Middle Park fishing report for 2-20-2017

The action at Williams Fork tailed off a bit this week, but is still good some days. Most of the mackinaw have moved slightly deeper and can be found in 40-80 feet of water. The usual baits are still working, including 3" tubes tipped with sucker, leech flutter spoons, and gulp minnows. Early and late day have been providing the best action this week. Rainbows can also be caught early morning in shallow water on various micro jigs as Rat Finkees or tear drop jigs tipped with salmon eggs or meal worms.

Pike action has been fair if you hit it on the right day. They are mostly being caught in less than 10 feet of water.The slush froze up again this week making for easier walking and also some slick areas, so take your cleats. The ice is holding at about 14" on most of the lake.

Grand Lake is fishing fair to good depending on the day.  The ice is holding up well despite the warmer temps, and the slush has become solid again for now.  The area in front of the swim beach is a mess because of the winter carnival and heavy traffic, but get away from that area and conditions improve.  Lake trout are still being caught between 40 and 80 feet of water, on a variety of jigs tipped with sucker meat. Rainbows and browns are being caught throughout the day, just need to move around to find the active areas.  The weather has been nothing short of excellent lately, cool in the mornings and warm by noon, but storms are in the forecast, and spring isn’t far away. Get out and enjoy the ice while you still can! Dan Shannon, Guide – Fishing with Bernie

Lake Granby has been fishing awesome this week for fish 15"-23" lake trout. Tubes, Leech flutter spoons, blade baits and maribous have been working very well.The laker bite has been an all day bite, just keep moving every time your spot slows down.  Rainbows and browns have been eating a variety of soft plastics and spoons tipped with a piece of "GULP" or wax worms.The bite has been best early in the morning and in water less then 10'deep.The slush has froze back up and there were alot of atv's on the lake last weekend. Dont forget your sunscreen and sunglasses, the sun has been shining bright all day.

Middle Park fishing report for 2-14-2017

Lake Granby, The slush has decided to freeze up again. The lake is very hard and accessible by about any means legal. If your on snow machines this is the time of year to use your scratchers. Rainbows and browns are biting very well on the shorelines in water less then 10' deep. Lake trout are hitting spoons, plastics or bait.

Grand Lake is in typical mid winter fishing pattern with fishing fair to good depending on the day.  The ice is holding up well despite the warmer temps, but there is the dreaded slush that is an ever growing problem.  Lake trout are being caught between 40 and 80 feet of water, just have to stay mobile to find the active fish. Rainbows and browns can be caught all day, start shallow early and move deeper as the sun gets higher in the sky, then opposite as the day moves along.  The weather has been spectacular and the views from the ice nothing short of breathless, Get out and enjoy! Dan Shannon, Guide – Fishing with Bernie

The fishing at Williams Fork has been good overall. Lake trout are still providing the best action. The most productive depth for numbers of fish has been 50-70 feet most days, but a few fish are being caught shallower. Make sure to move around if you don’t find fish right away. Tube jigs 3 to 3.5 inches in various colors have been the best producers as usual. Some fish are eating smaller baits like Gulp minnows and Leech Flutter Spoons. The big-fish bite has been hit or miss lately, but a few lucky anglers are finding one now and then.

Action for rainbows has been fair to good early in the mornings in shallow water, using typical micro jigs and other small baits. Pike action has been spotty, but folks are catching a few, also in the shallow bays.

The warm weather this week melted most of the snow that was on top of the ice, so the shoreline is very slushy, and there are a few slush patches further out from shore too. The ice thickness is still 12-14” on most of the lake. There is more sweatshirt weather on the way, so stay tuned for updates.

Bernie Keefe has been a fishing guide in the Granby area for over 20 years

News 9 Report

https://www.9news.com/article/sports/ice-fishing-with-some-of-colorados-best/73-409076915

Middle Park fishing report for 2-7-2017

Fishing at Williams Fork has been fair to good depending on the day. Lake trout are still providing the best action in 35-70 feet of water. Most of the fish being caught are in the 12-17” range. Natural color tubes 3” to 3 ½” tipped with sucker meat are drawing the most interest. Gulp minnows, Leech flutter spoons, and various other jigging spoons are also catching a few. You may have to move around a bit to find a good concentration of fish. The big fish bite has been hit or miss lately.

