This middle park fishing report is brought to you by "Fishing with Bernie". Crank baits are working well during lowlight conditions for browns and a few rainbows. Worms and power bait are still catching lots of rainbows and a few suckers along the shorelines. Lake trout continue their migration into deeper water, and can be caught with a variety of soft plastics, spoons and crank baits tipped with a small piece of sucker meat. The Northern pike at Williams Fork are still slow but the bite should be getting better in the afternoons as the water warms. The CPW is offering a $20 bounty on any pike caught at Green mountain reservoir. Bring the fish over to Heeney marina along with your drivers license and fishing license to collect.
Lake Granby are fishing report for 6-2-16
As the water temps continue to climb the trout are still very aggressive. Browns are crushing minnow baits fished along the rocks.
Lake Granby Area Fishing Report 4-25-2016
This middle park fishing report is brought to you by "Fishing with Bernie". Water is opening up along the inlets and shorelines. Ice jigs under bobbers will work very well for trout. Worms along the bottom will entice browns, rainbows and suckers. The rivers are fishing very well with egg and worm patterns. Browns are biting very well at Shadow Mountain reservoir on small crank baits. Bernie Keefe has been a fishing guide in the area for over 20 years. For more info please check out www.fishingwithbernie.com or Facebook fishing with Bernie
Shop Smart
Submitted by Bernie Keefe
on Wed, 03/02/2016 - 14:00
With spring just around the corner, anglers around the country are dreaming of open-water adventures in the months ahead. For many, these dreams include buying a new boat.
If you’re thinking of purchasing a new fishing platform for 2016, follow the advice of veteran guide and boating sage Bernie Keefe to land the boat of your dreams, without getting soaked.
“A boat is a major purchase for most of us, so take the time to do your homework and also a little soul-searching to decide which one will best fit your needs and your budget,” he begins.
The internet is a wonderful tool for checking out available boat models, features and prices. “Online research is critical,” says Keefe. “Don’t just show up at a sport show or dealership and buy the first boat you look at.
“You can also use online tools like the “Build Your Own Boat” feature on Crestliner’s website to plug in boat style, length, cost, primary purposes and more,” he adds.
All are key considerations.
“Choosing boat style, whether hardcore fishing, fish-and-ski or a ski boat comes down to how you plan to use the boat the most,” he says. “I strongly encourage fishermen to talk to their families to collectively determine what’s right for everyone who’ll be using the boat.”
For example, while a serious fishing boat might not be ideal for other watersports or serious leisure cruising, a fish-and-ski could provide a great compromise that keeps everyone happy. “And if the whole family is on board, you’re going to get a lot more use out of the new boat,” he says.
Boat size is likewise important. “If you mainly fish small lakes with primitive access points and only one or two people aboard, you’re not going to want a large big-water rig,” he says. “But if you plan to fish the great lakes, something big and deep like Crestliner’s 22-foot 2250 Authority could be a perfect fit. Besides the ability to handle heavy seas, it has tons of storage space, plenty of elbow room for a large fishing party and is flat-out a troller’s dream.”
It’s worth noting that with shorter boats, a wave-taming deadrise can help the hull cut through the chop. “I’m guiding out of a Fish Hawk 1950 this season, which has a 17-degree deadrise for a smooth ride in rough water,” says Keefe.
Of course, your tow vehicle and available storage space also affect boat size decisions. If you’ll be pulling the boat with a car or light pickup, buying a large, heavy boat is asking for trouble, unless you plan to upgrade the vehicle as well. In a similar vein, pulling home a boat too long for the garage can lead to headaches as well.
Keefe also counsels matching the boat to your style of fishing. “I do a lot of vertical jigging, so a low-profile boat that doesn’t catch the wind makes boat control easier in windy conditions,” he says.
Features such as seating arrangements, storage, livewell and other accessories merit serious consideration. “They can drive up the cost of a boat, but at the same time it’s cheaper to get the features you want now than try to add them on later,” says Keefe. “Figure out what you really need and do your best to fit these features into a package deal.”
Budgeting is also a necessary step. “In this day and age, cost is a factor for most folks,” he says. “Don’t pull the trigger on a budget buster. If it breaks the bank and you can’t afford to take it out and play with it, you’ve defeated the purpose of buying a boat in the first place.”
Don’t overlook the boat’s powerplant, either. “Motors have a huge effect on performance and price, so here, too, choose wisely,” Keefe contends.
After conducting serious online research, you’re ready to kick the tires at a dealership or boat show. “If you attend a show, you have the opportunity to pick the brains of boat company pro staffers, who spend a lot of time on the water and can help talk you through the decision-making process,” he notes.
Follow these steps and Keefe is confident you’ll land your dream boat. “It sounds like a lot of work, but in the end it will pay off with hundreds of hours of on-the-water fun in a boat that makes everyone in the family happy,” he says.
Lake Granby Area Fishing Report 2-29-2016
Lake Granby Area Fishing Report 2-29-2016
This middle park fishing report is brought to you by "Fishing with Bernie". We are starting to see spring ice conditions and it should only get better. Large fish have been very tough to entice, the smaller fish have been very eager to please. The lakers have started suspending around the deeper water, 3-4" power minnows and other type minnow baits seem to work well. Rainbows and browns have been in water less then 10' deep. The best bite is early mornings or cloudy days for shallow water fish. The pump canal and interconnecting channel is fishing good with small jigs or flies under a bobber. Shadow Mountain spillway is fishing good for brown trout with jerk baits worked very slow on sunny afternoons. Bernie Keefe has been a fishing guide in the area for over 20 years.
Lake Granby Area Fishing Report 2-21-2016
Lake Granby Area Fishing Report 2-21-2016
The wind and sun has packed down the snow and the most of the slush has froze. We are starting to see spring ice conditions and it should only get better. Lakers have been eating small jigs tipped with sucker meat. The lakers have started suspending around the deeper water, 3-4" power minnows and other type minnow baits seem to work well. Rainbows and browns have been in water less then 20' deep. The best bite is early mornings or cloudy days for shallow water fish. The pump canal and interconnecting channel is fishing good with small jigs or flies under a bobber. Shadow Mountain spillway is fishing good for brown trout with jerk baits worked very slow on sunny afternoons. Bernie Keefe has been a fishing guide in the area for over 20 years.
