The dog days of summer are here, but that does not mean the fish stop biting! We are still able to launch boats on Lake Granby, and the lake trout bite remains good once you find where the active fish are holding. Grand Lake is fishing best in those cool, calm early morning hours. Water temperatures are peaking on the area lakes and rivers, please follow any voluntary closures, and practice good, quick fish handling techniques if planning to release a fish.
Grand Lake - Boat ramp hours are 6 AM to 8PM. Water temperatures are in the mid 60’s. Lake trout action has been fair. Look for them in 60 to 110 feet of water. Small crayfish imitation lures and glow colored jigging spoons have been good lure choices. Keep your lure close to the bottom and tipped with a small piece of sucker to entice those subtle bites. Rainbow trout and brown trout action is best in the early morning hours. Trolling at 15 to 25 feet is most productive, but casting silver Kastmaster spoons in the inlet areas is also producing fish.
Williams Fork Reservoir - Boat ramps will remain closed for the season due to low water levels. Non-motorized hand launched boats are allowed. Water level is at 35%. Projections for his reservoir are that it will be drawn down to 6%-15% by next spring. Shore fishing has been fair in the inlet areas. Hopper dropper rig fished early in the day in the inlet creek will produce some rainbow trout. Pike action has been slow, think crawfish colored tubes and hard baits for best chance at a pike.
Lake Granby- Sunset Point boat ramp hours are 6AM to 8PM. Stillwater Boat ramp is closed due to low water. Water level is at 60% or approximately 33 feet below full. Water temperatures are in the upper 60’s early then warming to low 70’s by the afternoon. Best Rainbow trout action is early in the morning or during the evening hours , shore anglers reporting success fishing live worms off the bottom or casting Mepps Spinners, trollers are continuing to have success with pink or silver Tasmanian Devils fished 15 feet to 25 feet below the surface . Lake trout bite remains good, the key is finding where active fish are holding. Look for them in 70 to 90 feet of water. Natural green and brown colored tube jigs or grubs 2 to 3 inch size tipped with a small piece of sucker have been a consistent pattern. Have a pink and white jigging spoon handy to entice those reaction bites when the bite slows on the group of fish you are working. Brown trout action is fair when the conditions are right in the late evenings, look to the rocky shorelines and cast buck-hair jigs or a brown grub to the shore and work them just ticking off the rocks.
The Fishing with Bernie team has been guiding in Grand County for over 25 years. For more info please check out www.fishingwithbernie.com, www.facebook.com/FishingWithBernie/ or our Instagram pages https://www.instagram.com/fishing_with_bernie https://www.instagram.com/fishingwithaltitude
