Hygiene Lakes - Longmont, CO

Over the last couple of weeks I have been out at Gross Reservoir hoping for a chance meeting with a school of salmon that were running to their breeding grounds. However, it seems like either the water is not cold enough or the water level is too low for the salmon to run far enough up the inlet. All over the shore is schools of small (3-4”) trout that are willing to inspect anything thrown their way, but to inspect before running for the depth of the lake. Until the salmon start to run there is still the thrill of fall fishing for bass. At this time of year the big bass are packing on the pounds and are looking for that big fat meal with not effort, therefore slow moving fish or crayfish hiding out between the weeds. This weekend was my first time out for the fall bass and it did not disappoint. On Saturday I went out for the last two hours of daylight, but it was the last 10 minutes before I was able to fool a bass into taking a white rabbit strip stream fished slow and deep.

Due to the late success of the day before I decided to head out a little earlier, also today the sky was completely blue which may hinder the bite, but only time would tell. Armed with a crayfish pattern freshly tied off the vise, I decided to hit up some of the other lakes around Hygiene that I have not really visited. I saw several bass waiting close of the shore and some patrolling the shallow waters, but every cast sent them running or running before I even got a cast off. The first fish came when I let the crayfish settle to the weedy bed.

I decided to move on through another two lakes, but did not see or feel a fish. Moving to the final lake in the set I spend several hours casting into the dark depths of the lake, but with no luck. I then decided to change to the white rabbit strip streamer that worked the day before. Balancing on a downed tree about five meters from shore the white rabbit did the job. Not a big bass, but a bass none the less.

 

By now the sun was low in the sky and the number of fisher people was picking up. Additionally, my time on the lake was eating into dinner making time. On the way back to the car I decided to throw out the white rabbit into some nice looking water filled with bluegills. The third and final fish of the day succumbed, victim to the wiggling lure of the rabbit strip on top of the glittery white chenille body.

All in all, the first trip out for some fall bass was a great success. Now back to the vise to fine tune my crayfish pattern and to fill my boxes with rabbits for all those hungry bass.