A few rainbows are being caught in shallow water in the mornings with the best action being before 9 AM. Micro jigs tipped with meal works or salmon eggs are a good bet to catch them. Occasional pike are also being caught in the shallow bays, but pike action has been a bit spotty.

The ice is holding at 12-14” in most spots with 4-8” of snow on top depending on where you are on the lake. There are still a ton of deer hanging around near the lake, so don’t forget to drink your coffee before driving through Middle Park.  Tucker Bamford, Guide Fishing with Bernie

Grand Lake 2/6

The lake is snow covered and has at least a foot of ice in most places.   As usual there is open water and thin ice in the channel area. The bite has slowed from the early season action.  For best results fish early and late. Stay mobile till you find the active fish and use those electronics. A variety of depths, locations and lures have been sucessful, but mobility has been they key for all species.   Dan Shannon, Guide - Fishing with Bernie

Lake Granby

Rainbow and brown trout fishing is great to excellent in water under 6 feet deep. Clam "dingle drop" tungsten jigs tipped with waxies are working very well. Inside turns with rocks near by seem to produce great numbers early, once the sun hits the ice that bite is over. The lake trout are feeding all day. Use electronics to find the fish then switch up colors and profiles until they bite. This latest snow is causing a little bit of slush again. Bernie Keefe has been a fishing guide in the middle park area for over 20 years.

Middle Park fishing report for 1-30-2017

Thanks to everyone that came to fish the 3 Lakes ice fishing contest. By now the fish have settled down and will eat. Lake Granby is fishing very good for all species. Rainbows and browns are being caught in water less then 15 feet deep on small jigs tipped with wax worms. Spoons are a great attractor. Most Lake trout are being caught at 40-70 feet of water. Tube jigs, hair jigs, spoons, and plain jig heads tipped with a small piece of sucker meat are enticing bites.

Williams Fork, The fishing dropped off a bit this week, but there are still plenty of 12-17” lake trout being caught on the usual baits. Focus on structure in 35-65 feet of water for the best action. Tube jigs tipped with sucker meat and various jigging spoons are consistently producing a few strikes. Smaller baits like bare jigheads with a chunk of sucker and gulp minnows are also catching a few. The key is moving around to find the highest concentrations of fish. Bigger lakers have been tough to entice recently but there is always the possibility of a trophy at this lake. The best tactic for rainbows has been to fish early in the day in shallow water in one of the bays with micro jigs or crappie tubes. A few pike are also being caught in shallow water bays but action for them is hit or miss.

The ice is about 12-14 inches thick across most of the lake with a slightly thinner area near the dam. There is still about 6 inches of snow on top of the ice. There is still no slush anywhere on the lake. Tucker Bamford

Grand Lake, The Rainbow trout and Brown trout continue to be active and hungry with the best bite being early and late in the day.  They are being found between 8ft and 16ft of water depending on time of day and are being caught on a variety of baits, but the Leech Flutter Spoon by Clam tipped with a wax worm has been my go to bait.  Lake trout are being caught all over the lake, but it takes some diligence and searching. Get out drill some holes and use that Vexilar to determine where the Lake trout are and what their mood is for the day, seems to change every day. Ice is in good shape on the town side of the lake, use caution if venturing out, and beware of the areas with moving water, as the ice varies significantly there compared to rest of lake!.  Be safe and good luck. Dan Shannon, Guide – Fishing with Bernie

Middle Park fishing report for 1-23-2017

Granby has lost its slush! The ice thickness varies around the lake. We have been seeing snow machines and ATV's throughout the lake. Rainbows and browns are biting very well around the shorelines until the sun hits the ice then they shut down. A few kokanee have been caught in water 20'-30' deep over 80'-100' of water. Lake trout fishing has been excellent with small spoons like the "Leech Flutter spoon or plain jains in various colors and sizes. Tube jigs. hair jigs and other assorted plastics tipped with a small piece of sucker meat have been producing also in 40-70 feet of water. Bernie

