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Winter in the Rockies

Where am I: The Front Range (Denver to Colorado Springs) in Colorado

When?: January-April

While the skiing is indeed good in Colorado this time of year, the fish bite too! Winter in the Rockies not only offers both ice fishing and open water stream fishing opportunities, but also excellent wildlife viewing. Many species including Big Horn Sheep and Mule Deer come down from their mountain haunts to forage for lower elevation grasses and Forest Service provided hay. Check out some of the articles below:

• Ice Fishing Cherry Creek Reservoir for rapacious rainbows.
• Fishing the Upper Platte River (where it isn't frozen).
• Fly Fishing Boulder Creek.
• Wildlife viewing on the Platte River West of Denver.

Ice Fishing Cherry Creek Reservoir for rapacious rainbows.

• After a strange hike across the pinging ice, I found a hole that had been cut the previous day by an ice auger.  With a tire iron, the one inch layer that had covered the hole was broken open and the cold water below awaited.  I dropped a Berkley powerbait hunk on a trout doughball rig through the ice to the bottom and waited.  To my surprise, scant seconds later the rod tip jumped and I was hooked into a skinny 10 inch rainbow trout.  Simply enough, the snow covered ice had cut back on the food supply in the reservoir and the trout were ready to eat!  The park charges for parking and you will need a CO license. Bring a tire iron and find an abandoned hole.  Also, if worse comes to worse, there are several places in Denver to rent ice augers.
• Tackle: 2-4lb class spinning with a very short rod (3 feet or less) and a soft tip.
• Rigs: Trout dough ball rig salmon egg rig
• When: January-February
• Pay attention to ice thickness and ask or check before venturing out!

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Fishing the Upper Platte River (where it isn't frozen).

• Which Species?
• The Platte River is largely frozen in its slower patches (like the one above) but on most days it is nearly fully open near Scraggy view and above.
• How to get there: Several dirt roads lead across the front range to the Platte, especially off the outer road from above the USAF Academy in C. Springs north to the outerbelt in Denver. By foot, a three mile hike from the Platte River trailhead southwest of Denver will definitely put you into open water.
• Most of this trail is artificial lures only, and I had some response with inline spinners (panther martin size 4). Use 2lb gear spinning or 5 weight fly gear.  The higher up the river you hike, the more open the river water is, and up a scraggy view the water was open enough to use a fly rod (though I didn't pack one).  The locals said a glowball fly, or a very small nymph (likely a prince or stonefly) would work, and next time I get up there I will test this theory.

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Fly Fishing Boulder Creek.

Fishing is possible year-round on Boulder Creek. While the road uphill from Boulder can be interesting if it snows, scenic Boulder creek runs from below Barker Resevoir all along Boulder Creek Road up curves and climbs, with many pull offs. Look for slower pools that are open, or open runs with fish holding larger rocks and undercut banks. White cracklebacks sz 14, elkhair caddis sz 16, and white wooly boogers sz 14 to sz12 all work on a 2lb tippet and 3wgt gear. Small cutthroats, browns, and rainbows are plentiful, but this is a catch and release run. As you get to Barker Resevoir, the north bank near the dam is a good spot to drift sz14 tan scuds, sz 12 mysis shrimp, and 1-80thoz chennelle bugs four feet under an indicator for rainbows along the deep rock drop-offs. Eldorado Canyon and south Boulder creek also have the same species, and the same flies work there as well. Come down from the canyons if snow threatens or be stuck, and watch for flash floods.

• A larger (?) brown on Boulder Creek
• South Boulder Creek flows well in Eldorado Canyon
• Foxes don't like flash photography!
• but they do like to look for goodies dropped accidentally from the grills in the picnic zone.
• Chocolate Milk colored Middle Boulder Creek -tough to fish indeed!
• Barker Resevoir facing Nederland CO. LOts of water, look for microcurrents near the points and you will find fish
• like this plump scud-tapping Rainbow. Very soft takes are how they bite, notice where the scud is hooked-tip of the nose!
• A sunnier day at Gross Resevoir--home to lots of minnow eaters
• baby browns are fun surface feeders-just be very careful when you release them.
• Boulder Creek is loaded with small fish-holding pockets
• The snow capped peaks and dry prarie of the front range in October
• I was serious about that last bit, though I have yet to see one there
• Gross Dam and lower lake
• Gross upper lake
• Barker Resevoir tucked in the mountains above Boulder
• A rainbow comes out of the clear waters of Barker for a mysis shrimp in the teeth of the wind and rain
• Boulder Creek-fast and narrow
• A little cutthroat with brilliant colors wiggles before release
• A little brown trout adds variety
• You know you are out West when a prarie dog tries to stare you down

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• Due to the harshness of the winter in the Rockies several species come down from the higher elevations to the Platte River Trail to feed on both the sparse natural forage and hey bought in by the forest service. While the animals are not highly spooky they will bolt for loud noises or if a human approaches closer than about 30 yards. These animals were seen near sunset, which along with sunrise are typical feeding periods.

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Some Fishes you might see:

Brown Trout

Rainbow Trout

Brook Trout

Cutthroat Trout

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