Pueblo Walleyes

[Art/Co]

Hey, Neal, Eric,D.kooser,Fishunter, and anyone else. What are your thoughts on the changing of size and creel limits on Pueblo Res for walleye. I would like to see some kind of slot limit , but what about all of the runt size smallmouth.And what about the closing for for the month of June???? Your thoughts????

[EricCO]

Some may not like this, but why not make it catch and release for all the fish in Pueblo?

I like to eat what I catch as much as the next guy, but I do my fair share of killing during pheasant season. I would release those too, if I could. If I'm hungry I will go to Chipotle and get a big fat burrito!

Could you imagine the walleye fishing in Colorado if it was all catch and release?

We need a predator to eat all those whirling diseased slimey trout the DOW will be dumping in our lakes anyways.

[Neal/CO]

Excuse Eric. He fell on the rocks last night at Cherry Creek and hit his head.

I am all for the slot. It would protect the viable egg producers, while still allowing us to keep a few small males for the table.

I use to think that the hords of small smallmouths were stunted because there were just to many. But then you see the wipers growing quite nicely, and quickly. I remember an article written years ago in Hunting & Fishing news about Pueblo. The auther stated the when smallies were first stocked in Pueblo, they were a river strain that does not grow to very large sizes. I have no idea if this is true or not. I think croping some of the small male walleyes and smallmouths would benefit the fishery as a whole. Especially the way the shad popultion fluctuates from year to year.Just my opinion.

Eric and I caught nothing again at the Creek last night. So I have done nothing to tarnish my reputation as the worst walleye angler in the state.

[EricCO]

I second that - the "worst walleye fisherman in the state" comment, not that I fell on the rocks.

I'm telling you, you are going to continue having a really hard time catching walleyes on flys trout boy!

[Neal/Co]

That hurts, coming from the Carp Master.

[EricCO]

They are Freshwater Bonefish according to the Linders. One of freshwater's most powerful GAMEFISH. **** good eatin I might add!

[Art]

I was thinking about going to John Martin ,not to fish the tourney, but to watch you guys in action.Neal catching , and Eric releasing.I'll most likely have to pick up some Depends adult diapers because I'll want to whizzzzz in my pants because of laughing so hard and my weak bladder.Thanks for the comments you two, I think....Art

[dkooser]

I'm for doing what ever it takes to improve the fishery. Unfortunaltely, the DOW has to attempt to satisfy multiple needs and fishermans desires. Either way they go, they will have someone mad at them. IF IF IF allowing a few of the smaller walleye to be taken and saving the big breeders will improve the fishing, then go for it. I very rarely take any fish from Pueblo, except for wiper so any limitations will not change what I do.

[Art/Co]

The reason I brought this subject up is because of all of the undersize walleye I have caught( and smallies).Yet the DOW only needed two weeks ,or less to get enough spawners for all of the eggs they needed.Not that I needed eaters ,it's just I am either fishing in the wrong places or the Res. is overrun with small fish?

[Neal/Co]

I think the way the regs are set now encourages people to creel the larger females. You have to catch a bunch of eye's to find one over 18 inches. And when you do it is usually a bigger female and it gets eaten. I think if you let people creel a couple of smaller males and protect the real resource everbody should be happy. If you do get lucky and nail a big Trophy fish, you are allowed to have it mounted, if you so choose.

[Neal/CO]

Hey Dave:

In all the time you have spent fishing at Pueblo have you ever heard of, or seen anyone catch a Brown trout there? I have caught some nice Rainbows there in the early spring, but no Browns.
The reason I ask,is with all the Browns that inhabitat the Arkansas river, it only seems logical that some would find there way into the resevoir. I wouldn't be at all surprized if there are some big ones finning the depths there?

[EXNJ]

My suggestion is in line with one of the proposals already on the table. I feel that the best solution would be the 17-25 inch slot limit with either 4 walleyes under 17" or 3 under 17" and 1 over 25". There should be no closed season for keeping walleyes, but with the netting operations spreading out throughout the lake, perhaps a no walleye fishing regulation throughout the entire lake (not just the dam) while netting is going on (4pm-9am). Allowing fishing in June gives fisherman (who can put up with all the recreational boaters) a chance to bring home some fish for dinner, especially on Fathers Day. I fished Father's Day last year and threw back 7 walleyes under 18" while keeping the only over 18" walleye of the year (not much for dinner).
I think being able to keep 4 of the under 17" fish and returning the other 4 would be more in line with getting up at 4am to drive from the Springs, fish in peace for 2 hours before dealing with all the water-skiers and jet-skiers for the remainder of the day. Don't get me wrong, I actually feel that the skiers help the walleye fishing in June. We fished the mud line in rock creek cove and caught the majority of our fish right at the line thanks to everyone roiling up the water. A little hard to stand and fish, but fun nonetheless. I sure would hate to have to stop fishing that time of year. As far as the slot limit, that needs to be in place ASAP to prevent future stock being pulled out of the lake. According to many past articles on this page, 'eyes over 25" are past their spawning prime anyway, so taking 1 in a blue moon won't hurt. Reducing the competition some, by removing smaller males would help both the walleyes and smallies grow bigger. They are not as aggressive as the part ocean blooded wiper so any help they can get is appreciated.

