Hello fishing friends. My name is Rob and I'm a bass fisherman who has been living most of his life down here in the South fishing these wonderful lakes like Guntersville, Chickamauga, Douglas, Dale Hollow, etc. I got a call from a company located in Denver about joining their team and we are considering it. This will be a HUGE move for our family and one that I have to think about and consider everything that matter to us. For me my hobby is fishing. I have been fishing for most of my life and being on the water with a rod in my hand is how I relieve stress. I am a member of a bass club and I do fish tournaments, but not to make a ton of money. mostly just to be out catching. I had started to think I would have to sell my boat, and all my bass gear if we made this move because I thought or should I say I just have never heard of any good bass fishing out in or around Denver. I found this site and thought I would ask if some of you would give me some insight on what I can expect. what or where are the lakes? Do you all have bass clubs? Do you have a smallmouth and largemouth bass both? On a basic day out would you say you catch a limit of 5 3-4 lbers. or more like 1or2 1 lbs if you don't want to share to much info on here for others to see that's fine you can e-mail me. but I would like to know what you all think about the fishing. Do I even need a boat? are the lakes deep, shallow, mostly rocks, have grass or weed in them? is the better fishing in the mountain streams for trout? if you live in Denver (currently looking for homes in the Lakewood to Highlands ranch areas. will I have to drive a long ways to find good bass water? just anything you think a southern bass angler needs to know about moving to CO. thank you!!
Move to Denver? need help
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I personally don't bass fish as much as I did living in Minnesota but I am sure some members that do will get on with more info for you.
I do know there are some good bass waters here. Some locally may be to small for a bass boat though. Or at least the motor.
I also do know that we have both smallies and large mouth. Some damn nice smallies which is what I prefer.
I don't think you will find it bass heaven like you may be used to however.
Sorry I am not more help and good luck with your decision..
I do know there are some good bass waters here. Some locally may be to small for a bass boat though. Or at least the motor.
I also do know that we have both smallies and large mouth. Some damn nice smallies which is what I prefer.
I don't think you will find it bass heaven like you may be used to however.
Sorry I am not more help and good luck with your decision..
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Colorado is a marginal bass state, at best. 5 3-4 pounders in a trip? More like in a season....What we do have, is variety. Everything from trout in 2' wide creeks, to striper in big lakes.
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PM me if you'd like my #. I live in Highlands Ranch & I've been in mortgage banking for over 10 years. If you'd like advice on the area, home loans (which I specialize in), and of course fishing then don't hesitate to let me know. We have amazing programs with the lowest rates or lowest money down & no mortgage insurance. I have plenty of business & too little time to fish so if you just want a 2nd opinion quote I'm cool with that too. We have a good variety of fishing but quite a downgrade to what you might be used to with largemouth. Lakers are my favorite. You'll adjust to the environment, if you move here, and you'll find your favorite. It might be tough to enjoy largemouth very much after being spoiled but there are plenty of tournaments and clubs. For being northern strain largemouth we have some pretty good fishing, nothing like southern strain though. Let me know if I can help. Good luck.
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If you are good, lucky, or a little of both, a couple six pound bass a year and maybe a seven pounder is about the best you can do. Bigger fish are around in very low numbers. A seven might be my big fish any given year.
If you are all messed up on bass fishing, by best advice would be to pass on moving to Colorado. Colorado is nice, the fishing is just not what you are used to.
You will have to re-calibrate your bass-o-meter if you move here. A five pound LM is a really nice bass here, and a three pound smallie is solid. Those are both about half the state record.
We also have walleyes, trout (I love to fly fish, it makes trout fishing much more enjoyable) pike, and a few other species.
If you are all messed up on bass fishing, by best advice would be to pass on moving to Colorado. Colorado is nice, the fishing is just not what you are used to.
You will have to re-calibrate your bass-o-meter if you move here. A five pound LM is a really nice bass here, and a three pound smallie is solid. Those are both about half the state record.
We also have walleyes, trout (I love to fly fish, it makes trout fishing much more enjoyable) pike, and a few other species.
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The state record LMB is 11 1/2 lbs from a small lake in Southern CO.
I would think you could find a lot of use for your boat, you Might have to try different species such as Walleye, Notherns, Lake Trout, Tiger Muskie, etc,
I would think you could find a lot of use for your boat, you Might have to try different species such as Walleye, Notherns, Lake Trout, Tiger Muskie, etc,
I think I did the PM thing right fishaholic. I had a feeling that it would be a downgrade. But as long as you can still catch some fish I think I will be happy. maybe I was kind of reaching when I asked about 17lb 5 fish sacks. I don't have to catch 10lb or bring in 17lb sacks to the scales. I don't even have to fish TX anymore and I would be happy. But I would like it if I could still go out and catch 5-10 1-lbers every trip. I will for sure take up flyfishing as I have always wanted to learn. So the lakes are big enough for bass boats? could you tell me some of the lakes names and who you fish them? we are just now really just starting to consider this. so I'm searching for bass info and my wife is searching for homes and cost of living... hehehe
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Take up trout fishing. They can get pretty big here.
http://www.coloradotrouthunters.com/trophypictures.html
http://www.coloradotrouthunters.com/trophypictures.html
I have no afflillation to this club, but some good info for you on the site. Look at the tournament dates, all those lakes have bass.
http://www.denverbassmasters.com/
http://www.denverbassmasters.com/
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Got your VM (visitor message) but I moved it to a PM with my reply. Then, I deleted your public visitor message. Hopefully you got it. Messaging has been tricky on the forum ever since it changed owners. I'll be sure to call you tomorrow. Thanks
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Congrats on your move, you'll definitely have a different experience out here from what you are use to. Once you get out here and lookin for a home don't forget to PM our forum realtor... colonative!!! :thumb:
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colonative & I working on the same deal??? uh oh
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LOL!!!
