prespawn walleyes in colo or wyoming

[bernie//co]

can anybody tell me of some good spots and timesw to get into some prespawn walleyes some techniques would be great to thanck tight lines

[Chad Curtis(UT)]

I'm in Utah so I'm not much help. The walleye usually start the pre-spawn around mid-May. I start early morning or late dusk fishing the shallower areas with a jig and worm or crankbaits. Walleye like to spawn in some current, finding the smallest rock/gravel that stays put in the current. Try shallow inlet areas where there is rock or wood cover. I've found that muddy water can be a plus. During the days the fish are deeper and I usually end up vertical jigging steep drops in water to 70+ feet. Hope it helps some. Tight Lines.

[Neal/Co]

We are in pre-spawn right now. The DOW will be setting up their nets for spawn taking in the next 10 days at Cherry Creek, Pueblo and Bonny. Consentrate on areas close to the dams of most Colo. resevoirs, as fish are staging to spawn as we speak. If you go to Wyoming it is a different story. Pathfinder, Glendo and Seminole have huge spawning runs up their inlets. All three resevoirs have naturally reproducing walleye populations that spawn in the North Platte River. The run usually starts anytime from the last week in March to the last week in April. With the mild winter we have had, I would guess the run would be early this year?

[drewski]

Neal,
What do you use for Cherry Creek, and what side of the dam do you go (from shore)? Also, have you had any luck on Chatfield near the spillway? We went out a couple days ago and threw everything we had--crawlers, powerbait, raps, spinners--and got skunked. Any suggestions? Thx

[Neal/Co]

Chatfield is to difficult for me. I fish Cherry Creek alot from shore. The eye's spawn all along the dam. Walk the dam at night casting Rapala's and Thundersticks. Reel slow and steady. I have been trying to figure out the big females at Cherry Creek for years, but I haven't exactly slayed them myself. If you can, get up to Wyoming and fish Glendo and Pathfinder. They are excellent walleye fisheries, for both size and numbers. Cherry Creek has lots of big fish 10 to14 lbs but they are very difficult to fool. Good luck.

[Sheila]

Hey Neal, I used to live right by Chatfield Res. in Highlands Ranch. We'd do same thing you do at Cherry Creek right off the dam - cast cranks in evening/night off the rocks. 'Cept man it's tough when you park up on top of dam, and use flashlight up/down the rocks after dark.

[Gunga Din]

>Walk the dam at night casting
>Rapala's and Thundersticks

Why the dams, other than the rocks? The dams are on the opposite side of the lake as the inlet, and they're typically a fairly abrubt drop-off into deeper 70-120' water, with steeper drop-offs on either canyon wall adjacent to the dam. So the only shallow water is two feet out from the shore. Maybe I'm fishing the wrong side of the lake??

[Neal/Co]

The lakes here in eastern colorado have small inlet streams that are silted in. The rocks on the dam are the walleyes only option. Every year the Dow pulls 100 million eggs from Cherry Creek, Bonny, Chatfield and Pueblo resevoirs. In Wyoming the resevoirs are fed by big freestone rivers and walleye's don't have to be stocked.

[EricCO]

Cherry Creek and Chatfield are both pretty shallow reservoirs. Cherry Creek max's out at about 25 - 30 feet deep. Chatfield runs a little deeper, but not much. Most Colorado Reservoirs are the same, except for Horsetooth where the walleyes do spawn in the inlet. The only somewhat suitable spawning areas are the dams. The Department of Wildlife sets up gill net on the dams and then takes the eggs from the females during spawn. The reservoirs are for irrigation and fluctuate enough that the eggs are left high and dry easily.

Neal and I have discussed and probably will take a look at the inlet for Chatfield which happens to be the South Platte river and may have habitat and current that will attract some spawning walleyes.

tight lines

[Scott Hinrichs]

I'm planning on going out to Boulder Res
and throwing some rapalas at them. I've
never caught one this way, but that's
what everyone one says. Now's the time
from what I understand. I come from Eastern
Nebraska and Kansas and this is the time
to start checking it out.

I think I'll try some worms, maybe
minnows, but I wish I has leeches.

I've been told that the females who
are spawning aren't really interested
in feeding, and they strike more out
of anger than hunger.

Let me know how it goes.

Scotty



>can anybody tell me of some
>good spots and timesw to
>get into some prespawn walleyes
>some techniques would be great
>to thanck tight
>lines