[redleader]

Just paged through the new regs and found a few interesting notes. Co has 11 gold medal rivers (over 160 miles) and just 3 gold medal lakes. Most of the pages, 26 out of 36 total are detailing the many Special regulation waters. Out of those 26 pages I found 5 lakes with special regs on Lake Trout (I may have missed some)

The Winners
Grand Lake; They got rid of the seasonal opening of the slot and the slot stays on Grand lake year round, I know Jon Ewert wanted to get rid of the slot completely but they listened to us at the meetings.
Twin Lakes; Slot and 1 fish limit. Thank you Greg Poliski.
Turquoise; 2 fish limit, Thanks again Greg Poliski.
Williams Fork; 1 lake trout over 30" (8 under) and we still have a slot on Pike thanks to Jon Ewert.
Taylor Park; 3 Lake Trout, only 1 over 26". Thanks to Dan Brauch.

The Losers
Granby; With a long history of a trophy Lake Trout fishery with the highest population and pressure of LT Anglers statewide, along with many years of LT anglers asking for a limit or protection on large fish we get No Special Regs. Even after it was mutually decided at the last meeting that we would get a 1 over 22" added, Granby is 4 open year round. To put icing on the cake we were purposely shorted 3 years in a row on stocker Rainbows while every other lake in the area got increases.
Green mtn; Ignored again. No special regs for the very small population of large Lake Trout there. 8 open limit.
Blue Mesa; Continued net killing program. Unlimited under 38".

On another note; Front page news, at Dillon. You can no longer keep Arctic Char under 20" and only 1 over which will be hard to find. The state record was a brooder (raised to that size in a hatchery), it was 20.5" and 3lbs-12oz.

 

[pistoldog]

Thanks for the distillation of the changes Red.

 

[dieseldoctor]

Hopefully we can get more to this years meetings and just keep grinding away. Easy for me to say I haven't put in the decades like you have Steve. I'll try to make all the meetings up there this year, and instead of just attending I'll cover them for BTFM so we the public can compare the meeting vs results. I know Jon's a good dude I'm glad he's working with us on the things he can control.

 

[redleader]

Hopefully we can get more to this years meetings and just keep grinding away. Easy for me to say I haven't put in the decades like you have Steve. I'll try to make all the meetings up there this year, and instead of just attending I'll cover them for BTFM so we the public can compare the meeting vs results. I know Jon's a good dude I'm glad he's working with us on the things he can control.

Thanks for your support Eric, no meetings up here.
This year it's a generic survey.

 

[lvrider]

thanks for all your laker love redleader!

 

[dieseldoctor]

Thanks for your support Eric, no meetings up here.
This year it's a generic survey.

I'll throw something out there... What about a trophy laker support day at a local spot up there? Get some of the guides, locals, and hardcore laker fisherman to talk about what a great resource it is, and why these fish are so special and not easily replaced once removed.... Call it a festival blah blah detail detail but the main objective would be to grow awareness and try to get the CPW's attention. I'm sure with enough planning the local news outlets would cover it too. If nothing else it'll be a good reason for momma to give me a pass to head up there and fish for a few days lol

 

[redleader]

I'll throw something out there... What about a trophy laker support day at a local spot up there? Get some of the guides, locals, and hardcore laker fisherman to talk about what a great resource it is, and why these fish are so special and not easily replaced once removed.... Call it a festival blah blah detail detail but the main objective would be to grow awareness and try to get the CPW's attention. I'm sure with enough planning the local news outlets would cover it too. If nothing else it'll be a good reason for momma to give me a pass to head up there and fish for a few days lol

Great idea Eric, a Festival with bands and free beer, now we're talking.8)

 

[Bionic Man]

I appreciate the synopsis and the passion here Steve.

I agree on the desire to put in special regulations for the larger lakers, and the need to release the big, old girls. But I do have a question. It seems to me that the majority of those that put in the time and are able to catch the bigger fish are the ones that understand this.

