Grand Lake

Grand Lake is really starting to heat up for the summer. The fishing is in full swing and we couldn’t ask for better conditions for this time of year. Traffic is picking up, so please play safe and watch out for one another.

The rainbows and browns have been very eager to strike just about anything that has some flash and is moving pretty fast in the water column. This time of year I love the early morning jerkbait bite but don’t pass on chucking a Tasmanian devil or a leech flutter spoon. Currently, the best areas are where there is moving water as the fish seem to really stack up near the inlets. Fish as early as you can and move around to find the freshest fish available.

The lake trout fishing is really starting to heat up as well. We are finding the vast majority of our fish in 40-60 feet of water and a little bit of chop on the water seems to really fire them up. Soft plastics are king right now, so with that said, tubes, twisters as well as grubs seem to be taking most of our fish. Like always, put some meat or skin on the hook and load that thing up with scent.

We have had a few large fish come out of Grand Lake and it is showing that the population of all ages are strong.

Williams Fork

The east boat ramp hours are 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily. For those that haven’t been there yet, the inspection shack has moved to the east end of the parking area. The water level is 95% with 501 cubic feet per second coming in and 416 cfs going out. Surface temperature is in hovering in the 40s. There’s a lot of debris on the lake, so keep any eye out for that. Visibility is poor, I lose sight of my jigs about 5 feet down.

Compared to last season, the lake trout bite has been slow this season. Likely poor visibility and unstable weather patterns have temporarily slowed the bite. The fish are still catchable, it just takes a lot more patience. Switching up jigs, colors or adding scent doesn’t seem to help much, so keep using what has worked for you in the past. Look for all age groups in 40-60 feet of water.

Since the last stocking of Kokanee salmon and rainbow trout was five years ago there shouldn’t be any salmon left in the lake, and it’s making it tough to catch rainbows. Look for brown trout along the rocky cliffs near the east boat ramp. Some browns can usually be had near the inlet, but currently the water is mud soup down there.

Northern pike is slow mostly due to low population density, but I’ve heard of a few being caught in the shallow bays. Please practice catch and release on all northern pike.

Lake Granby

The reservoir’s water level is approximately 8 feet below full. Water temperature is averaging 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Fishing for rainbow trout and brown trout has remained good. Rainbow trout colored jerkbaits and 2-inch tubes cast along the shorelines have been working well. Most brown trout are being caught along the shorelines in Arapaho Bay.

Lake trout fishing has been good. Look for fish in 20-65 feet of water around the islands and main lake points. Light colored tubes and twisty tail grub tipped with fresh sucker worked right on bottom has been producing fish consistently. If you aren’t marking fish keep moving. Once you find them, they have been eager to bite.

The Fishing with Bernie team has been guiding in Grand County for over 25 years. For more information please check out FishingWithBernie.com, or our Facebook page.