Yampa Around Craig Colorado

[ozark trout fisher]

I used to leave in the town of Craig Colorado, and spent a good deal of time trout fishing in the Yampa that where it runs through town. Back then it was good, but I heard that smallmouth and especially pike have taken a big toll, as well as high water temps. Does anyone know anything about the how it's doing. sorry kinda a random question.

[flyfishmaster]

O T F,

I do not have an answer for you, but here is a link to the Rocky Mtn Fly Forum. Click Here

These people are very knowledgable about everything in the Rockies.

Later,

FFM

[ozark trout fisher]

O T F,

I do not have an answer for you, but here is a link to the Rocky Mtn Fly Forum. Click Here

These people are very knowledgable about everything in the Rockies.

Later,

FFM

Thanks really appreciate it. Wasn't even expecting a reply at all, so it's a nice surprise.

[HeavyC]

OTF,

Yampa is still fishing pretty good. The trout fishing should be steadily increasing in quality over the next couple of years. They have implemented plans to remove as many pike and smallies as possible and actually began the process last year. The smallies that are being netted by DOW are going into Elkhead reservior and they are already seeing some 4+pounder being caught. The pike are going into the State Wildlife Area ponds. They have also instituted strict rules of NOT returning ANY of these species to the river. (no limit)

They felt the growth of those two species was devistating the native trout and especially the native endagered species like the Humpback Chub, Squawfish, etc...

Should turn around quickly as they are already seeing great results.

HC Out!

[ozarkgunner]

I lived out in Colorado for 4 years. I use to fish the Yampa a lot during Elk season. As a Southern Missouri boy I loved it becuase it was the only place to catch browns in a stream in the state of Co. As of two years ago, there are still LOTS of pike and browns.

[flyfishmaster]

I lived out in Colorado for 4 years. I use to fish the Yampa a lot during Elk season. As a Southern Missouri boy I loved it becuase it was the only place to catch browns in a stream in the state of Co. As of two years ago, there are still LOTS of pike and browns.

ozarkgunner,

you indicate the Yampa was the only stream to catch Browns in CO. How many years ago was that? I have been taking fishing trips to CO since 1996 and have catch browns in multiple streams and rivers.

Later,

FFM

[HeavyC]

Here you go - Crazy; one of the local guys on our forum/board is also a guide on my home lake and now just landed his own fishing show. The second show ever aired this morning and he was fishing the Yampa! (Yep ozarkgunner, incredible during elk season as that is where I hunt too; and no one else is out there in the cold! )

His show looks pretty cool and a big congrats to Chad LaChance! "The Fishful Thinker"!

On the show he fished it (upstream from Hayden they said) on Aug 30th and ended up catching [5] 5lb+ fish, 3-bows, 1-cutbow, 1-brown, and ton of other 20" and down fish! Mostly rainbows though. On the show he only caught one ~35" pike. (He was drifting, but there is surely plenty of miles of public access!) They mentioned stuff about the trout pops and the guide and he were amazed that in two days they caught 1 smallmouth. They also only caught a couple of pike! Looks like the plan is working, though the guide stated they had been controlling them for a couple of years now. (So maybe a year or two longer) I suppose that I should have noticed this as well back in Nov, as I only fished for two hours and caught [5] fish, but all bobos.

The State Wildlife Areas that they are putting the pike into are fishing like nuts too!!!! Apparently folks are catching big batches of pike to take for dinner! Gotta clean those darn y bones, but that pike sure is tasty in a little beer batter and fried up crispy!!! They need to get the populations down in the ponds I suppose, as they are saying keep them all and return none to the water. We actually have a few lakes around that are offering bounties for pike. Heck, one lake is now $20 a fish for all northerns!!! If you take them a 5 inch norethern pike, they will give you twenty dollars!! YEAH!! Now I Can be a bounty hunter... NICE! I think maybe I got my second job figured out!!!

Not many other small rivers around that someone can catch at least [4] different species of trout, along with northern pike, smalljaws, and a tone of others including Squawfish, Humpback Chub, Mountain Whitefish, Channel Cat, and who knows what else.

Wow, I might have to start fishing my home state for trout again!

[ozark trout fisher]

Here you go - Crazy; one of the local guys on our forum/board is also a guide on my home lake and now just landed his own fishing show. The second show ever aired this morning and he was fishing the Yampa! (Yep ozarkgunner, incredible during elk season as that is where I hunt too; and no one else is out there in the cold! )

His show looks pretty cool and a big congrats to Chad LaChance! "The Fishful Thinker"!

On the show he fished it (upstream from Hayden they said) on Aug 30th and ended up catching [5] 5lb+ fish, 3-bows, 1-cutbow, 1-brown, and ton of other 20" and down fish! Mostly rainbows though. On the show he only caught one ~35" pike. (He was drifting, but there is surely plenty of miles of public access!) They mentioned stuff about the trout pops and the guide and he were amazed that in two days they caught 1 smallmouth. They also only caught a couple of pike! Looks like the plan is working, though the guide stated they had been controlling them for a couple of years now. (So maybe a year or two longer) I suppose that I should have noticed this as well back in Nov, as I only fished for two hours and caught [5] fish, but all bobos.