Williams Fork Reservoir is fishing well for lake trout with a few rainbows and pike being caught as well. Most of the macks are being caught in 35-75 feet of water on tube jigs tipped with a small chunk of sucker meat. Various jigging spoons and gulp minnows are also catching a few. Most of the pike are showing up in less than 10 feet of water.  Jigging Raps and tube jigs account for a few pike as well. Rainbows are mostly being found in less than 15 feet of water and can be caught on panfish tubes or various mini jigs tipped with salmon eggs or meal worms. Tucker - guide Fishing with Bernie

The ice on most of the lake is 12-14” thick with a thinner area near the dam that is about 8”. There was some fresh snow this week, but it’s still only about 6” deep on top of the ice. There was no slush on top of the ice at the time of this report.

Grand Lake has fishable ice conditions,  use caution in the areas of moving water as the ice thickness is significantly different than the other areas of the lake.  Fishing has been good for Rainbows and Browns, concentrate your efforts to early in the morning and late in the day for best results.  No need to go too deep, but the fish do move deeper as the day goes on, your typical trout baits have been working well. The lake trout under 18” have been active and hungry,  we have been finding them all over the lake. They don’t seem to be relating to any depth or structure, but out and cruising. Grab your Vexilar, sharpen your auger blades, top off the tank and get out there and drill a bunch of holes, that’s what its been taking to find the lake trout.  Good luck out there! Dan Shannon, Guide -  Fishing with Bernie .   

Lake Granby are fishing report for 1-16-2017

Granby has froze over again. This time most of the slush has frozen over also. This gives us 1-4" of good clear ice, 3-6" of water and 4-6" of frozen slush.

Understanding gamefish strike zones

Many anglers agonize over finding the hot lure or perfect color pattern for the conditions at hand, but veteran guide Bernie Keefe argues they’d catch more fish by focusing on strike zones instead.

“A strike zone is the area in which fish will respond positively to your presentation, and the size of these areas changes frequently, even during the course of a day on the water,” he explains.

While Keefe concentrates most of his time connecting clients with feisty trout including lakers, browns and ‘bows, along with Kokanee salmon, he’s also a veteran walleye and pike fan, and says the strike zone concept applies to virtually any gamefish.

“Same with technique,” he says. “Strike zones are a big deal whether you’re casting, jigging or trolling.”

According to Keefe, a number of factors can cause a fish’s strike zone to expand or contract. “Weather and light conditions can play a role, as well as the mood of the fish and whether or not its stomach is empty,” he explains.

“Many days,” he continues. “Trout are aggressive and hungry first thing in the morning. They have no trouble swimming 10 to 20 feet to attack something that catches their eye. If I’m trolling, this means I have plenty of leeway positioning my lures in the water column.”

However, as the day progresses and the trout’s bellies become full, their ambition begins to wane, and with it, their willingness to chase down far-off meals.  

“It’s not unlike Thanksgiving Day,” Keefe quips. “After dinner, you’re not getting up off the couch to get a turkey sandwich in the kitchen. But, if someone waves a slice of pumpkin pie in front of you, and all you have to do is raise your arm…that’s a whole different story.”

When the strike zone shrinks during a trolling trip, Keefe keeps a close eye on his Lowrance depthfinder to pinpoint trout location, and fine-tunes lure running depths to match until he puts the piscatorial pie in front of the trout’s nose. “I adjust depth in 1-foot increments until I start getting bit again,” he says.

He takes a similar tack when jigging. “Active fish may chase a jig ripped a foot off the bottom,” he says. “But if they want it within six inches of bottom, you’re wasting half of every jig stroke on unproductive water.”

