[fishinlooney]

Chatfield is open to boating already!!! ;D It opened on Monday and there were a couple of boats on it but no reports yet. Lots of seagulls flying around looking for shad. Bye bye ice season, I miss you already. :'( At least the mountains are still close and cold ;D See you on the water. Looney.

 

[fishinbud]

No kidding???  I remember last year when Chatfield opened back up to boating sometime in February and that had been the earliest that it had opened, due to warm weather, in a very long time.  If what you say is true, is this about the ealiest that it's ever opened back up?  So much for good ice for quite some time on the south end of the lake,  ;D

 

[NeWcS]

When you say 'open to boating' does that mean they put the docks back in???


[me=Jay_In_Parker] [/me]

 

[bassmaster]

I was there with my dogs on Sunday and I couldn't believe how quickly the ice had melted. The week before there was only one spot that didn't have ice on it and this past Sunday no ice anywhere.

 

[scubapig]

Awsome! Bet Jay can't wait to get that new beast in the water! I may try this weekend...slow jiggin for walleye.

 

[NeWcS]

Awsome!  Bet Jay can't wait to get that new beast in the water!  I may try this weekend...slow jiggin for walleye.

Man-o-man your right. I should go pick it up nthis weekend,

Time will tell


[me=Jay_In_Parker] [/me]

 

[idratherbfishing]

I heard this from some guy this evening, I did not believe him! But then again, who ever believes Zman.

Yahoo! time to get the boat out!

Dan

 

[DHotRod]

you know what that means....there be some looney out there every morning standing in the back of his boat all day long praying to the fish Gods. save a few for us ;D

 

[fishinlooney]

Took the boat out Tuesday to check things out. The North cove docks are in the water, at least the framed parts. Only one other boat on the water and he didn't catch anything. As much as I hated it, the boat ride was nice! Saw lots of balls of bait in the water, so it looks like we didn't get our shad die off that a lot of us were hoping for. Curse you short ice season. I imagine Cherry Creek and Aurora shouldn't be too far behind in opening soon. ??? See you on the water. Jeff.

 

[Zman]

It will freeze back up...just a matter of time...

 

[epic]

It will freeze back up...just a matter of time...

I've been hoping the same but everytime I look at the weather its 30's 40's chance of snow then 60's+

 

[fishinbud]

Freeze up enough to ice fish "safely"? I dunno? Maybe for the most adventurous, if at all. Those who have gotten their boats out already, will probably get alot more use out of their gear than any of us, with our ice fishing equipment.
For me, I'll hit the rivers fly fishing and the mountain lakes to get after em' on the ice. That is, until positive reports start coming in on Chatfield, Aurora, etc... Best of luck!

 

[nutmg1]

Ok I'm going to be there Sat early.
Hope to see more boats on the water.
After all this time of year the water truely belongs to the fisherman.
I'm the guy in the Pontoon with the Green Camper Top.

By the way Great Lakes Marina just tuned up my motor and got my boat back to me in one day.

You don't see service like that at most shops I've have experiance with.
They were 100 dollars less than the shop I went too last year.

 

[idratherbfishing]

It will freeze back up...just a matter of time...

I predict December 2006. It will freeze up enough to fish.

Dan

 

[raynman]

I predict December 2006. It will freeze up enough to fish.

Dan

Sheesh Dan, going out on a limb there

 

[bergwsu]

Any ideas on what may be most effective at Chatfield in January on open water? Somebody mentioned jigging spoons.

 

[nutmg1]

My money's with Dan

 

[GMCO45]

Jigging spoons were working last year during early February. Another option that worked
well was jerk baits fished over shallow (3'-7') water. Also caught a lot of walleye along the
face of the dam with jerk baits during March and April.

 

[fishinbud]

Speaking of Chatfield, I have some questions about it. I've fished it the past few years and have had success (mainly walleyes and smallmouth bass), fishing around the dam, the sunken road bed and out from the stumps that stick up above the water just south of mid lake.
On occasion, I've gotten some trout here and there as well. All of the above, slowing trolling night crawlers, on a Lindy-rig set up, as well as some walleye and small mouth bass on crawfish colored crank baits.
My question has to do with regard to the lake map, stating that there are also, catfish, crappie and largemouth bass in the lake as well. The walleyes, smallies and trout are never too difficult to find. However, if anyone could elaborate on specific techniques, times of year and areas to concentrate on these other species (if there is a decent, catchable number of them) I, as well as others I'm sure, would appreciate it. Take care.

 

[idratherbfishing]

The best areas for catfish are the plum creek area and the south end shallows near the south platte inlet. Typical baits work well, crawlers, dough balls, stink bait, cut bait etc

I have only caught one crappie there, they are very far a few between. I caught it in the spring along the west shore on a minnow at King Fisher. I think luck is a major factor for crappie at CSP. I have never seen a LMB come out of there. Tons of SMB but never a LMB.

Also Perch are available. A few years ago you could catch them fairly easily, now its a rare one being caught. The best luck I had when I was catching them fiarly regular was at King Fisher with a small piece of crawler on a #10 jig.

Better fishing for both Crappie and Perch is in the ponds south of King Fisher. The get worked pretty hard so the ones you do catch tend to be a little on the small side. Still not stellar fishing for either species but better than in the reservoir in my opinion.


Work the ponds just south of King Fisher and further down Wadsworth for bass and bluegill. There have been reports of some nice fish being taken out of them. I have never fished the far south ones myself but I am sure someone here has and can tell you more.

Dan