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Dude, stay put if your primary concern is fishing. I love Colorado fishing, but its trout streams, man. I lived in Monterey TN for a couple years and fished Dale Hollow, Nickajack, Fall River Falls Res...
No comparison for bass, blue cat, or flathead. Trout fishing is way better here in CO though.
No comparison for bass, blue cat, or flathead. Trout fishing is way better here in CO though.
Like everyone said you may have to change your variety of species, of course you could catch bass and theres plenty of places in Colorado you can catch 10 1lbers in a day, maybe not in Denver but you definitely could on a good day. Trout are fun to catch specially once they are big, you could start pike fishing too!
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i am not a bass guy, i fish tournys for walleye. i live about 4 miles from lake pueblo, around a 100 miles south of denver. i have had many days where i have caught 20 1 lbrs in a day, i have caught 5 3-4 lb bass in 15 min while fishing for eyes. the lake has LMB,SMB,and spots. there are many lakes within 150 miles of denver that are large enough for bass boats. you realy have to watch the weather here, the wind can go from 10mph to 70 mph in less than an hour. there is good bass fishing in wy. ks, ne, nm, for long weekends. you might try to get the book fishing close to home that is all the lakes in the denver metro area, and the colo parks and wildlife has booklets on all the lakes in the state parks
The bass fishing here can be good for smaller fish in the 1-3lb range. There are plenty of good lakes that have bass, both large and smallmouth. THat said, the size is just not there, like other areas. The good fisherman tend to catch quite good numbers and 18" fish are not uncommon. I live south of Denver 100 miles and we almost always land 16"+ fish on every outing from Mid April to mid October if bass are the target species.
The states best game fish is likely wiper or Hybrids as they are called in your area. They are extremely good fighters and fish from 5lb-10lb are common, with some in the 10-15lb caught every year.
Pike fishing is excellent in CO... so is Lake Trout fishing. Trophy fishing for huge fish is one of the funnest things CO has to offer. Pike over 40" are available if you work hard and Lake trout over 20lbs are also catchable if you put in the time.
Trout fishing is meh for most advanced anglers, unless you take up fly fishing, which IMO is much more fun for rainbow and brown trout in rivers. The river experience is great... waaaay different than bass fishing, but great none the less.
CO is not a top fishing state in the country by any means, but if your hobby is fishing, you should have no problem having fun and definitely don't sell your boat or equipment because there are many lakes/species worthy of using it.
The states best game fish is likely wiper or Hybrids as they are called in your area. They are extremely good fighters and fish from 5lb-10lb are common, with some in the 10-15lb caught every year.
Pike fishing is excellent in CO... so is Lake Trout fishing. Trophy fishing for huge fish is one of the funnest things CO has to offer. Pike over 40" are available if you work hard and Lake trout over 20lbs are also catchable if you put in the time.
Trout fishing is meh for most advanced anglers, unless you take up fly fishing, which IMO is much more fun for rainbow and brown trout in rivers. The river experience is great... waaaay different than bass fishing, but great none the less.
CO is not a top fishing state in the country by any means, but if your hobby is fishing, you should have no problem having fun and definitely don't sell your boat or equipment because there are many lakes/species worthy of using it.
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MY II CENTS
I think you have to look at this move differently. A chance to experience some new things, an adventure. Consider your self lucky, you can move and have a job.
I miss the fishing I used to have sometimes but I still get to catch fish.
Come experience the mountains flat lander. :biggrin1:
I think you have to look at this move differently. A chance to experience some new things, an adventure. Consider your self lucky, you can move and have a job.
I miss the fishing I used to have sometimes but I still get to catch fish.
Come experience the mountains flat lander. :biggrin1:
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Looks like you have already gotten the answers you were looking for... Colorado has Bass.. but nothing(Quantity or quality) like you are accustom to.
With that said if you do move out here and target bass please respect our resources!! Bass don’t grow very fast here and our biologists don’t do much to protect them…. So when you do hook into a nice bass.. Take care to handle it properly and get it back into the water as soon as possible!!
Also like others have said there are plenty of other species here in Colorado that are worth targetting!!
As for your bass boat... There are plenty of people who use them here in Colorado... Not sure it's the best type of boat to have for Colorado(Might be depending on the situation)... We have some nasty storms that roll through without notice so you def. want to be safe.... But I dont own a bass boat(I own a fish n' Ski) and am quite new to boating... so I am sure someone else on here can give you the down low on how bass boats fair when targetting lakers/pike/ect.
With that said if you do move out here and target bass please respect our resources!! Bass don’t grow very fast here and our biologists don’t do much to protect them…. So when you do hook into a nice bass.. Take care to handle it properly and get it back into the water as soon as possible!!
Also like others have said there are plenty of other species here in Colorado that are worth targetting!!
As for your bass boat... There are plenty of people who use them here in Colorado... Not sure it's the best type of boat to have for Colorado(Might be depending on the situation)... We have some nasty storms that roll through without notice so you def. want to be safe.... But I dont own a bass boat(I own a fish n' Ski) and am quite new to boating... so I am sure someone else on here can give you the down low on how bass boats fair when targetting lakers/pike/ect.
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