Currently, one of Keefe’s hottest jigging patterns centers on a reduced strike zone. “I rig a 5-inch Berkley Jerk Shad on a half-ounce leadhead, drop it to bottom and then slowly raise and lower it,” he says. “The trick lately has been limiting lifts to 12 inches. Raise it any more than that and the fish won’t bite.”

Even when targeting active trout, it still pays to keep strike zones in mind. “I love casting stickbaits like the Berkley Cutter 110 to hungry brown trout cruising windswept rocky shorelines,” he says.  

“The fish are super-aggressive,” he continues. “But that doesn’t mean you can get sloppy. The strike zone typically extends from shore out to the scum line generated by reverse currents bouncing off the bank. Cast outside this area and your success rate drops like an anchor.”

Keefe encourages anglers to consider the strike zone factor at all times, and be prepared to react accordingly. “If you stop catching fish, don’t assume they quit biting or you need a different lure,” he says. “Try focusing your presentation on a smaller area, you might be pleasantly surprised.”

Middle Park area fishing report 7-28-16

Grand Lake

Grand Lake has been fishing good, the water temp has been in the mid 60’s by early afternoon.  Rainbows and Browns are biting well in the inlet areas, casting or trolling Rapalas and various jerkbaits during the low light periods of the day has been consistent.  The lake trout are reacting to the warmer water and are being found in water as deep as 100’. They have been selective on the baits they are after, so don’t be afraid to throw the tackle box at them, but when you find the bite, its been good.  A few key notes for planning your Grand Lake fishing trip; the lake gets busy during mid day with water skiers and boat traffic, and the afternoon thunderstorms/wind have been consistently showing up just about every day. Get out there and enjoy this great fishing and beautiful time of year in Grand County!  Dan Shannon, Guide – Fishing with Bernie

Lake Granby Report

Water temps are 64-68. Rainbows are being caught early and late along the shorelines with power bait. As the lake trout move deeper presentation is the key. Lake trout are being caught all around the lake in depths of 50' and greater. Small jigs tipped with "Gulp" or sucker meat are getting limits of fish.

Williams Fork Report

Surface temp at 6AM was 65 degrees with the temps rising to 70 degrees late afternoon. Water level is full. Windy conditions can be expected late AM on most days. Recent winds have mixed warm surface water with subsurface water driving lake trout deeper. Lakers are being caught on jigs tipped with sucker meat at 90 to 120 foot. Lake Trout bite is slow but they are catch-able. Small lakers can be caught trolling. A few Kokanee salmon are being caught trolling at slow speeds. Bank fishing for Rainbows is slow. With subsurface temps rising large Northern Pike have moved from the shallows to deeper water. Suspending or diving jerk baits, and slow moving spinner baits run at depth are producing hits. Small Northern's can be caught along the shorelines. - Randy Hall guide Fishing with Bernie

Middle Park area fishing report 7-5-16

Grand Lake

Grand Lake continues to fish great, the run off has slowed and the water is clearing up.  Water temperature has been in the mid to upper 50’s during the middle of the day. Low light periods continue to be key times of the day, particularly for the rainbows and browns, fishing aggressively with reaction type baits has been working well.  Lake trout are found deeper and deeper everyday as the water warms, keys to finding them has been using electronics and changing up offerings until you find the bait of the day, each day it is something different they are wanting. Waters are busy this weekend, Hope everyone had a fun and safe Fourth of July!   Dan Shannon, Guide for Fishing with Bernie

WIlliams Fork

Surface temp at 6AM was 62.8. By late afternoon temp was 68. Lake Troutare moving deeper. I saw fish on the screen from 70 to 120 foot. Fishing is good with the proper presentation. Small jigs tipped with meat is catching 15-18" lakers. Pike are slow. They are still in the shallows mid day. They are following but not hitting. Salmon are slow. Randy Hall

Lake Granby

Water temps are 64-68. Rainbows are being caught early and late along the shorelines with power bait. A few browns are still being caught casting the rocky shorelines early and late in the day. Lake trout are being caught all around the lake in depths of 50' and greater. Small jigs tipped with "Gulp" or sucker meat are getting limits of fish.