Reply by: brooktroutking      Posted: 11/1/2009 5:43:52 PM     Points: 43    

Hey BigAndy, I believe it's because it would screw up the ecosystem and the whole trout thing in the mountains. Just my opinion. BTK

 Reply by: bigdog32      Posted: 11/1/2009 5:52:02 PM     Points: 8    

There are walleys in the mountains at sanchez reservior, and crappie are at crawford reservior. Im like you Andy I would love to see them both take over, because they taste a hell of alot better than those nasty trout, EXCEPT LAKE TROUT

 Reply by: pikeklr      Posted: 11/1/2009 5:53:47 PM     Points: 80    

you can find crappie and Walleye in Rifle Gap and Harvey Gap near Rifle. Also I think in Crawford near Hotchkiss and Elkhead near Craig has them as well. But not sure. But I don't know which mountain areas you are looking for.

 Reply by: SpinningReel38      Posted: 11/1/2009 7:58:16 PM     Points: 36    

Maybe has something to do with elavation?? Im not an expert so i dont know exactly but it could also be to keep the ecosystem normal or something like that. Could also depend on which area of the mountains .

 Reply by: kevtater      Posted: 11/1/2009 8:28:40 PM     Points: 162    

I assume we're talking about Elevenmile here still. According to the reading linked in the other post about this, walleye didn't do well at Elevenmile because fluctuations in the water level disturbed the spawning beds.

And personally I'm glad that there are no walleye or perch to speak of in Elevenmile. Not every species of fish has to be in every lake. If you want to catch walleye or perch, go to Pueblo. Elevenmile has been a trout fishery for most of its existence, and I think those of us that fish there regularly like it the way it is.

 Reply by: jamesp      Posted: 11/1/2009 10:44:36 PM     Points: 129    

Don't know about how high of mountain lakes you're talking. However, there are Crappie and Walleye in Estes Lake, and we're close to 8,000 feet.

 Reply by: Catfish goon      Posted: 11/1/2009 10:46:46 PM     Points: 2151    

I was just gonna mention that.

I'm sure most of the higher mountain lakes could hold walleye if they could handle northern pike or lake trout, since both species mentioned coexist together in canada.

They should do this to lakes like blue mesa.

 Reply by: brookieflyfisher      Posted: 11/1/2009 11:24:51 PM     Points: 1832    

The thing about Canadian shield lakes and Minnesotan mesotrophic lakes is that they have large (huge) bay areas with acres and acres of standing vegetation, which provides a warm place for crappies year round. Canyon and mountain reservoirs simply lack these critical areas. Yes, it does have to do with water temp. A Canadian shield lake, like Lake of the Woods, has massive backwater areas where you can go miles without finding water deeper than five feet. While Canadian shield lakes may get 4 feet of ice in the winter, they also get close to 80 degrees surface temp in some areas in the summer. At Blue Mesa, for example, the surface temp (usually, correct me if I am wrong) doesn't climb out of the 60's.

Yes, they survive at Elkhead and Estes (estes is more of a perch factory anyways) and the DOW (back in the 70's) once stocked crappie into Evergreen, but mainly because these lakes have large shallow areas or areas where there is fairly warm water. Estes has the power plant, Elkhead is in a warm spot in CO. Evergreen no longer has crappie (thank you tiger muskie).

If you want crappie so bad, pick up a fishing close to home and start exploring. Crappie fishing in Denver is amazing, you just have to know where to look and how to fish.

Walleye are another story, and I think they could survive up there. They would probably live alongside trout no problem, and I know that the DOW has been trying to get the 'eyes to take at certain locations across CO. I think 'eyes would do well in Wolford, Clear Creek Res (Buena Vista), and Estes, if only the DOW would try harder in planting them. I know that the private lakes near Red Feather have had tremendous success with walleye and catfish programs.

Speaking of Estes, what all is in there? I know perch, 'eyes, salmon, trout of all kinds, muskie, and rumors of pike. But crappie? Never heard that one. Any other surprises I should be aware of?

And there's my rant. Happy reading!

 Reply by: hoaxniss      Posted: 11/1/2009 11:42:31 PM     Points: 1    

Hello everyone i was just going over this post and thought i would say if you can get a copy off line or get a back copy of the 2008 colorado outdoors mag. Fishing Guide there's an article "Stocking Gets Fishy" by: Joe Lewandowski. I happen to be reading it because it was sitting there and it talks about how putting those types of predator fish (pike, walleye, perch and crappie) in higher altitude can destroy the ecosystem. Its a good article and has a lot of info. lakes like blue mesa. that has a big problem with this that. this lake provides salmon eggs for the hole state stocking. fish like perch and crappie eat the plankton, and small salmon and trout fish. this makes lakes like blue loose its great fishing for those fish in the lake. the idea of making predator fish that cant spawn has made it possible to catch fish of that nature species and sizes your looking for in lakes u like. so we all have a chance to catch fish native to Colorado river and lakes. Colorado has endangered fish and someone has illegal stocked predator fish in the Colorado and Yampa rivers where those endangered fish live "ONLY". why destroy that? oh and i have seen perch in Eleven Mile.

 Reply by: jamesp      Posted: 11/2/2009 6:36:57 AM     Points: 129    

BrookieFlyFisher, other than your list, Suckers and Carp. You listed Salmon, and they are in the stocking report. However, I've never seen one or heard of them being caught...? Yeah, though they're listed as being stocked a couple times?

