It's time I learned how to fish.

[Irving]

I just got my fishing license. I have a rod, some hooks and weights, a net, a thing to hold multiple fish, and some fish bait from 2007.

I tried this whole thing a few years ago when I lived in Aurora. I would go to Aurora reservoir, cast directly into the wind for a few hours, and never even came close to catching anything.

What I'd really like is some input on where a decent pond or lake or stream or something is, and what kind of fish are in it. I can look up the rest. I live in Westminster and would like something relatively close (< 45 minute drive) in case I want to go during the week and not take the whole day.

Can I get some insight from some fisherman on here? I suppose once I know what kind of fish I'm fishing for, I can look up the bait and techniques and times to catch them at. Thanks in advance.

P.S. I'd like to catch something that I can eat of course. Besides that, I don't really care what kind as I've caught maybe 3 fish in my whole life.

[Hoopty]

If you're lake fishing from shore, you can use spinners etc but I prefer to use bait. I really haven't had much luck from shore with spinners, but obviously it can be done, I'm not much of a "pro" in that area.

If you're going for bass etc, get live minnows and put one on a small hook (usually hook it through the mouth so it can swim around fine). Attach a bobber about 4ish feet up from the hook, cast out and let it swim around. Give it slack to swim around with. You can also do the same with worms, but obviously they wont be swimming lol.

For trout, I had the best luck with power bait and salmon eggs or worms. Normally I would use a small treble hook at the bottom, and a small single hook tied on about 1-2 feet above it with around 12 inches of line. Use eggs or power eggs on the single hook, and completely cover the treble hook with a nice morsel of power bait. Cast out and let it sink to the bottom, keep the line tight (get rid of the slack without reeling the bait in closer) so you can see when something is nibbling at it.

As for stream/creek/river fishing, I suggest either learning to use a fly rod (takes a LOT of practice, time and patience to get good at casting, learn what to use, when to use it etc!!!) or sticking with spinners. I have had EXCELLENT luck with a variety of panther martin spinners and decent luck with kastmasters. Generally speaking, you have a better chance of catching big(gger) fish (rainbow/brown trout) in bigger rivers, but you will catch more fish in smaller creeks (usually brook trout). Trout feed facing upstream, so they are watching food come down with the flow. With spinners, cast it upstream and reel it in downstream.

I suggest doing this in a small stream in the mountains somewhere, preferably where you can see the fish. Be sneaky coming up to the water, as they spook easily. Use the smallest size panther you can find, I find the ones with a yellow body and red dots, with the silver spinner work good no matter where you are. Also, use a small line, like 2-4 pound test max.

[Irving]

Thank you very much for those great tips. More good stuff for me to research!

So if I wanted to drive up 6th and fish Clear Creek, I could use a spinner and cast it upstream?

I'm interested in the way you are suggesting to tie the line and use multiple hooks. That is something I'm not really familiar with. Is there a website perhaps that someone can recommend I visit so I'm not asking so many beginner questions?

[Hoopty]

Yes, you can head up clear creek and do that, however I'm suggesting you try a significantly smaller creek for now (like maybe 6' or less across). Also, keep in mind with the high runoff going on right now, you are not likely to have much, if any luck. You want to be fishing it when you can see through the water.

As for knot tying, look online for some help, I'm sure a simple google search will give you TONS of how to's. Much easier to show you than to try and tell you, know what I mean?

[Irving]

I just don't know where smaller creeks are. As far as the knots, I'm okay with the knot itself, I meant the technique of two hooks.

After thinking about it for a while, I think what I'll do is just look up Rainbow Trout and Large and Smallmouth Bass, read up everything I can about those two fish, and see if I can teach myself to catch some of those. Much easier then just asking way too broad questions like I started with the thread.

[earplug]

Coloradofisherman.com you have to sign up to post and read good stuff.
Lots of info on Denver metro fishing lakes and ponds.

[mitch]

Pick a day when there will be a barometric pressure change. A large pressure drop will oftentimes lead to the fish taking anything you throw at them.

[TFOGGER]

My honorary Indian name is "Fishes with Dynamite"

[cowboykjohnson]

for bass, wipers and pike I usually have good luck with Rapala shad raps and black with polka dot panther martins.

Multi colored panther martins usually work for trout as well.

[SA Friday]

When I first came back to CO in 2002, I got back into fly fishing... Deep. I did a few exibitions on fly tying and rod building for the shop I frequented weekly, Alpine Anglers in Aurora. It's closed down now sadly. Living in Castle Rock, I would go up to Deckers and Cheeseman Canyon regularly fishing. I also fished Spinny Mile (the Dream Stream) and Eleven Mile a lot. Grew up in Ft collins and Greeley, so I would take a trip or two up to the Big Tom every summer too. Went a few other places along the way too, but I fished the South Platte hard. I had a lot of 50+ fish days, all catch-and-release. Taught more than a few along the way. I taught my step-daughter how to fly fish when she was 10.

If you are fishing moving water here in CO for trout, there is only one way to do it right IMO, fly fishing nymph patterns. Top water and streamers will work sometimes if the conditions are right, but here in CO the bugs are small and plentiful. Nymphing is an art and once you get it down, you won't want to see a lake ever again.