trout fishing in colorado

24Mar

Ice Fishing

When I asked my fiance if she would go ice fishing with me I was pleasantly surprised to hear her response, “Sure! That sounds fun” she said. With a big grin on my face I replied “Really? Wow!” Going fishing, AND spending time with the better half without the guilt of leaving her. Talk about a win-win for a guy about to enter the married world.

We’re not big ice fisherman, so we borrowed an extra rod, an auger, some snow shoes and a hut then set off to a Routt Country reservoir.

Hiking through the spring slush can yield a good work out, even with snow shoes and especially when towing a hefty sled. But the hike soon paid off.

With the right habitat and bug life stocked rainbow trout can grow to impressive sizes. They can be caught on a variety of tackle. I’ve seen most success on jig-heads, spoons and kast masters in small to medium sizes.

This rainbow was caught on a large spoon while targeting pike.

Typically midday (10am-2pm) are the best times for catching trout through the ice, but some swear by the early morning or late evening bite.

USE CAUTION – Early and late season ice conditions can change quickly, always use caution and check the latest ice conditions.

Colorado Ice Fishing Reports and Conditions:
CDOW Ice Fishing Report
Ice Fish Colorado Report
Ice Shanty Forum
Fish Explorer

31Mar

Spring Spawning Runs

Springtime, a blossoming time for not only forage but also for a certain salmonoid, one that is known for his high leaping fighting abilities. If you’ve ever seriously fished in Colorado you should know who I’m talking about. Native to the Pacific northwest and introduced to Colorado in the 1880’s, rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) typically make spawning runs during springtime. However, many purists discourage fishing for spawning trout. Due to the innate behavior during spawning, trout become much more aggressive and therefore are easier to catch. Well sorry, rainbow trout spawn in the spring, a time when there might be a chance that my feet aren’t completely numb after wading in the river all day. Not to mention it is one of the best times of the year to get a shot at a true monster, and trust me, these fish are not easy to catch.