Yellow perch are an easy, icy catch in several frozen Pagosa area lakes. |
Winters can get long here in the mountains of Colorado, and for a fisherman, they can outright drag. But outdoor recreation options abound — for the hearty and adventuresome — and winter fishing is no exception.
I was raised in east-central New York state where ice fishing for many became a ritual that included a station wagon dragging a small hut onto the ice (picture the movie Grumpy Old Men) and long days of cutting holes and setting tip-ups, unmanned t-shaped contraptions that raised a flag when you got a bite. Some people would set 2 or 3 dozen of the things. We rarely partook.
Ice fishing offers a bit more excitement here in Pagosa Springs, however. The Pagosa Lakes, four privately owned lakes managed by Pagosa Lakes Property Owners Association, offer some fast action through the ice, especially for those delectable yellow perch. In fact, Larry Lynch, who heads up fisheries management on the lakes, says perch are so plentiful that people should catch and keep as many as they can eat. It seems perch are prolific breeders and tend to overpopulate lakes where there isn’t enough predation to keep them under control. Such is the case with Hatcher Lake, the largest of the local lakes. Continued...
According to Larry, “We don’t get any natural trout reproduction — none.” Without adequate predation, perch have overpopulated the lake and many are pretty small. Larry continues, “A recent survey of fishing on Hatcher showed 90% of the catch by weight was yellow perch. The lake is out of balance. This year we’ve instituted special regulations on the lake to protect the larger predators, keep more of them in the lake and keep supplemental stocking costs under control.
“The modified bag limit on Hatcher is a single trout or bass, down from 3 trout and 2 bass last year. There’s no limit on yellow perch. During spring and summer, fishing must be done with artificial flies and lures only, for kids 13 and older and adults. Younger kids can still use bait. The tackle restriction is lifted during ice fishing season.”
Pagosa Lakes Property Owners Association encourages area fishermen to take home as many perch as they can eat from the four privately owned Pagosa Lakes. A special license is required, except during ice fishing tournaments. |
Larry went on to tell me that the cost of stocking trout has doubled in recent years, with current costs for trout at $4 per pound, more for the coveted cutbow hybrid, which is a serious predator. Largemouth bass reproduce well in the lake, but when anglers catch and keep too many, they’re no help in eating the thousands of yellow perch hatched each spring. My recommendation: practice catch and release on bass and the large trout that haunt Hatcher.
In addition to Hatcher Lake, Lake Pagosa and Lake Forest offer excellent ice fishing. A mix of species, including perch, trout, bass and crappie, are found in both lakes. The tactics mentioned above work well here, too.
In an effort to encourage people to catch and keep some yellow perch, two perch tournaments are held each winter: the Lake Pagosa tournament on January 27 and the Hatcher Lake tournament on February 10. This is a great chance to enjoy a fun family day or two on the ice, and catch some fish. A $10 fee for advance sale tickets ($12 at the lake) is required for adults. Tickets are available at the PLPOA office, Eaton Recreation Center, Ponderosa Do It Best and Terry’s Ace. The normal private lake license is not required to fish the tournaments.
To fish the Pagosa Lakes any other time, a special license is required. Remember, these are privately owned lakes. The PLPOA license is sold at their office and the Recreation Center. So, the tournaments are a good time for non-homeowners to fish the lakes. When fishing public waters like Echo and Williams, a regular state fishing license is required. They’re sold at many retail stores around town.
A final word of caution. Winter ice can be dangerous. Treat it with respect. Four inches of good solid ice is enough to support a few people, 6 inches is safer. People are now fishing Lake Forest, Lake Pagosa and Hatcher Lake. Village Lake has too many aerators in its deep end for many fishermen. Keep a safe distance away from aerator holes in the Pagosa Lakes. Larry reminds local homeowners to keep pets under control in the yard as they can, and occasionally do, venture too close to the edge and break through into the icy waters. |