Post By: Flyrodn Posted: 7/10/2012 9:57:38 AM Points: 50702
This is very sad news. I fished Jumbo this year and know that is was an excellent walleye fishery with a bright future provided there was water. It was finally reaching its full potential since the 2004 drought when it was last drained. Unfortunately, I think many eastern waters are going to feel the impacts of this low water year, including Prewitt, Jackson, Boyd, and North Sterling.
From the CPW press release dated 7-10-12
Colorado Parks and Wildlife is announcing a public fish salvage at Jumbo (Julesburg) Reservoir beginning immediately. Due to high irrigation demand created by severe drought, the water level in Jumbo (Julesburg) Reservoir is expected to decline to a point that will likely result in a loss of the entire fishery resource. Water levels are expected to be below the boat ramp by the third or fourth week of July, eliminating access for trailer-launched boats.
Due to the presence of quagga mussels at Jumbo (Julesburg) Reservoir, CPW cannot perform any salvage and translocation operations. The public salvage is being announced in order to optimize use of the fishery resource as outlined:
--All anglers must have a valid Colorado fishing license
--No commercial angling will be allowed
--Only angling methods that are currently legal at the reservoir will be allowed
--Current size, bag, and possession limits for all species will be removed until the public salvage is terminated
Reply by: lewdog Posted: 7/10/2012 10:11:41 AM Points: 191
I knew it was gonna happen. Jackson and prewitt are gonna be on the list aswell. If all these fish are gonna die why dont they let us use a net to get them? Dose it realy matter how we catch them? As long as we keep them and not pollut the water. They should rethink these salvages. Alott of people would show up if they would allow netting. And its a long ways out there for most of us.
Reply by: lewdog Posted: 7/10/2012 10:39:48 AM Points: 191
Jumbo res was the best fishing in the state in my book for warm water fishing. I guess we will see a state record come out of one of these lakes that r gonna dry up? Get rid of the muscles too if they dry up completely.
Seems like there should be a clause in these water contracts that states you can't just entirely drain a body of water and destroy a habitat cuz someone downstream is owed the water. This is bad news. Feel bad for Jumbo fishermen.
This is sad and I know this is a long term impact on the lake for a short term fix for the farms but hopefully the result is people keeping their jobs, lower food prices, and getting rid of the dam mussels.
I fish the Jumbo 3 times a week, i have had 4 good years out there, i feel like i have lost a child! finally we had some good fishing in northeast colorado and didnt have to drive to Nebraska or Wyoming. it is what it is i guess.
Nice Lake and nice camping spot down the tubes... again. A great up and coming resource going to be gone. There should be some kind of rules in place for the downstream water users, Basically, don't let them destroy the fishery built by the Co. parks and DOW. Yeah, I know, the water is more important for the downstream users. But still, some sort of comprimise should be reached between all of these entities. It sucks, for sure.
you guys wanting rules to stop the draining need to understand that the lake is first and foremost an irrigation reservoir. Our being able to use it for recreation is a bonus. I'm sorry, but I have to put someones livelihood ahead of my own recreation. I too feel pain as I was finally feeling like I could find fish on that lake and it is the closest fishery to me.
Now to the future: It would be great if there could be an agreement and some work done to make the reservoir deeper and maybe even add some more structure.
Sad to see this happening to another colorado res. Unlike Bonny though we'll get this one back. Maybe a little structure will be added during this low level period if at all possible, but making a deeper lake could prove pretty costly and unfeasible.
How severe are the water levels? Can I wade out quite a ways or would i need a float/jon boat to really get into some of these fish. Anyone have current pics they can post? i'm not very familiar with this res, so i'm trying to get an idea of the lay of the land to determine if i wanna make a two hour drive and give it a go. May be a good opportunity to get my boy hooked. he want understand the gravity of the situation but bif they're biting thats what he'll remember and keep trying to get the same results again elsewhere. One good day can make a young fisher a lifelong rod carrying fool!
Reply by: ovidguy Posted: 7/17/2012 7:44:04 AM Points: 3
Fishing has been very slow for the last week or so. Water level is stable because of the rain in the foothills, but probabaly wont last for long. Spoke with the warden and a local friend that said they were doing really well, and then last week in just went dead for the walleye, mostly all bullheads being caught. I fish this res all the time and it is a shame to lose such a great fishery. Actually bought a place up there 10 years ago because of the fishing and that year it went belly up too. Took nearly 8 years to bring it back with some decent fish. 1 note, my son and I did really get into the crappie. Nice fish, various sizes, but they were hard to find. Once we did find them it was fish on every cast, but we know the lake well and hunted hard to find the groups. I asked the warden if I could take a bunch to the annex and he stated absolutely not, but they are considering possibly moving some fish there later if they can get the authority to do so??? Lets pray for rain.
