Fall is in the air, the elk are bugling and aspens are changing. With the change in season comes cooler water and one of the most fun times of the year to fish in Grand County. Be sure to get out, wet a line and experience one of our favorite times of the year, with a little luck it won’t be long before we have snow in the forecast!
Grand Lake - Boat ramp hours are 6 AM to 8PM. Water temperatures are in the low 60’s. Lake trout action is good. Look for them in 35 to 65 feet of water. Jigging spoons have been working well, 3/8 to 1/2 ounce chartreuse or glow colored and tipped with a small piece of sucker. Rainbow trout and brown trout have been active in the inlet areas. Kastmasters or a hot head leach drifted in the current will produce 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 29%. Projections for this reservoir are that it will be drawn down to 6%-15% by next spring. Shore fishing has been fair in the inlet areas. The river below the dam to the confluence with the Colorado River is flowing around 100 CFS, fishing has been good. Midge, leech and egg patterns are good flies to start with. Pike are starting to cruise the shallows, and should pick up as water cools.
Lake Granby- Sunset Point boat ramp hours are 6AM to 8PM. Stillwater Boat ramp is closed due to low water. Water level is at 52.5% or approximately 41 feet below full. Surface water temperatures are in the low to mid 60’s depending on time of day. Brown trout and rainbow trout action has been good. Dynamic J-Spec jerk baits in baby rainbow colors worked erratically around the rocky shorelines has been a consistent pattern. Lake trout action remains good. Fish are migrating to their pre-spawn locations, look for them in 65 to 100 ft of water. Mid-morning seems to be the best time of day. Small plastics such as grubs or tubes in glow or dark colors and tipped with sucker. Fish are starting to chase when pulling baits away, if not getting bites with a subtle presentation, don’t be afraid to experiment!
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