The State Wildlife Areas that they are putting the pike into are fishing like nuts too!!!! Apparently folks are catching big batches of pike to take for dinner! Gotta clean those darn y bones, but that pike sure is tasty in a little beer batter and fried up crispy!!! They need to get the populations down in the ponds I suppose, as they are saying keep them all and return none to the water. We actually have a few lakes around that are offering bounties for pike. Heck, one lake is now $20 a fish for all northerns!!! If you take them a 5 inch norethern pike, they will give you twenty dollars!! YEAH!! Now I Can be a bounty hunter... NICE! I think maybe I got my second job figured out!!!

Not many other small rivers around that someone can catch at least [4] different species of trout, along with northern pike, smalljaws, and a tone of others including Squawfish, Humpback Chub, Mountain Whitefish, Channel Cat, and who knows what else.

Wow, I might have to start fishing my home state for trout again!

When I lived there, the Yampa was a pretty amazing river. I must admit I never caught any five pounders, but nearly every trip would produce several rainbows in the two pound range. Where I fished in Craig, there were occasionally some brown trout caught, but rainbows made up just about all the catch. There didn't seem to be any cutthroat or cutbow that far downstream. I never much targeted the pike, as I am a trout bum beyond hope, but I have seen some big ones. I also accidentally caught channel cats and smallmouth pretty often while fishing for trout.

[bferg]

I just moved here from Denver CO and was a member of the same forum (www.coloradofisherman.com) that Chad LaChance was on back in CO. That dude is a great fisherman. I have also fished the Yampa a couple of times. The Yampa is an amazing river but it is a shame what they are doing to it now. They are trying to remove the Pike and Smallies from the river because they are invasive species. And the Humpback Chub, Pikeminnow, and Whitefish populations are hurting. However there is a group of anglers that have organized and has proven that the chub, pikeminnow, and whitefish are hurting because of habitat loss not predation by pike and bass. Anyway, that is an intense debate back in CO right now.

Here is a link to the state park site that shows the access points: http://parks.state.co.us/Parks/yampariver

You have to think of the Yampa as two different rivers: from Hayden upstream is trout water and from Hayden down is more like traditional warm water fishery- flat water that you can float in a canoe- rare in CO. In the Hayden area you will find trout and you used to start seeing smallies and pike there. However the removals have really been concentrated from Hayden to Duffy Mountain area. So the fishing for smallies and pike in that water is not what is once was. Most of the trout fishermen focus from Hayden upstream. (Don't forget that you can drive to Steamboat and fish some great water right in town!).

From Juniper Canyon on down they cannot access as many places for the removals so Pike and Smallies are abundant. There is no rule FORCING YOU to keep Pike or Smallies that I know of. They ask you to consider but many anglers think that it is only a matter of time before they abandon the removals because they just can't get all the fish out of there. So, lots of guys, myself included, practiced catch and release. You can form your own opinion on that. We straight hammered the smallies on my last float from Duffy Mnt to Juniper Canyon. Beautiful strong and large fish!

[ozark trout fisher]

I just moved here from Denver CO and was a member of the same forum (www.coloradofisherman.com) that Chad LaChance was on back in CO. That dude is a great fisherman. I have also fished the Yampa a couple of times. The Yampa is an amazing river but it is a shame what they are doing to it now. They are trying to remove the Pike and Smallies from the river because they are invasive species. And the Humpback Chub, Pikeminnow, and Whitefish populations are hurting. However there is a group of anglers that have organized and has proven that the chub, pikeminnow, and whitefish are hurting because of habitat loss not predation by pike and bass. Anyway, that is an intense debate back in CO right now.

Here is a link to the state park site that shows the access points: http://parks.state.co.us/Parks/yampariver

You have to think of the Yampa as two different rivers: from Hayden upstream is trout water and from Hayden down is more like traditional warm water fishery- flat water that you can float in a canoe- rare in CO. In the Hayden area you will find trout and you used to start seeing smallies and pike there. However the removals have really been concentrated from Hayden to Duffy Mountain area. So the fishing for smallies and pike in that water is not what is once was. Most of the trout fishermen focus from Hayden upstream. (Don't forget that you can drive to Steamboat and fish some great water right in town!).

From Juniper Canyon on down they cannot access as many places for the removals so Pike and Smallies are abundant. There is no rule FORCING YOU to keep Pike or Smallies that I know of. They ask you to consider but many anglers think that it is only a matter of time before they abandon the removals because they just can't get all the fish out of there. So, lots of guys, myself included, practiced catch and release. You can form your own opinion on that. We straight hammered the smallies on my last float from Duffy Mnt to Juniper Canyon. Beautiful strong and large fish!

I know Craig, which is quite a ways downstream of Hayden, used to produce trout pretty darn well about say, ten years ago. They may be gone now, but they at least used to be there. Interestingly, I rarely caught smallmouth or pike there. I guess I wasn't using the right lures. I used to float Hayden to Craig, using small spinners and worms. Used to catch some pretty nice rainbows in that stretch. I don't much like the stretch from the dam to Steamboat, too many fisherman, plus artificials only restrictions. Bad combo for me.