Fishing Report for July 2, 2013

‘Kid’s Fishing Clinic’ to be held at Steamboat Lake State Park

Colorado Parks and Wildlife invites kids and their families to enjoy a fun-filled day at Steamboat Lake State Park’s first-ever ‘Kid’s Fishing Clinic’, Saturday, July 6, from 9 a.m. to 12:30, at the Bridge Island boat trailer parking lot. Registration for the event will begin at 9 a.m. at the park. Young anglers between the ages of 6-12 will have an opportunity to learn the basics of fishing from Colorado Parks and Wildlife officers, including fish identification, casting, cleaning their catch and rules and regulations. After the clinic, participants are invited to spend the afternoon at the park and attend a lesson on how to do a Gyotaku, a Japanese fish printing arts and crafts project, beginning at 3 p.m. Later that evening, everyone can enjoy a fireworks display at the park. The ‘Kid’s Fishing Clinic’ is free; however, each vehicle that enters the park must display a Colorado State Parks annual pass or $7 daily pass, available at the park entrance. Parents and guardians must stay with their children during the clinic and are reminded to dress for the weather and bring all necessary supplies, including water, snacks sunscreen and insect repellent.

Navajo State Park, reservoir open for boating, fishing, camping

Even though the water level is below normal at Navajo State Park, there’s plenty of water for boating and other water-recreation activities. The boat ramp is in the water, and small and medium-sized motorboats can be launched. There is not enough water, however, to launch large houseboats and sailboats. There are many locations for good water skiing on the Colorado side of the park. For anglers, fishing is good for crappie, smallmouth bass and northern pike. The low water level also provides a new opportunity for paddlers to try out their sea kayaks and canoes. Some historic sites that have been covered by water can now be explored. Sights include the old town of Arboles, the old railroad grade and several old homesteads. The exposed shoreline also offers new places for shoreline hiking and running. Paddlers should watch the weather because strong winds often come up around noon. The Piedra River inlet on the north side of the park contains significant wetland areas and is ideal for bird watching and hiking and running along the old railroad grade. The park offers more than 100 camp sites, many with full hook-ups, and three cabins are available for rent.

Fly fishing close to home in Denver July 11 and July 25

Colorado Parks and Wildlife and ORVIS will provide a free fly-fishing seminar on “Fly fishing within an hour of Denver” on July 11 and 25 from 6 to 7:30 p.m. The event will be held at the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Hunter Education building at 6060 Broadway in Denver. Kerry Caraghar, ORVIS expert, will detail all of the fishing hot spots that can be enjoyed in your own backyard. To register please e-mail wildlife.neoutreach@state.co.us or call (303) 291-7804 and leave a message with the name of the event, name(s) of attendees, address and phone number. For more information on other ORVIS fly fishing seminars at their stores, visit their web site at www.orvis.com.

Women invited to Gypsum Ponds for “Cast ‘n Blast” clinic

Women interested in learning about fly fishing, lure fishing and the basics of shotguns and other firearms are invited to a women-only “Cast ‘N Blast” clinic at the Gypsum Ponds State Wildlife Area, 8:30 a.m., Saturday, July 13. The cost to reserve a space is $20, which will be refunded when participants arrive at the event. Designed for beginners, no experience or equipment is required. The National Rifle Association donated firearms and shooting supplies for the event. Participants may bring their own firearms but they must remain in their vehicle until a wildlife officer checks them. All shotgun ammunition will be provided. Anyone bringing their own firearm, other than a shotgun, must provide their own ammunition. Everyone is advised to dress for the elements and bring all necessary supplies, including water, insect repellent, and sunscreen.  Lunch, snacks, and drinks are provided. Space is limited and the seminar will fill quickly. Call Colorado Parks and Wildlife’s Glenwood Springs office at 970-947-2920 to reserve your space. Participants are reminded that the class is not a Hunter Education course, which is required to purchase a hunting license.

Lake Appreciation Day volunteer event at Boyd Lake State Park

July is Lake Appreciation Month. Join us in preserving our natural resources during volunteer event. We will have volunteers help with trash pickup, tree fertilizer staking, and other maintenance projects at Boyd Lake State Park. Volunteers can win prizes after bringing back a bag of trash! We will clean up areas around the nature trail, pump house, campgrounds and swim beach. Meet us at the Swim Beach to get plastic trash bags and gloves. Someone will be waiting at the Swim Beach Pavilion from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. to hand out supplies and give out prizes.

Stocking Report
The following waters were recently stocked with catchable (approximately 10″) trout:

Join our new CPW Fishing community on Facebook
Colorado anglers can “like” the new CPW Fishing Facebook page to get tips, share stories and more. If you love fishing, this is the place to be. Before you head out fishing, head for facebook.com/cpwfishing.

Fish with us on Twitter
Colorado anglers can get fishing updates directly from CPW on Twitter. Follow @CPWfish.

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