3-LAKES DERBY

[Don In Denver]

I'm with you, Dan, on the catch & release aspect. It seems to me to be a waste of a very valuable asset. People decry the disappearance of the truly big lake trout from Granby and yet the Chamber of Commerce encourages a whole bunch of folks to come up and whack all the big ones they can. Lakers are not like rainbows where you can "grow" a bunch more "trophies" over 3 or 4 years. These big fish are 25+ years old at least. The fishery will not rebound like, say, Lake John does after a winterkill and a new planting of rainbows. When a big fish is killed at Granby, it takes a lot of years to replace it. Pretty short-sighted if you ask me.

[This message has been edited by Don In Denver (edited 01-27-2004).]

[ICEMASTER1940]

I'm in complete agreement about a catch and release philosophy; especially where large Mackinaw are concerned. I don't think that the Granby Chamber of Commerce is the culprit. They aren't the one's who set the current slot limit, at least I don't think they are. I think that as long as Jake Bennet
was involved with Granby the really large lakers had a chance. I don't know who is calling the shots now but it looks like the DOW is trying to make it a Kokanee/Rainbow hatchery for the tourists. It would be interesting to know for sure. <'))<

[lucky7]

I'm with you guys! How do we encourage the Chamber to set up the tournament in such a way that we can catch and release?

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lucky7

[Guest]

Ive been going every year as a sort of weekend away ritual for as long as I can remember, almost more of a social activity than hard core angling adventure. I think they changed the slot during the tourneys to under 20"-over 38" a few years ago after you needed a 39 or so even to get on the board when 36" was top slot. Big fish that year before the drought was around 42" That tourney was probably devistating. I have caught five over 10# there and coincidently they were all tagged and released, how did that happen?(tagging) Hopefully DOW has used those tournament results and continues to preserve the mac population by bringing in more food in the form of kokes and bows which is probably the only way to keep them off the hook...so to speak. I have never caught a brown from there though, only at shadow mtn. so maybe there is a new challenge

[Dan DAN the fisherman]

I have caught 3&4lb Browns out of Granby but no really big ones. The biggest Mac was 37- 3/4" and I took a picture and released her. The only Kokes & Bows have been small. I would like to try a grand slam but I'm not sure that I could even find a Koke these days in Granby. I haven't really tried for them there lately though. Where have you guys caught Kokes there lately?
Dan

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[Sir Fish Alot]

I agree also about killing the big fish to try to win something for it. They could come up with a much better system, but it's all about the money i guess. Been a few years since i have caught a brown trout out of granby, but there are big ones in there though. Also kokes are getting bigger and more of them it seems like. Caught one last week and one on monday again about 14 inches and fat also.

[Dan DAN the fisherman]

Who is fishing the derby this weekend? Is there going to be a fish over 38" this year? If so what will it be caught on and where? There are some big Browns in Granby also. How will you catch them? Bows? Kokanee? Lets here what you guys think. My opinion is that there is always a chance for a big fish in Granby but it would be a much better chance if people would take a picture and throw them back. These tournaments are fun but how do you think that they effect our fisheries?DAN

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[EricCO]

As long as the tournaments follow the regulations the DOW sets then everything should be fine. If a fishery gets ruined by keeping fish within the law, then it's the DOW's fault, not the tournaments.

[John19]

How did the derby go everyone? Anyone know what the winning fish was?

[John19]

Size that is!

[Guest]

The guy at the weigh in truck said the first big one came from granby...seemed like the bite was best friday and they got alot more finicky from then on. sunday the lake was pretty much worked over. we got one koke early sunday before the sun came up on a meal worm next to a jiggin spoon out of 12' in rainbow bay, also alot of bows on tiny tiny jigs from the same location. was fun sittin out the snow storm saturday, didn't really help the fishing as we thought it would. if you got a brown over 3/4 pound, you would have been in the $

[NewFisher]

Well I fished the tournament last weekend and let me tell you what a trip. I fished grand lake with 13 other guys in our party. One of the other guys we were with pulled one 15 inch lacker out on Friday. My wife and I did not even get a bump. We fished Grand Lake for all three days in water from 20 feet to 45 feet. I was lucky enough to see the winning fish. Let me tell you it was huge. I was staying right next to the guy that caught it and he would not tell me a thing, but I have a pretty good feeling, 100% positive, that the winning fish came out of Grand Lake. Second place also came out of Grand Lake as well as 4th, 5th, and 6th place. There were guys 10 feet from me catching fish but the luck was not with me or my wife. Next year I will be investing in a 4 wheeler. I do agree on the catch and release thing. I hate to take a fish that big out of the lake. It drops the breeding stock dramatically. I did not hear of many people catching a whole lot of other fish. tight lines.
Craig

[Dan DAN the fisherman]

Fished Granby on Friday and Saturday. Caught tons of fish but only in the 15"-19" range. My buddy caught one 22". Got a cold and went home on Sunday morning. Guess I didn't win a new truck or snow machine either. Oh well maybe in another 15 years of 3-lakes derbys I will!
Dan

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[Guest]

The winning fish was a 40" 32lb. mac, second place was around 23lbs. The person who told me didn't know what lake they came out of, anyone know where they came from?

[This message has been edited by Gilles (edited 02-03-2004).]