Williams Fork Res.

[Guest]

Has anyone been to williams Fork yet or have any info. on the ice. We are going to run up there Saturday if it is fishable.Does it even have any water in it due to the drought?

[IceNutt]

ice cube, Dan Dan posted a report on Williams Fork in the Ice Reports topic.

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IceNut

[Dan DAN the fisherman]

Fished WilliamsFork on Sunday. We (my 7yr old son and I ),caught about 25 lake trout between 7 and 2:00 o'clock. We kept 6 and went home. Caught them in thirty feet of water off the dike on 2" luminescent white tubes with a small strip of sucker meat. The biggest was 24". Ice was 5" to 7" but watch the edges. Water level is way down. Be prepared for a long hard walk or bring a snow machine.
Dan

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[bry c]

anyone ever hook into any pike up there? I have tried tip-ups and whole suckers on bottom with no success at all. We have not had any incidental catches on tubes or spoons, deep or shallow...what gives?

[Guest]

Dan Dan, Thanks for the great report, Glow tube jigs tipped with sucker meat is also my standard way to fish for the Mac's.Your report has just rasied my anticipation to the point I will probley not sleep Friday night. Thanks

Good fishin

[Guest]

Dan Dan, Forgot to ask, did you pick up your sucker meat at Fletchers or Budget tackel in Granby?

Good Fishin

[Dan DAN the fisherman]

bry c,
There are huge pike in the lake. I haven't tried for them this year yet though.With the water down so low I imagine the best place to try would be in the narrows up towards the inlet. During a regular average water year I've caught some nice ones next to 3rocks in the big bay on the henderson side of the lake. This year 3rocks are sitting high and dry. Stick to water under 10 feet deep but look for a good drop off close by. Live water dogs work great this time of year.Also use a large flashy lure with the hooks removed for an attractant.Later on towards the end of the ice season dead bait works the best.

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[Dan DAN the fisherman]

Ice Cube,
I caught my suckers while walleye fishing at Standley Lake this spring and froze them just for Mac fishing. Most of the bait shops in the Denver area carry either whole suckers or sucker fillets. Bennets in Berthod also carries them. Just call ahead and find out before you do the bait shop hop.I will be fishing the Fork this Saturday again. Need some more to put on the smoker. Maybe I'll see you there!
Dan

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[bry c]

Whats the preferred method of hooking up a waterdog? Can you put the thing on a tip-up with a big hook or will it trip the flag? Never tried one of those. If you run to Granby a little early before the bait stores open, 7-11 has good selection of bait also.

[Guest]

Williams Fork has HUGE pike in it. The current state record is from up there. The general rule of thumb for bait for ice pike is early season live is best but late season dead is best. But don't be afraid to experiment. Since you can't use minnows use water dawgs. Yes you can use them on a tip-up just change the tension by changing the angle of the flag. Hooking them is easy too. I use titanium wire to make my harnesses. At the top you need a strong swivel, then ten to eight inches down from that you need a loop with a treble hook size 1 or 2 then four to five inches you need another trebble. To hook them hook the bottom hook just behind the gills on the hump, then the second where the tail starts. This way they are always trying to swim down to the bottom. For dead bait suckers are the best but if you want to catch more but smaller fish try shinners or chubs. Jigs can be deadly too, try nils master jigging shad, salmo chubby darter and rapala jigs. Use the biggest available to keep the small fish off. Use a combination of tip-ups and jigging for success. Early ice pike will be shallow but move deeper as fishing pressure increases and the season wears on. But they will move back into the shallows in preparation for spawning. As for specific locations, I have no idea with the low state of the lake. My experiences at Williams is you'll catch a few but they are big. I landed a 39 on a chubby last season. I also pulled numerous ten pounders with tip-ups using dawgs and suckers.

If you think I'm full of it click my profile icon above this message then click my homepage link.

[This message has been edited by Avalanche (edited 12-11-2002).]

[Guest]

bry c, thanks for the tip about buying bait at the 7-11 store in Granby,I thought I knew most places up there. Over the years I have never stopped there, I will now when pickens are slim.

Good fishin

[This message has been edited by ice cube (edited 12-11-2002).]

[Guest]

Avalanche, I checked out your pics,I guess you do know what your talking about,I would call a guy like you a expert. NICE FISH!!
Those pike are so big that I wouldn't know what to do with one if I caught one.

Good fishin

[This message has been edited by ice cube (edited 12-11-2002).]

[This message has been edited by ice cube (edited 12-11-2002).]

[Guest]

Actually one is a pike and the other is a tiger muskie. But thanks! I've landed 5 fish over 40 inches this season. If it's not a Esox it is bait!

[Fish Toys]

Great pictures! Are you sure you didn't catch them in MN??? LOL!
Nice fish tho! Did you leave any for everybody else.
"FISH"

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http://www.icesaws.com/

[bry c]

Went to Williams Fork Pond Saturday. Water depth off East Bay Ramp was 25', says 110' on my map at normal level. Didnt venture out too much farther, fished half day. Bite was definately better earlier than later. A few average macs on 2" white tubes and bows on mealworm.

[Dan DAN the fisherman]

bry c,
I was there also. Caught 8 Macs ,kept 4 . Three 22's and 1 -21". My buddy caught a 25" Brown. I was in the silver X-terra. Fished in the blue hut.
Dan

[bry c]

Saw ya out there. Took a first timer with me, he endured. Hope to go again Saturday, was hoping for a little more action last weekend. Look out for crazy ski traffic!

[Dan DAN the fisherman]

Fished Williams Fork on Wednesday. Ice is 9-12" with about 6" of snow on top. Two of us fished and caught 30 macs with the biggest only being 20". My partner had one break off though.
Dan

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[Chewy]

The last time I checked with the Denver Water Board it was illegal to take a snowmobile out on Williams Fork. In fact all impoundments owned by Denver Water prohibit snowmobiles as far as I know. I would think a two stroke trolling motor pollutes the water worse than a snow machine! Oh well.