Trophy catfish caught in Morgan pond

8/5/2007

Some go on elaborate expeditions and shell out wads of cash to bring home their trophy fish.

Fort Morgan’s Mike Ormiston simply stepped out his front door.

Ormiston caught his 36-inch catfish, which weighed in at about 17 pounds, on a worm at the Silver Spur Campground’s fishing pond behind the Rodeway Inn in Fort Morgan.

“I’ve caught some decent 10 pounders and some largemouth bass,” he said. “But that’s the biggest fish I’ve ever caught before.”

Ormiston, who lives at the campground, said he normally fishes at the 37-foot-deep, five-acre pond two or three times each week and rarely leaves without a catch.

“There are a lot of bass in here,” he said.

The pond owner, who requested that she only be referred to as T.J., said the pond was stocked last year and is currently home to catfish, big mouth bass, perch, crappie and trout.

She said the fish continue to spawn and grow because not many people fish at the pond.

“We stocked it last year,” she said. “...But no one ever fishes out here. They’ve been growing and growing.”

T.J. said she has a state permit that allows the community to fish on the lake without a Colorado fishing license.

However, those who want to fish on the pond must first purchase a fishing pass from the campground office. Passes cost $5 per day or $25 per month.

T.J. said she will even allow people to take home the fish they catch because there are so many fish in the pond.

She also offers a small rowboat, with some restrictions, to local fishermen, and she said people are welcome to bring their own boats to the pond.