Do you have an idea of how often those big fish are caught by people that aren't really targeting them, and aren't educated on how long it takes to grow such a trophy?

Do you have an educated opinion on how many big fish we lose to catch & keep fisherman at Granby in a year?

I am just wondering how much of an impact changing the regulations would really have on the resource.

 

[redleader]

I appreciate the synopsis and the passion here Steve.

I agree on the desire to put in special regulations for the larger lakers, and the need to release the big, old girls. But I do have a question. It seems to me that the majority of those that put in the time and are able to catch the bigger fish are the ones that understand this.

Do you have an idea of how often those big fish are caught by people that aren't really targeting them, and aren't educated on how long it takes to grow such a trophy?

Do you have an educated opinion on how many big fish we lose to catch & keep fisherman at Granby in a year?

I am just wondering how much of an impact changing the regulations would really have on the resource.

Plenty,
I just talked to a guy the other day that told me one of his Laker buddies, a Granby local has given him 3 large 30+"ers to smoke this spring. The same local's girlfriend was showing pictures of a dead 36"er she killed a year or 2 ago.
With Guides doing seminars and teaching newbys how to catch them all the time on guided trips etc, then they bring their friends back I've heard numerous reports of large fish taken out. Some that catch their first large Laker keep them and others claim their great smoked and think the DPW wants them out anyway.
When the consensus out of the DPW goes against taking care of and maintaining a good population of large fish by not putting protection or Limits on the Large ones being taken out along with pointing their fingers at the LT every time the Kokanee don't do well the results will continue to get worse for the quality and productivity of the fishery. Bottom line has and continue's to result in less Large fish available for all of us.

 

[redleader]

No meetings in my area but anyone interested,here's your chance to have your voice heard in the Blue Mesa area.

ANGLERS' ROUNDTABLE IN GUNNISON, APRIL 13

GUNNISON, Colo. – Colorado Parks and Wildlife wants to hear from anglers regarding fishing in the Gunnison Basin at an Anglers' Roundtable, 6:30 p.m., April 13 at the Fred R. Field Heritage Center at the Gunnison County Fairgrounds.

Dan Brauch, aquatic biologist in Gunnison, will talk about a variety of issues, including managing the fishery at Blue Mesa Reservoir, CPW efforts to restore rainbow trout in area rivers and planned stream restoration projects. Anglers are also asked to bring their questions, opinions and observations.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife is also starting its five-year review of all fishing regulations. Brauch will explain the process and how people can offer suggestions and make comments.

Aquatic biologists continually evaluate fisheries, and every five years the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission looks at all fishing regulations to ensure that the DOW continues to meet fisheries management objectives and recreational needs of anglers. The regulations set allowable methods of take, season dates, size requirements and bag limits. The regulations also include statewide rules that apply to individual waters throughout Colorado.


Besides regulations, aquatic biologists examine biological and social data from state waters. These include fish and creel surveys, research and trend information, water quality issues, stocking activity and angler-satisfaction surveys. That information will be considered in the decision-making process for setting new regulations.

"Fishing is a major outdoor activity in the basin that draws people from throughout the state and the nation," Brauch said. "We want to know what's on anglers' minds."


For more information about Colorado Parks and Wildlife go to: http://cpw.state.co.us.

 

[Bionic Man]

Thanks Steve. So, in light of the DOW not wanting to help the situation, would a better route be to try to work with the guides on education? It seems to be pretty short sighted for them to encourage catch and keep on a limited resource.

I did a guided trip with Bernie two years ago. He did a great job of education on the importance of catch & release on the big ones. Just curious why he is different than the other guides.

Don't take this the wrong way. I am on your side on trying to improve the fishery, and to keep more of the big fish in there. But if the DOW won't help, need to look at other options.

 

[redleader]

The guides do their best to educate them and are great guys that care and work hard to protect the resource....The problem is once you teach them you can't control what they do or who they show how... The bottom line is we need regs that support the effort.

 

[Zman]

Good work Steve!...