Anglers better get out soon if you want to fish soft water as the lakes are starting to ice up. This past week, Penrod and Hendricks arms at Wildhorse were iced up, though with the wind preceding the cold front, they had opened up a bit by Wednesday. Surface water temperatures at Wildhorse have dropped into the high 30s and it won’t be long before the main body of water starts to ice over.
The backs of the coves at South Fork also have some ice on them first thing in the morning, though the surface water temperatures here are hovering around 40 degrees. The high mountain lakes are all iced up by now including Angel Lake which is covered in unsafe ice.
This time of year all ice should be considered unsafe and anglers should stay off. As a general rule, Wildhorse, which freezes up earlier than South Fork, doesn’t have safe ice until January 1. Yes, there are some years when it is safe earlier, but with the above average temperatures this fall, this probably won’t be one of them.
As surface water temperatures dip into the 30s, fishing really starts to slow down. Presentations generally need to be a bit bigger and move slower through the water. Bigger to make it worth the fish’s while to go after it and slower so these coldblooded animals can get to it.
Much of the lake is covered in ice first thing in the morning, but occasionally the main body is opening up with the wind and sun in the afternoon. Penrod and Hendricks are frozen. A cooling trend is projected which should see the lake freeze over sometime in the next week. Before the ice shore anglers were having good luck as trout have moved into shallower water. Trout were averaging 15 to 19 inches with the occasional 20+ inch fish being taken. Flies to try include black/blood leeches, balanced leeches, and wooly buggers on a sinking line. This is also the time of year that midge larva are a staple for trout, so chironomid patterns are called for. Bait anglers were doing well with PowerBait or worms.
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