing the season just a bit, but some interesting opportunities nevertheless can be found. HATCHERY TRUCKS ARE ROLLING

Among the earliest signs of spring in Colorado is a Division of Wildlife fish-stocking truck pulling up to a nearby lake or stream.

Catchable-sized trout from the state hatchery

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• Fish the Roof of the Rockies • Pike fishing at Vallecito Reservoir • Discover the Taylor River • ... and more! system provide season-opening opportunities for many anglers, especially near urban areas, and the DOW began stocking low-elevation waters along the Front Range, the eastern plains and the Western Slope around Grand Junction in March. Stocking of lowland lakes will continue through the spring and early summer, when their water temperatures become too warm for trout.

As the season progresses and higher-elevation waters open up, many will receive fish. The stocking of catchable trout will continue through the summer and into fall, with more than 3.8 million to be released into designated waters this year.

In addition to catchable trout, the DOW will plant approximately 14.8 million subcatchables, ranging from recently hatched fry to fingerling-sized fish, destined for suitable "put-to-grow" waters.

Subcatchables also comprise almost all the DOW's warm-water stocking effort, and 58.4 million small fish will be planted this year to grow to size. The only catchables among warm-water species will be 160,000 eight-inch channel catfish.

ZEBRA MUSSEL ALERT

Boating fishermen can expect an inspection of their equipment at several popular reservoirs this summer.

The Colorado State Parks Board recently approved a statewide mandatory boat inspection program to protect the state's waters from aquatic invasive species (AIS) including zebra mussels, which were discovered in Pueblo Reservoir.

Zebra mussels are a non-native invasive mollusk that is harmful to the environment and parks officials are taking steps necessary to try to contain their spread.

All boats including motors, trailers and related equipment will be subject to inspection for any non-native plant material and aquatic wildlife identified as AIS prior to launch or departure from state-park waters. Boats may be denied access or placed under quarantine if inspection is refused or if AIS are found on or within a boat or boating equipment.

Inspections will begin at Pueblo and expand this spring to four other state parks that have been identified as high risk for transport of AIS: Navajo, Cherry Creek, Chatfield and John Martin.

Zebra MusselInspections are necessary because AIS are transported over land to other bodies of water by hitchhiking on recreational vehicles including boats, jet skis and boat trailers. Unchecked, these organisms will quickly spread and out-compete native species.

Aquatic nuisance species have no effective predators and have detrimental impacts on the environment, recreation, water quality and water transport. Several other aquatic nuisance species have reached Colorado, including New Zealand mud snails and water weeds.

All boaters are encouraged to follow these practices to help prevent the spread of AIS:

Before leaving any boy of water, boaters should:

* Drain the water from the boat, live well and lower units of the engine. * Clean the hull of the boat * Dry the boat, fishing gear and equipment * Inspect all exposed surfaces * Remove all plant an animal material