[Padrefan760]

Does anyone know if any lakes in Fort Collins or Loveland are ok to fish right now. I went about a week and a half ago to Lon Hagler. Was mostly ice but still some good spots but I think with the cold we have lately it might not be clear. I was thinking about going to Lon Hagler, Prospect Ponds, Riverbend Ponds or anything else in the area. If anyone knows if they are clear please let me know. I need to get some fishing in. Thanks

 

[scorpion_bsk]

I just drove by Riverbend Ponds today and they are iced up.

 

[Walking Eagle]

I went to Lon Hagler today. It still has a lot of ice on it and there is no way to launch a boat. But there is a wide area of open water centered on the inlet spillway where the water is running in. I fished on the west side of the inlet and caught/released 12 rainbows in the 14-15 in. range. They were all the same size. Had one larger one on, but it broke my leader and got away. They are biting on salmon eggs, pieces of night crawler, and pink powerbait. They are not hitting lures or jigs. I tried every lure in the tackle box and got no hits.

Don't fish right in the inlet current or you'll get skunked. Fish well off to the side in the calmer water, and only about half as far out as you can cast. There are also trout hanging out right under the edge of the ice. It's fun to throw a hook with a couple of salmon eggs on to the ice, then gently pull it off and have a trout pick it off as it sinks.

Dang, the more I think about it, I might have to do that again tomorrow. Somehow the day is just more complete if you can stand beside water and hold a fish in your hands.

 

[LUV2FISHHERE]

Amen W E

 

[hatchmaster]

Went by Horsetooth yesterday and it was still frozen.

 

[James]

Walking eagle --- Thanks, that's exactly what I was looking for! I want to hit Lon Hagler tomarrow, and then maybe Aurora or somewheres on Monday. You don't know how Pinewoods looking, do you?

Thanks, and if you did fish it today, post how you did.
                     
James  

Oh, and if anyone else is looking for open water, Estes has quite a bit.  

 

[arieldg]

Pinewood would probably be Icy, I drove to Carter Yesterday 2/24 and it was covered with ice.. looks like a big ice skating ring..

 

[Pondfisher]

Fished Watson after lunch....used tiny jigs and berkley minnows...no luck......kastys....no luck....spinners....no luck.......fly fishing........no hope....

You get the idea..

 

[Walking Eagle]

Walking eagle --- Thanks, that's exactly what I was looking for! I want to hit Lon Hagler tomarrow, and then maybe Aurora or somewheres on Monday. You don't know how Pinewoods looking, do you?

Thanks, and if you did fish it today, post how you did.

James

Oh, and if anyone else is looking for open water, Estes has quite a bit.

Well, I did, and only caught one fish. How many times has that happened, I have a good day and get to thinking I'm the world's best fisherman, and the next time out the fish make me look like a complete novice.

I think what happened is that I got out there too late. My wife was trying to get some plane tickets online to go visit our daughter. She needed a lot of help and by the time we got everything to her satisfaction, I didn't get to the fishing hole until noon. Most of the good fishing I got in the previous day was much earlier than that.

At least, that's my story.

Haven't seen Pinewood lately but I'm betting it's still iced over.

 

[James]

Thanks Walking Eagle, I headed down there after breakfast w/ the wife's family. It was shoulder to shoulder. Saw a couple of guys using what looked to be huge saltwater rods. I headed to St. Vrain instead. Can't wait for some more open water. Lon Hagler and Pinewood are calling my name.

 

[Walking Eagle]

Here is my recent score on the rainbows at Lon Hagler:

Fri. Feb 2412
Sat. Feb 251
Sun. Feb 266
Mon. Feb 276

All in the 14 to 16 in. range. They usually stop biting around noon, just as if someone turned off a switch. Ran into 1eyeReD & partner today, always good to meet someone from the forum, would have talked with them longer but I could tell they were on a serious mission.

Actually I am just killing time at Lon Hagler while waiting for Boyd to open up again. I had been out to the Boyd pump house channel and verified that the trout were hanging just outside the channel edges, and they were hitting 2-3 salmon eggs on a #8 hook about 6 ft. under a slip bobber. I went home all fired up to go out there the next day and really hammer the trout. That night the cold spell came through and the lake froze up and I have been chomping at the bit ever since. The nice thing about that spot is that the 'bows start at 16" and go up from there.

Dang, this wintertime open water fishing is tough sometimes.
Come on, spring!!!

 

[tal0362]

You need a job! ;D

 

[Walking Eagle]

You need a job! ;D

Been there, done that, got the IRA's.

 

[tal0362]

I had you figured, you still need a job though,

to support your condition

 

[1eyered]

Well, I aint gonna post a real report yet because there aint much to report 

Met W.E. in the morning at Lon Hagler, "The hat gave you away from a distance, buddy." My partner caught a stocker and had it hooked a little deep. We decided that a neighboring angler deserved it and he gladly took the fish. As for me... Well, I caught some coiled up fishing line and a rusty lost spinner. Stuffed the coil of line in my bag and it migrated out my bag to the garbage on the way out. Was gonna go over and chit chat a little more with W.E. but we had a small time frame on our hands so we dipped out to visit numerous locations we planned to fish for ice off. Yeah, I had to come into work in the afternoon and my partner had a girlfriend to report to. So yeah, we both had to be on time or we're both fired from our jobs.

Afterwards, we drove past Boedecker and decided to head up to the Big Thompson river. Found a little park that was public where the B.T. ran through and found some brown trout. This was just a little west of Loveland. I caught my first 2006 fish there, a 16" brownie on a Yo-Zuri Aile Goby. Very skinny trout, though. There was a huge pod of maybe about 30 to 50 brown trout around 14" to 16" swimmin around in a calm about 3 ft deep pool, but as soon as they caught us snoopin around trying to cast lures at them, they all went into 'sealed mouth' mode. It was fun. A little prospecting.

There are also fish in the Big Thompson section that runs through the Simpson Ponds property if anyone wants to check that out. I ran into a guy who caught a sucker and also spoke of decent sized brown trout that hide in that section while I was squirrel hunting on Sunday.

So yeah, I finally got started, but mostly prospecting for now. Nice to meet ya out there, W.E. Probably will be seein ya out there more often. Sounds like you frequent waters that I visit regularly too.

Fish on!!
1eyeReD

 

[hatchmaster]

1eyeReD congrats on the first fish of the year. Is that little park in loveland before the canyon?

 

[Felix_The_Catfish]

? for you guys going to Lon Hagler. Is there still an entrance fee, or does the new stamp take care of that? thanks in advance.

 

[1eyered]

1eyeReD congrats on the first fish of the year. Is that little park in loveland before the canyon?

Thanks.. That's right. You can't use the facilities (BBQ, picnic tables etc.) yet, but people were going in & out so we just checked it out for about half an hr. Go check it out. The pool is nice and deep under the bridge and about another 50 yards past the bridge. Be careful not to go past the No Trespassing sign though. Looks like the better pools are beyond that. Plenty of browns in that borderline pool though. If bait is permitted, I would recommend gettin crawlers from that gas station (Conoco, I think) that is nearby (about a 2 minute drive). Oh also, try not to be seen. After they saw us, they spooked at each and every lure we offered.

1eyeReD

 

[Walking Eagle]

? for you guys going to Lon Hagler. Is there still an entrance fee, or does the new stamp take care of that? thanks in advance.

That $5 habitat stamp on your fishing license gets you into Lon Hagler, so you don't have to pay any more, and they have removed the pay box at the entrance.

 

[yx]

W.E have you ever catch walleye at Lon hagler and can you fish at night??