Have
\nyou ever driven by a frozen lake, seen people ice fishing and wondered why on
\nearth are they doing that?<\/p>\n
It\u2019s
\na pretty simple answer: Ice fishing is a fun family event. It\u2019s often much
\ncheaper than skiing or snowmobiling, and if you\u2019re lucky, you can bring home
\nfresh fish for dinner after spending the day getting exercise outside on the
\nlake.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s
\nalso pretty simple to get started. All you need is a way to punch a hole in the
\nice, a rod, some jigs and a little bait. Some of the tackle shops in Grand County
\nwill rent you everything you need for a fair price, and there are great fishing
\nguides in the area that can shorten anyone\u2019s learning curve.<\/p>\n
The
\nfirst step is deciding what you want to fish for. Rainbow trout are about the
\neasiest to catch through the ice. They cruise the shorelines, generally in 3-15
\nfeet of water. When they are cruising, they will eat just about anything in front
\nof them and they put up a fun fight.<\/p>\n
You
\ncan find rainbows in just about every larger body of water in the county.
\nHowever, catching brown trout through the ice can be very challenging. They
\nbite in very low light conditions; the cold water slows their metabolism, so
\nthey don\u2019t need to eat as much and they are naturally a wary fish. Kokanee
\nsalmon are pelagic fish that like to suspend in the water column. Sonar units
\nare a great benefit to catching these fish. They cruise the deeper water
\nlooking for plankton, putting flashy lures in front of them will elicit
\nstrikes.<\/p>\n
The
\nbest thing about salmon is, when you find them, a meal is generally easy to
\ncatch. Most of the reservoirs have salmon. For the trout and salmon 4-6 pound
\ntest line, small jigs or spoons and a wax or mealworm should suffice for gear.<\/p>\n
Lake
\ntrout are very prevalent in a few of the larger reservoirs. Sonar helps with
\nthese fish, but it is not absolutely necessary. Lake trout can be found
\nanywhere in the lake, though 40-80 feet of water seems to be the most heavily
\nfished depths. Fishing the entire water column helps. Using heavier line and
\nlarger jigs tipped with sucker meat should get strikes.<\/p>\n
Let\u2019s
\ngo through a few bodies of waters to try. Lake Granby is arguably the most
\npopular lake in the county. It can be intimidating to some anglers just because
\nof its size. Lake trout are abundant as are rainbows and brown trout. Kokanee
\nsalmon are very rare. Fishing access is plentiful around the lake.<\/p>\n
Shadow
\nMountain reservoir has rainbows, browns and kokanee in it. There are some
\ncurrents in the lake that keep the ice from forming here so be careful.<\/p>\n
Grand
\nLake is a great family spot. It\u2019s a short walk to the fishing areas, and if
\npeople decide they want to walk into town for coffee or food, it\u2019s right around
\nthe corner. Rainbows, browns and lake trout can all be caught. There is some
\nopen water around the channel and Adams Tunnel, so be aware of this.<\/p>\n
Willow
\nCreek reservoir does not see as much fishing pressure as some of the other
\nlakes, but the fishing can be great. Rainbows, browns and kokanee all swim
\nhere.<\/p>\n
Williams
\nFork reservoir, is a peaceful lake without any snow machines allowed here.
\nWalkers have the opportunity to walk away from the crowds and catch rainbows,
\nbrowns, lake trout and northern pike. There are a few kokanees in the lake
\nalso.<\/p>\n
Wolford
\nReservoir is best known for its great rainbow and kokanee fishing. This lake
\nhas the biggest population of salmon in the area. For the more adventurous
\ntypes, waters like Monarch, Meadow Creek and a whole bunch more are accessible
\nby snowmobiles or snowshoes.<\/p>\n
These
\nlakes also have brook trout in them. Please check the regulations for each body
\nof water because they can be different from lake to lake. It\u2019s also a good idea
\nto bring binoculars. The areas around these waters are wintering areas for
\ndeer, elk and moose.<\/p>\n