[dkooser]

Art,
I have never caught a brown from the res. I have caught GOOD size rainbows but 0 browns. I bet they are there though. They do inhabit the Arkansas upstream and nothing prevents them from swimming downstream except for environmental conditions - don't know if they like the shallow, muddy conditions the last few miles before the Ark. dumps into the res. Maybe that keeps them upstream???????

[AFM]

hey guys! I appreciate all you are saying about the need or desires for a slot limit. I have been fishing Pueblo since 1983 and the walleyefishing has been inconsistent over the years. But one thing I remember very well..about 12 years ago the crappie fishing was fantastic, but 20 fish limits killed it within 2 years. So I think we need to protect the resource, much like they are trying to do at Big Mac. One thing to think about, what if DOW slowed down a bit on the wipers stocking program and let it return to a walleye and bass lake? Pueblo was agreatbass lake until the wipers were stocked in mass. Don't get me wrong, I like wipers. Just NOT in every lake in the state. Let's hope something is done right by the
DOW for once.

[GeneM]

The Colorado Walleye Association has already got the ball rolling with the changes at Pueblo
(including releasing all walleye caught during June). The results of a survey conducted earlier this year are to be presented to the DOW and State Wildlife Commision. Hopefully we will see some changes come next year when the new regulations come out.

[Art/Co]

About those brown trout, I'll bet they are in there. If they are upstream and below the Dam there( saw a picture of a 17.6 lber. at the baitshop) has to be some in the lake.It would be nice, as I was spoiled while I lived in Chicago where those 10-15 lb. footballs would be roaming the shore picking up Chinook eggs.

[Neal/CO]

I bet the browns are in there to. They probably only feed at night and with all the shad in there, it's no shock that no one ever catches any.

[Osprey]

Exnj,

When they talk about closing June, they don't mean you can't fish for walleyes. You can still fish for them, but you will not be allowed to keep any. The reason for closing June, is that Melby (Pueblo biologist) states that majority of fish leave the lake during June. That also happens to coincide with when the fishing for walleyes is probably the best all year. I, also, believe Pueblo gets hit the hardest fishing pressure in June. For Melby, wanting to close the walleye limits in June are justified. DOW rely on the Pueblo for the majority of their walleye eggs. They look to get around 60 million eggs from there every year. If Pueblo loses a lot of walleyes, mainly egg producers, all the walleye lakes will suffer in Colorado, plus the cuttthrout trout. A lot of the eggs taken from Pueblo are used to stock the other lakes in Colorado and some are used for trading. A lot of the Cutthroats (Snake River Strain) that Colorado gets are from Wyoming and are traded for with walleye eggs. Basically it comes down to one or the other, the regs stay the same or a slot limit with closing June (no fish allowed to be kept in June). Melby won't allow the slot without a June closure. My two cents is the slot is better than what the current regs are. The main thing is that Walleye fishery in Pueblo needs to be protected.

As for the Smallies, I believe a lot of them are caught and are kept by the average fisherman. That lake receives a lot pressure on the bass fishing. The wipers might affect the smallies, but probably not as much as we think they do. Wipers are more of an open water fish. With some much shad in the lake this year, I'm pretty sure the majority of the wipers are following the shad around and probably the other bass (largemouths and smallmouths). Just my two cents....tight lines.
Osprey

[Neal/Co]

I can live with the June closure if it gets them to inact the slot. I personally don't think the June closure will make abit of difference. All females between 17 and 25 inches will be protected anyway. Small males are what ends up on the end of your line most of time anyway, and there are to many of them already.

I agree with you about the wipers. They are a open water fish that targets the shad. We should be thankful we have them this year with all the shad in the lake. Maybe the wipers can knock the shad down abit, thus making it easier to catch all species.

[Osprey]

I think the June closure will make a little difference. The average fisherman will catch the majority of their walleyes during June. If the average fisherman starts to target walleyes, he/she will start to catch them before and after the closure. Then the closure won't make much of a difference.

Hopefully, the slot limit will improve the quality of fish caught. I know there's a good population of fish over 18" in there, it's matter of finding them. With the abundance of shad, this year it could be tough finding and catching the bigger 'eyes. If you want to keep some walleyes for the table, you might be wiser to go to Sterling Res, Trinidad Res (assuming you can get a boat in down there), or out of state like (Glendo or Big Mac).

Tight lines.....Osprey