[epic]

WILLIAMS FORK RESERVOIR INLET FISHING CLOSURE EXTENDED

In order to protect migrating kokanee salmon, the Colorado Division of Wildlife (DOW) has issued an emergency extension of the fishing and snagging closure on the inlet to Williams Fork Reservoir. The closure will remain in effect through Nov. 30.

To notify anglers of the closure, a buoy line in the lake and shore signs have been posted at the inlet upstream to the first Grand County road bridge. Anglers caught fishing in violation of the closure may be ticketed for fishing in a closed area.

"We've extended the Williams Fork inlet closure to protect any late running salmon," said DOW aquatic biologist Billy Atkinson. "The water level in the reservoir is higher than we've seen in quite a few years. It appears that the reservoir is taking longer to cool and the salmon are moving to spawn later."

Each year DOW aquatic biologists harvest eggs from thousands of spawning kokanee. Fish from the harvested eggs are raised in hatcheries and then will be stocked in lakes around the state next spring. There are only a few waters in Colorado where spawning kokanee can be collected and this collection process is the only way to assure a sustainable kokanee population into the future.

While they instinctually spawn, kokanee do not naturally reproduce in adequate numbers in Colorado, therefore the DOW spawning operation is critical to perpetuate the kokanee resource.

Kokanee die soon after spawning. In order to prevent these fish from going to waste, the kokanee from the spawning operation are given away once the eggs and milt are taken by the DOW.

This will be the last year that DOW officials will issue an emergency extension of the annual closure. The Colorado Wildlife Commission approved making the Sept. 15 to Nov. 30 closure permanent starting next year.

For more information about Division of Wildlife go to: http://wildlife.state.co.us.

 

[pikester]

I was planning on going there next week and trying to get any of the left-over kokes I could. If the state already has a record number of eggs then why don't they lift that stupid bouy line and let us have a chance at them? They are going to die anyway. I would just like to have the eggs out of 2 or 3 kokes so that I could make mack bait for hardwater season. It would also be nice to have some salmon to cook up before they begin to rot. Does anyone know where I can go next Wednesday and have a good chance at snagging or does anyone already have a good supply of roe they would be willing to share?

 

[Guest]

green mountain is usually good although I didnt hit it hard this year....They are stacked up big time on the south platte by the bridge at elevenmile and hitting tubes and other bright color lures, but its catch and release. I wonder if the snagging is good on the reservoir

 

[kokaneeking]

if you like to snag go to granby, i got so much roe from there its unbeliveable

 

[Guest]

dike 3 kokaneeing?

 

[kokaneeking]

yes dike 3 , i like taylor too , but its far i caught my biggest koke this year on a orange kastmaster

 

[kokaneeking]

fishinguitars i cant read you dream stream report how did you do ?

 

[Guest]

awesome dude those kokes are stacked up big time by elevenmile. cuttbows and browns.

 

[kokaneeking]

did you catch any kokes fg ? , i knocked um dead awhile back and caught a 26 inch brown, i caught mine right at the bridge that goes over the road , were you down by the orange fence ?

 

[Guest]

no right by the road where you get to the river....there is two concrete pillars. they are stacked up big time hitting everything.

 

[kokaneeking]

i was at williams fork at the 19th of october there was wuite afew kokes were they are going to milk, there was also a dow guy watching me every second

 

[pikester]

It has been quite a while since I fished Granby. Where is Dike 3 and what is the best way to get the salmon, snagging? Jigs?

 

[kokaneeking]

go to rainbow bay and follow the road all the way back like your driveing to monarch , you will see people and their is two coves they are running pretty good, your best bet is to snag, i tryed throwing a slip bobber and jig and also a spoon but they wouldent hit