Mike's Report
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Aurora Reservoir |
Chatfield Reservoir |
Cherry Creek Reservoir |
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Mike Kennedy
Jeff Hester
David Colvin |
CHATFIELD RESERVOIR: FALL CALL THE CONTACTS BELOW FOR CURRENT CONDITIONS. Water is warm and there is a lot of boat traffic. Weekdays and during low light periods is the best time to fish. SPECIAL RULES: Bass must be 15 inches and walleye must be 18 inches; only 1 walleye over 21-inches. BASS: Bass are light sensitive and will be easier to target during low light periods. However, as the days shorten; kids return to school; and the jet skiers and water skiers put up their equipment for the year, fishing will pick-up again on Chatfield. Just before or at sun-up is a good time to throw top water baits such a chugger, small stick bait, or propeller bait. Use small top water lures early and late in the day. A floating Rapala is deadly as is a Chug Bug. Shad Rap is a good lure to use and a minnow under a bobber could bring you any species. Cast or jig along the dam, Boat Ramp Cove or the Massey Draw area using the light jig heads because it's easy to get hung up. When the sun comes up go to plastics in the 2-3 inch size such as Bitsy Tubes, Yamamoto grubs, and Robo worms. Light browns, blacks and grays; baby bass color works well also. Rig the worm Texas style with lighweight or no weight. Use light jig heads 1/16 to 1/8 ounce. Fish the Robo worm Carolina - rigged or split shot. A drop-shop rig with a Robo worm works well along the dam because of the rocks. A Senko is also a great choice either Texas rig or whackey rig. If all else fails, use a 3 inch chartruese Yamamoto Senko with Whacky rig (#2 G-lock hook in the middle of the worm). If you can't catch a fish on a slow falling Senko you might as well go home. WALLEYE: As the waters cool walleye will be more consistantly on the roadbed and mid lake humps and flats than they were in the middle of summer. The best technique to catch walleye is using a perch pattern worm harness and a 1-ounce bottom bouncer. You can also vertical jig for walleye Using Northland Rainbow Buckshot Rattle Spoons plastic grubs (any color as long as it is chartruese) or jig a plain jig head tipped with a worm or minnow. Work the edge of weed beds and the edge of the gravel pits 8-20 feet deep. Troll or drift very slowly. A trolling plate or electric motor can help. Once you've located fish, mark the spot with GPS or marker buoy and go back and use a bright colored jig head with a Fuzzy Grub or Yamamoto Grub and tip them with a leech, minnow or 1/2 night crawler. Fish out from the swim beach, along the dam and off Massey Draw. Also fish along the submerged roadbed between the handicap pier and the Deer Creek picnic area. Try fishing around the old gravel pits east of the swim beach if other spots don't produce. Look for flats or other structure between the handicap pier and the buoys. Trolling 2 1/2 -3 inch jointed suspeded Rapalas (especially crawdad or perch color) in 12-15 feet of water between centerline buoys and the south bank can be effective. Chatfield can be very colored water so using chartruese or fire tiger color can often be successful. If fish aren't biting, slow down; down size; and use or tip your lure with live bait. TROUT: There are a lot of trout in Chatfield but not many anglers target them. There are a few large trout in the lake but most fish caught are stocker fish. If you want to target trout, from the shore use Power Bait, Nitro; worm or minnow. From a boat, troll small spoons, spinners or worm harnesses. CATFISH: Catfish over 20-pounds are possible. The catfish bite is on in the coves and on the flats, mainly at night. I recommend using a sturdy rod with a bait casting reel that has a clicker. Sit your rod down with the clicker on and brake off and wait for the singing of your clicker as the big cat takes your bait. Put on the brake aim down at the fish and when you feel him pulling away set the hook like you mean business. Don't have your drag too tight, these monsters have been known to break some pretty heavy line. This is the best time of the year to fish for cats. Use typical stink baits, worms and chicken or turkey liver. You can catch cat fish on lures but those who do normally do by accident while fishing for another species. Fishing at night will be the most productive but cats can be caught during the day. DRIVING DIRECTIONS: From Denver, take C-470 to Wadsworth Blvd. Turn south on Wadsworth, Colorado 121, less than a mile to the Deeer Creek entrance to Chatfield State Park. FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Louise Maddox at Valley Country Tackle 303-680-3544; stop by Valley Country at Quincy and Parker Road and get some live bait or other gear before you head to Chatfield or call the Chatfield Park Office at 303-791-7275. |
