B
y the time the lake trout spawn
starts the fall colors shine at Granby. A
bit of snow on the top of Berthoud
pass signals ski season but the dry
roads near Mary Jane remind me that
opening day is still a few weeks off.
One year I convinced my uncle Reg
Stadel to come out from Salina, Kansas
to trade his bass and crappie jigs in for
tubes and get a taste of lake trout
fishing. During that trip it became
clear that this time of year highlights
some of the best aspects of Colorado
High Country fishing.
The lake trout spawn offers an
above-average chance at high numbers of fish. With good boat control
thirty, forty, fifty, or even double that
numbers of fish in the 16” to 22” range
could cross your gunnels. A few tricks
can skyrocket your success and the
unique opportunity to improve your
skills exists for every trip.
While the older fish slow their eating
for the spawn younger fish gather in large numbers and will readily hit jigs and spoons of all sorts. These big groups form in
late September and on into October depending on which lakes you target. Since the groups are large and t