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Summit County Fishing Report: Fish spooked in clear tail waters

Dave Coulson
www.fishexplorer.com

Ice fishing may be where the majority of the action is, but a few hardy anglers continue to fish the tail water below Dillon Reservoir. Fish are catchable, but with the low, clear flows, fish are spooked. That behavior requires fine tippets, 6x or smaller, coupled with small midges, sizes 20-24.

Even Dillon Reservoir is providing faster action than most tail waters, but if you’re up to traveling, there are better choices – including on the ice.

The Snake River inlet is one of the more popular areas and is producing a few kokanee and rainbows. Most anglers are using small jigs tipped with wax worms. Ice is well over 6 inches in most areas.



Downriver from Green Mountain Reservoir is also fully capped with ice running 6 inches or more. Lake trout action has been decent using tube jigs tipped with sucker meat. If you don’t pick up fish quickly, move on.

Since the ice has thickened, Granby has become extremely popular with anglers, especially those with a snowmobile. Lake trout are the most popular fish and jigs or spoons tipped with a bit of sucker remain a popular lure choice. Lots of folks have been fishing near the dikes. If action for lake trout is slow, move shallower and downsize your offerings for good trout action.



Of the other nearby waters – Grand Lake, Shadow Mountain Reservoir and Willow Creek Reservoir – Willow Creek is providing the best action. Just about any way you like to fish through the ice is producing: bait, small jig, small spoon – you name it, the action is great for smaller rainbows.

Another good option for lake trout is Williams Fork Reservoir.

South Park waters are also producing fair numbers of fish, just be prepared for a lot of company in the many reservoirs with easy access for anglers.

– Editor’s note: Dave Coulson is the Colorado state editor for FishExplorer.com. He contributes a weekly fishing report to the Summit Daily News. For more local and regional fishing info, visit http://www.fishexplorer.com.


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