Places to fish Evergreen / Conifer area

You are all making me want to fish today. Weather has not been cooperating.

Reel good fishing at Gibson lake this past week (7/20). I was up there to fish by 10:00 and did not see anyone else until my way back down around 4:30. Lots of brook trout by the south shore & inlet. Cutthroats were cruising along the north shore and shallows. Vert pretty fish up there.
Brookie

Cutthroat female

Cutthroat male

Panorama from north shore

Panorama from south shore

Chilly dogs

Wildflowers

Snow melt angel

Trailside creek

The trail was in decent shape with a few snow fields along the way, which the dogs really enjoyed. Wild flowers were still nice too. A reel good way to beat the heat if you don't mind the hike. The road to the trailhead is rough so if you don't have high clearance you will add about 1-1/2 miles to your hike. Bring mosquito repellant and sunscreen.

Shelf Lake was fishing VERY GOOD on 9/4/2011. I fished from shore and was casting less than 30 feet out and caught an occasional fish on dry flies. After a while I was noticing the cutthroat were cruising very close to shore and biting on anything in their path. All I needed to do was wait for a cruiser and flip the fly out about 10 feet in front of it and BAM!! They are very beautifully colored and fought well before being released back to the lake. I was using a few ugly flies that I tied myself and just wanted to get them wet. The best 2 were tied spent wing with olive or blue bodies. I also caught a number of them on an orange asher pattern.

The hike up was a moderate 2 hour trip with the dogs. The wildflowers are still in bloom and the weather was perfect. Bring your camera!!

Here are a few pics. I'll try to load more later.

Nice male Greenback in spawning colors

Female Greenback

Another female greenback

Young cutthroat

Wildflowers along the trail

Decatur Mountain reflection

One of my fishin' partners in the lake

Coming back down the valley

Panorama from south shore (with Decatur and Square Top mtns. in background)

Panorama from north shore (with fishing partner)

I do like Shelf lake. Great pictures Photo.

But it's more than a 3 hour hike, more like a day and a half, You'll have to cross several high passes, fight off bears, giant beavers, Big foots and hermits. You can bribe the hermits with coffee if you have enough. I wouldn't attempt the hike with out a week's provisions and plenty of ammo. Better yet I would not go at all.

But if you continue on up the road you'll come across a very unique geologic feature, The Geneva Basin Iron Fens


This was taken a couple of years ago

DOW truck just left Evergreen Lake. 8,500 trout stocked today!!!!!

Hmmm....

Awsome pics of the lakes.....

8,500 trout- I might actually catch one.

Use dynamite, catch several. :thumbsup:
Just kidding of course.

HEARTLESS wrote: Use dynamite, catch several. :thumbsup:
Just kidding of course.

I was using electricity yesterday to catch fish in the Mt. Evans Wilderness area. Of course I was with DOW and they were all returned back into the creek. We were about 200 yards past the Camp Rock Campground.In less than 300 feet of tiny creek we surveyed about 90 Brook Trout and 1 Cutthroat.

Bucket of Brook Trout

Weights and Measures

The Mt. Evans Wilderness is beautiful and has a great loop hike of about 11 miles beyond where you were. Love that area.

Jefferson Lake was very active yesterday (10/3). I took an extra day off and had the far end of the lake all to myself. There were about 10 people fishing on the boat ramp side and one in a belly boat. Fish were rising most of the day along the edges. Almost any dry fly could catch one but to get the bigger fish you want to go deeper and use a bigger lure. Try a big bugger or Zonker if you are out on the lake. The wind was a bit tough at times and the lake level is the lowest I have seen before. Saw some more fresh moose tracks near the inlet. The colors are almost gone and the entrance gate is not manned. Maybe about 2-3 weeks and this lake will be iced I would guess.

I'm off next Monday for Columbus Day and will be in S. Denver for an appt. I was thinking about hitting the ponds near Santa Fe & C-470. Anyone tried there yet or have a report?