Crappie are definatly in there. I've never caught one, but they were listed in Colorado Fishing & Hunting. Also Brian (Catfingking?) sent me pictures when he caught a few of them last year. I've heard of others catching them as well..

Oh, and one of my buddies hooked and pulled to shore a huge snapping turtle one year.. :)

 Reply by: BCIII      Posted: 11/2/2009 11:30:26 AM     Points: 657    

First off..... THere are perch in Eleven Mile. Ive seen em, Ive caught em. they are there.

Second.... Why would you want Walleye at 11 mile? CDOW has a hard enough time furnishing funds for stockings as it is. You are are going to rob those funds are place them in a non walleye lake, meaning that you are taking away from the lakes that do have walleye in them. So what you get is two lakes that are just "spotty" in population where you could have just 1 that is "greatly" populated. Its just not reasonable. I wouldnt want them in there anyway also for my own selfish reasons also. Boats are going to be increased with the same amount of inspectors that are there now..... Delays..... Delays.....Delays.....Eventually Walleye fisherman are going to start ending up catching non-target fish. Trout/Pike. Less fish for us that do fish for those species. Maybe a little exagerated, my statements are....... but there are plenty of Walleye lakes throughout the state...... Populate those lakes even more, and let me have my Pike and Trout lakes without catching a bunch of other fish.

 Reply by: channelcat13      Posted: 11/2/2009 12:55:28 PM     Points: 251    

Elevenmile sure has some nice looking log-like trout in it. Whatever sustains that fishery is really working. I am so amazed at the pike fishing there as well. Catching one fat pike a day from shore meets my criterion for "productivity."

There is another, strange quality to elevenmile. The shallows and shoreline remind me very much of the N. California, Oregon and/or Washington Coast. The mossy covered rocks remind me of tide pools. Add in pelicans and seagulls (which I never even knew Colorado had) and I have to remind myself that I am fishing in freshwater.

Perhaps there is something to the two fish (mainstay) fishery!

CC13

 Reply by: kokee      Posted: 11/2/2009 2:18:17 PM     Points: 139    

there is also walleye in lake estes , i have also caught crappie in estes also

 Reply by: fishexaminer      Posted: 11/2/2009 3:54:17 PM     Points: 205    

I found out recently that West Lake in wheat ridge has crappie when one surprised me.

 Reply by: J Rod      Posted: 11/3/2009 11:20:14 AM     Points: 35    

I once read something about the low oxygen levels in the high altitude lakes and that not all fish thrive under those conditions. Maybe that has something to do with it?

However, I agree with some of the other posts about certain lakes being managed for certain species. Look at how Muskie have taken over several lakes in CO. Now add another top of the food chain predator to the mix and see what happens. Too many predators and not enough forage can jeopardize all species of an ecosystem.

Wow! I just surprised myself. I think I remember more from college than keg stands!

J

 Reply by: Rip Lip      Posted: 11/3/2009 11:40:14 AM     Points: 46    

A lot of it has to do with management plans for various reservoirs, which are managed as trout fisheries. It also has to do with the fear of nonnative species such as Walleye getting in the Colorado River, or tributaries to the Colorado River.

 Reply by: catfishking      Posted: 11/3/2009 12:18:20 PM     Points: 638    

ive caught walleye and crappie up there i was told by a park ranger when they shocked lake estes there was a strong population of crappie in the 7-11 inch range ive only caught a few crappie there but i know where they are and there are tons of perch spread out threw the lake

 Reply by: TthePikester      Posted: 11/3/2009 3:30:51 PM     Points: 4    

There are Walleye in 11 Mile as well as Lake Trout, but in such a small amount it is not worth targeting them. I have seen them both in there with my Aqua-Vu but I choose to let them be since they are so few. Walleye was actually the first fish ever stocked there followed by Lake Trout but neither species did well because of the fluctuating water depths! Here is a link of the Lake Management Plan which on page 3 it explains the Walleye a little bit. There use to be a lake history story on the Denver Water Board site that truly got into the history of the lake and the 1st stocking but I cannot find it anymore!
LINK

PS...Northern Pike were stocked in 11 Mile so all the bucket biology stories are BS!!!

 Reply by: pikeklr      Posted: 11/3/2009 10:03:52 PM     Points: 80    

One of the things to remember is that having pike in a lake or ecosystem is not necessarily a bad thing. There are still plenty of areas where there are pike where the trout fishing is still fantastic. I have caught MANY a 20+ inch trout out of Rifle Gap and that has one of the best not-well-known pike fisheries in the state. I've caught pike that my relatives in Minnesota were jealous of! I have caught at least 2 MA pike a year out of that reservoir.

The only thing is you have to fish harder and REALLY know the layout of the lake and where the fish are schooling generally at what time of year. I can tell you exactly where to catch what size trout, bass, pike, perch and crappie in Rifle Gap (I used to live near there) at any time during summer. So it isn't going to be just a "throw a worm on and lets get something" situation. Makes catching something all the more worth while!

 Reply by: brookieflyfisher      Posted: 11/3/2009 10:26:24 PM     Points: 1832    

Ah, if only I could ice Estes. Oh well. Stupid power plant.