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Fishing with Bernie angling update: Aug. 8-12

What one might catch when Fishing with Bernie.
Fishing with Bernie/Courtesy Photo

Each week, or thereabouts, the guides at Fishing with Bernie, send angling updates for Grand Lake, Lake Granby, Shadow Mountain Reservoir and Williams Fork Reservoir. Here is the report for Aug. 8-12.

Grand Lake

As we get full swing into the dog days of summer fishing here, the fishing for all species remains fair. Focus on the early and late periods of the day for best action on rainbow and brown trout. Various spinners or spoons tipped with a worm or corn and trolled 15 to 20 feet deep behind pop gear or a dodger has been producing from boats. Shore anglers are reporting success bait fishing and slowly working a fly and bubble along the shorelines. Lake trout action is slowing with the warming temps but remains fair. Look for them in 60 to 100 feet of water and down-size your presentation to entice bites. Smaller tubes, grubs and spoons in glow or bright colors have been producing bites, and make sure to tip your lure with a small piece of fresh sucker.

— Fishing with Bernie guide Dan Shannon



Williams Fork

Ramp hours are 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily. Water capacity is at 96% and dropping. Inflow is 76 cubic feet per second, outflow is 203 cfs. Surface temps this week have been 68 warming to 71 degrees Fahrenheit. Visibility is about 12 feet.

Juvenile lake trout are biting good most days, but we do catch a day when they are off bite. The best bite is mornings until about 10:30 a.m.; then the bite slows until late afternoon/early evening. Look for all age
groups in 70 to 90 feet of water at the tops and bottoms of drop-offs. Small tubes or grubs tipped with sucker meat worked gently tight to the bottom is producing limits. If your bite drops off, its time to move.



Northern pike are slow requiring lots of casting to see a follower or get an occasional hit. Early morning, late evening and lightning-free weather events are the best time to fish them. Please practice catch-and-release on all Northern pike, as they are in decline.

Shore fishing for rainbows is very slow as is trolling for kokanee salmon. Williams Fork hasn’t been stocked with either species for several years while Colorado Parks and Wildlife tries to eliminate the gill lice problem affecting the kokes.

Fishing with Bernie guide Randy H.

Lake Granby

Water level is at 96% of full capacity with temps in the low 70s by the afternoon. Fishing has slowed but still remains fair to good depending on the day. Brown trout action has been good when the wind and storms come through and right at sunset. Look for them along the rocky shorelines; lures such as crankbaits and tubes worked aggressively have been our go-to

Rainbows are liking the cooler water in the inlet areas, with bait fisherman reporting success with nightcrawlers. Boat fisherman are having success trolling perch-colored crankbaits along the shorelines. Lake trout are being caught in 60 to 90 feet of water, with best success reported on dark natural colored tubes or various plastics tipped with a small, fresh piece of sucker meat.

Still having to stay mobile and move often to stay on top of fish that want to bite throughout the day. Be safe while out on the water, plan to get to safe place or off the water when the daily afternoon thunderstorms and lightning show up.

Fishing with Bernie guide Dan Shannon

The Fishing with Bernie team has been guiding in Grand County for over 25 years. For more info check out FishingWithBernie.com,
Facebook.com/fishingwithbernie, or @fishing_with_bernie and
@fishingwithaltitude
on Instagram.


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