Denver Metro Region

Report provided with permission of the
Colorado Division of Wildlife

October 4, 2011

Arvada Reservoir -- Fishing has picked up with the cooler weather and water. Morning is best. Some smallmouth bass still are being caught. Green or orange PowerBait and salmon eggs are working for trout. Worms work well on a lot of fish. Anglers are still catching some very large catfish. Call 303-420-7773 to check on boating conditions because of the high winds. Aquatic bait is not allowed; this includes salamanders, leeches, crayfish, frogs and minnows. Worms are the only permitted live bait. Check out the fish board when you're here. Please do not bring your pets. Fishing at the reservoir concludes at the end of October.

Aurora Reservoir -- The water temp is 62 degrees. Trout fishing is starting to pick up from shore, using rainbow PowerBait on a slip rig and crawlers floated up off the bottom from the dam and east shoreline. Boaters' success for trout is fair to good by trolling with crawlers, spoons and Rapalas. Walleye fishing is fair to good using bottom bouncers with crawlers and jigs. Walleyes must be 18 inches or longer to possess. Perch action is good on jigs in 10-15 feet of water. All other species are slow or no reports. The limit for trout is two fish. Reminder: Boating is restricted to electric motors. All vessels must be inspected prior to launch. A watercraft access permit is required for all vehicles bringing in watercraft. Park hours for October are 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Barr Lake -- Fishing for walleyes is picking up with bottom bouncers. Trout are picking up on PowerBait. Perch are great on lures and worms. Fishing for crappie and bluegills is good. The water temp is approximately 68 degrees. No fishing is allowed in the wildlife refuge or from the Barr Lake dam. Contact the ranger office for current conditions at 303-655-1495 or check the park web site.

Chatfield Reservoir -- With the water temperature gradually cooling, fishing for walleyes and rainbow trout has been improving. Trout are being taken on night crawlers, minnows and PowerBait from boats and shore. Walleyes are being taken on worms, Lindy rigs, jigs and plastic worms, especially near the bridge over the old road bed and around the dam outlet. Smallmouth bass remain active along the dam, with shad-imitating lures and minnows working well.

Cherry Creek Reservoir -- With the surface temperature in the mid 60s, fishing is gradually improving. Fish now are a little closer to shore and in other shallower areas of the lake for longer periods. Worms and spinners recently have taken some walleyes and crappie. Early mornings and late afternoons still are the best times to fish. Fall-season hours for boat inspections are 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily at the east ramp. The west-ramp inspection station will be open from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays through October. Be sure you have a parks pass for your vehicle and a valid fishing license.

Clear Creek -- We're into October, and fishing on Clear Creek remains excellent. Grasshoppers are active during the hot part of the day, so try a Dave's Hopper or Parachute Hopper. Caddis are still coming off and tan or brown foam bodies are working well. Another good dry fly option is a #16 or #18 BWO. While fishing a dry, tie on a dropper 3 to 4 feet below. Best patterns are purple Psycho Princes, red Copper Johns or Pheasant Tails, all #16 or #18, and also #18 Craven's Deep-Blue Poison Tungs. As water temps cool down, streamer action will pick up dramatically, so be ready with a Woolly Bugger or other pattern.

Quincy Reservoir -- The water temp is 64 degrees and the water level is low. All watercraft must be inspected before launching. All vehicles bringing in watercraft are required to have a watercraft access pass. Bass fishing is slow using spinner baits, jigs, drop shots and top-water lures. Trout fishing has been slow. Increasing reports are coming in of perch and crappie being caught by jigging over the aerator lines. Quincy is restricted to fishing with artificial flies and lures only. The limit for trout is two fish. Bass must be 18 inches or longer to possess. All boats must be hand-launched. Only electric motors are permitted. All boats, including float tubes, must check in with the ranger on duty. Park hours for October are 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Quincy will close for the season on Nov. 1.

South Platte River (Waterton Canyon) -- Denver Water is dredging Strontia Springs Reservoir to remove massive amounts of Hayman Fire sediment. As a result, Waterton Canyon will be closed until Dec. 31, 2011. Neither the parking lot at the canyon's entrance nor the canyon will be accessible during the closure. Access to The Colorado Trail from Waterton Canyon also will be closed during this time. For more information, log on to www.ColoradoTrail.org

Standley Lake -- Standley Lake is closed to boating and camping for the season. Fishing is allowed from shore only. The current lake temperature is approximately 65 degrees. Fishing times are 7:00 a.m. to sunset and will be strictly enforced. Aquatic bait is not allowed at Standley Lake; this includes salamanders, leeches, crayfish, frogs and minnows. Aquatic Nuisance Species (ANS) regulations are in effect. Call for more details. A $7 fee is charged for all drive-in traffic. Drive-in access is available from 7:00 a.m. to sunset. For more information, contact the Standley Lake Nature Center at (303) 425-1097.