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Despite temps and rain, fishing remains best early or late
Mid-August brings some changes to fishing across Colorado. Some are subtle; others unmistakable. They range from a slight cooling of water temperatures in rivers and lakes brought on by welcome rains, to the explosive action of wipers feeding near the surface on several eastern-Colorado reservoirs.
Rain has fallen across much of the state during the past week, keeping most trout streams at a good level for fishing and easing some concerns about excessively warm daytime water temperatures.
On the downside, rains can discolor the water on a given day, creating tough conditions for fishing. The high, roily water usually is of fairly short duration, but heavy rain can disrupt fishing for several days.
Whether on a river or lake, fishermen also should be aware of quickly developing thunderstorms and potentially dangerous lightning.
paintsville lake balancing act
Since it filled in 1983, Paintsville Lake has been known for supporting cool-water fish species -- walleye up to 10 pounds, the occasional 20-inch smallmouth bass, and good numbers of 10- to 14-inch rainbow trout. This is in addition to the largemouth bass, spotted bass, crappie, and catfish that naturally reproduce in the 1,139-acre reservoir. Cool water builds up over time in the lake because of a slow flow-through rate. It takes an average of 150 days for water to travel the 18 miles from the headwaters to the dam, where the lake depth is more than 90 feet. But in recent years a number of factors, including higher than normal rainfall and discharge rates, and the cool water demands below the dam, led to the loss of cool-water habitat in the lake.
He's cast as a top fishing guide
As a child, Gary Mauz was so dedicated to fishing, he would go camping by himself and spend all day exploring the best fishing holes along the Neshaminy Creek, especially where it flowed into the Delaware River. Mauz, 43, still loves to fish. But now, he's generally not alone - he's either guiding or instructing others in fishing - and his years of experience have taken away some of the guesswork in finding good fishing spots. His business, the Delaware River Fly Fishing Guide Service, is based on his knowledge of the area. His clients often include tourists who like to hear a bit of local history while they're fishing. As a professional guide who guarantees that you will catch fish, he also relies on his ability to read the water surface. He looks for places where a strong current can carry the line, and where slight impressions on the surface might indicate where the water is deeper and where fish might hide.
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