Pueblo Night Spots?

[Neal/CO]

Now I am sure someone out there can't resist giving me their favorite bar or place to cruise for hookers, but you guys know what I mean? I have always fished Cherry Reek at night and now that I have so much spare time on my hands, I would like to night fish Pueblo this spring. Is the Dam still off limits? Where other than the dam would be a good spot to cast cranks from shore?

[Art/Co]

Neal,

The Dam at Pueblo is restricted ,but the earthen rip-rap is pretty much free if you are in a boat. The ramps close up at 12am till 6 am if you are there with a boat which doesn't make any sense because if some nut wanted to do some harm to the dam, don't you think he/she could do it before or after that time. Anyway back to your question. The water is still low so other options would be the sail boat beach which I have heard is awesome at night in June. A friend of mine caught a walleye over ten pounds there one night casting rapalas. Depending on water level the area just east of the sail beach could be another good area as when the water was lower two months ago I noticed some exposed humps which might have potential at night with some leeches hanging from a lite bobber.

Art

[Neal/CO]

Thanks Art! I guess I just need to go down there and take a look for myself. I skipped Pueblo last year and from what I heard the water level was pretty low? I probaly need to see if my favorite spots are even under water? I use to fish the south shore close to the dam in Febuary and March alot, before I started ice fishing. Caught alot of big Bows and lots of eye's under the slot. Floating jighead and crawler still fished on one rod and a jig and Sassy Shad on the other.

[Neal/CO]

What is the water level like right now?

[exnj]

Neal,
I fished it Sunday from shore and it's about 40ft low. It is actually a bit higher than in Sept. Many structures showing. Take a camera and a GPS if u have 1. No luck Sun, but enjoyed the day anyway. good luck.

Lou

[Neal/CO]

Hey Lou, we should meet down there sometime this spring and fish late into the evening. There are alot of nice fish there, that will be shallow at night, if we can just find them?

[exnj]

Neal,
I'm planning on it. With the water as low as it is, they should be concentrated and castable from shore into deep drop offs. I'll bring the topo and the flashlight! Looking to start after the first weekend in April. I'll be in touch.

Lou

[B.Allison]

Whats your favorite color of Rapala to throw from the shore? I did alright last year on black/silver and blue/silver sizes 5 and 7.

[Art/Co]

Perch ....period


Art

[B.Allison]

Anyone gonna try Pueblo this weekend? Was thinking about trying today since the weathers going to be so nice. Bob

[Neal/CO]

I have always used the dark back, light sides theory at night, but I use size 11 and 13 Raps and the large size Husky jerks. That said, I haven't exactly slayed them either. If Art says Perch is the ticket, I would heed his advice! My biggest walleye ever was only six lbs and it almost swallowed a 6 inch long Rebel at Glendo Resevoir.

[Kevin/CO]

Although I have never done to well on them you might consider some Smithwick baits down at P-low. A couple of the guys we fish with swear on them being casted over humps from shore or boat and they have alot of good patterns including some good perch schemes. They look like they could really produce if fished right by someone who knows something about stick bait fishign, which to be honest I don't. I will say one thing from personal experience with them though, when you hook into a small mouth with them they don't like to let go. Those rotating trebles are sharp and hold really well. Just a thought.

[Art/Co]

I was out this past Saturday. Nice weather ,but fishing sucked. 1 small walleye and one 15 in sm bass. I saw alot of boat's out ,but alot of guys were fishing shallow?


Art

[dkooser]

Yea, the Fishing and Hunting News hit the stands late last week and mentioned something about shallow water activity. What a bunch of fish stories. I wonder if they reported in that tabloid that the sky was falling that everyone would go buy construction helmets.

[exnj]

Dave,
I agree with you. That mag does nothing but retread old stories. We had subscribed to it a few years ago and when I saw the same exact article (with the same photo) on Trinidad, a year apart, I quit. They just keep publishing the same fish story regardless of the current conditions. I didn't read the article you refer to, but I would bet that the shallow fishing did not reflect the current 45 low water conditions and the temps. Just print it....and they will come. I think it's a tackle shop conspiracy with that mag!!

Lou

[Art/Co]

you guys have tackle shops....Hot dam. The last one closed( Anglers Choice) because of the 9/11 tragedy and no one could go on the lake. Anyway there is a new place going in on the way to pueblo res.and is said to offer live bait. By the way I heard through the grapevine that when the new owner of Colorado H/F News took over the rag that he fired all of the guest regional editors.What ever happened to Marsh and the rest? And yes, I'll be one of the others that will not re-up when it comes time.


Art

[Neal/CO]

If there is a better fisherman (or nicer guy) than Ed Marsh I haven't met him. I have bumped into Mr. marsh several times at Spinney and he is genuine as his writing. He and several of the other regional writers were the only reason to read that rag!

[Art/Co]

Amen Neal,
By the way, when my buddy pulled the smallmouth up from 35ft of water the belly of the fish was covered in mud. go figure. Must have been mud bathing.

[exnj]

Neal,
I hope you didn't misunderstand what I wrote. I too, have met Ed and agree that he is a very nice gentleman. I had some of his fresh hotcakes cooked over the fire down at Lathrop last year. Excellent! He also was very helpful in fishing tips for the lakes there. It's funny you mention him of all the writers. It was his article and picture that they recycled that I mentioned. I'm sure when he first wrote it, and had his picture taken, he only expected it to be printed that year, and not the "same time next year" also. I'm sure the editors are to blame, not the writers. Art, what I meant by tackle conspiracy is that if a shop has overstocked "shallow" lures, then I suspect the fish will be shallow at the local lake, if the "deep diving" lures are overstocked, then I would also suspect they'd be deep that week, etc. I don't own a shop, but a new one down there would be nice. The one on the south side on the way in is never open early. Good luck out there guys.

Lou

[Neal/CO]

I knew what you meant Lou! I was just saying that without Ed and the rest of the writers it is a crap publication.

Mr Marsh was the first to popularize short line nymphing here in Colorado. Still the deadliest way to catch big trout there is!!! He is also probably the best Pike fisherman with a fly rod in this state!

[Art]

The bait shop on the south side is closed on the way to Pueblo. There are now no live bait shops in the Pueblo area.

[exnj]

Hey Art,
Do they sell minnows and worms at the marinas at Pueblo? I thought they did. Never bought anything but 3.2% beer there before but I thought I saw fish tanks?

Lou

[Art/ Co]

There are no minnows right now at the north shore marina. Usually by mid March they should have some. South shore marina has a new owner and I asked him if he would have minnows this year, but as of right now he did not have a source.

Hey Eric, what do you think buddy. Want to go into the beer, bait and food business? Wouldn't work, would it. We would be fighting each other for days offto fish and if things were slow ...are favorite saying would be" who wants a cold one". Hey wait a second... It doesn't sound half bad.

[Neal/CO]

Bad idea Art! The music Eric would play on the radio would drive off all your customers, LOL.

[Art/Co]

Neal,

I know for a fact that Eric playing the best of " ABBA" in bait shop would not go over real well. LOL

[Neal/CO]

I think his favorite is something like "Mutant Clown Posse"? Maybe I am getting old and have less tolerance for &^#&%^ music?

[EricCO]

I get Monday - Friday off and you get the weekends!
"Hunting 'eyes in the Three-O-Three"