Turnover?

[Neal/CO]

My last two trips have been up in the mountains, so I have kinda lost contact on whats happening here in eastern Colorado. Have lakes like Chatfield and Pueblo turned over yet?

Bring on the ice, I am ready!!!

[dkooser]

Not real sure about the turnover but my son, a friend and I went to P-low Sunday. Fished from the bank and caught one walleye and a few bass. Caught the eye casting a jig and crawler, I'm guessing the eye was in 16 feet of water. Did not stay that long but we were getting lots of bites fairly shallow.

[Neal/CO]

Any idea what the water temp is there? I have always heard that walleye come shallow right before turnover, then go deeper after? I guess that would explain why slabbing really turns on all of sudden?

[EricCO]

Turnover costs companies lots of money. Maybe I'm thinking of the wrong kind of turnover. ##### my HR background.

Actually I don't know if some of these lakes around here are deep enough to build a thermocline especially with the drawdowns. Shallower windswept lakes will churn all summer, thus not creating that distinct water temperature line. Of course, I'm no expert.

Temperatures at most lakes around here are probably in the lower 50's at the surface.

Killing tree rats in the 303.

[ArtCo]

Pueblo surface temp was 55deg. on Saturday. The temps should go down fast as the overnight low was about 17deg. with alot of wind.

By the way I lost a good fishing buddy of mine yesterday. Dr. Larry Thomas taught at USC down here in Pueblo. Larry was only 62 and was battling cancer ,yet died at school of ruptured aorta. Larry was also my neighbor whom I took walleye fishing and in return he took me out to Holly,Co. to do some pheasant hunting. When I first moved to this state he became my sorrogate father as my dad died just after me moving here. He was also the person to push me into going back to school to get my degree. This man was short in stature , yet larger than life as he became my champion and mentor. When I first met Larry he was wearing bib overalls an a cowboy hat, and me being from a big city thought Larry was a retired rancher. Boy, was I fooled and learned never to judge someone by their attire. This loss hit me like a ton of bricks as we had plans for this fall and next year. If anyone you are going to the GET-Together this year and are toasting to the friends we have lost this year on Walleye Central, Please toast one for Larry as once in a while we have been known to tip one for a few for our friends.

Thanks, Art

[EricCO]

Sorry to hear of your loss Art. If you need a hunting buddy, I'm a horrible shot and understand gun safety. What this means to you is that neither you nor any game will be shot by my gun! Ha Ha.

I really really would like someone to show me how to hunt waterfowl. My dad only hunted upland and never waterfowl, so I'm at a loss for that.

Let me know.

Killing tree rats in the 303.

[ArtCo]

Thanks Eric.

I have not done much waterfowl hunting in this state. Prime waterfowling land around here is mostly rented out or for snow goose hunting it's knocking on doors out east.

On the subject of dog's

Larry had two of the sharpest German Shorthairs around as these dogs are breed like a racehorses. What sad is me coming home yesterday and seeing these two dogs waiting for their friend to come home.


Art

[dkooser]

Sorry to hear about your friend. I think I remember you introducing me to him somewhere, sometime, just cant remember when. Finish what he got you re-started on, he will be watching you as you are handed that diploma.

[ArtCo]

Dave,

Thanks for the kind words.

[Neal/CO]

Have you guys seen any big wiper boils with the cooling water?

[dkooser]

I have not seen wiper boils like in years past. With all the bait in the water, a blind fish could eat and be fat and happy. I really dont think the fish have to work that hard and force the shad to the surface this year, they can get all the food they need without wasting much energy. One other thing I have noticed this year is that the boils (really not much more than a swirl this year) are short lived. Boils used to last for a few minutes and used to be feeding frenzies, recently they are quick and barley create a splash.

[Neal/CO]

There should be some big hungry fish there when and if the shad numbers crash. Maybe we will have a really hard winter and it will thin the herd a bit? Your right, it is very hard to get bit down there with all those shad swimming around!