Fishing tips for beginners from a wily veteran
Dad can’t really tell you when he started fishing, because he always has.
“I guess when I started walking,” is his best answer— presumably because that’s when he could first get himself to the nearest fishing hole.
Frank is the oldest of three sons raised by John and Carolyn Cada in Columbia Heights, Mont. The family lived behind their convenience store, one of the last chances for gas before the south entry to Glacier National Park.
While their Mom was running the store and their Dad was out cooking for wildfire fighters or working one of his many other jobs, the boys would go fishing for Cutthroat Trout in the Flathead River about a mile away.
My Dad’s first pole was a telescoping steel rod from which he dangled both flies and bait. He quickly learned he could catch trout on a fly without bait and he’s never looked back. His first real fly rod came from his Grandma’s attic in Eureka and he traded in a small hunting rifle for his first fly tying kit in the early ‘50s when the sport was in its infancy.
I’m telling you all of this to let you know that Dad, now 77, and fish go way back. Most importantly dear reader is that Frank, who has been fishing in Colorado for more than a half century now, doesn’t mind sharing some of his favorite spots.
Of course what Dad knows about where to fish could fill a book (and since he keeps a detailed log it just might one day), so I asked him to narrow it down to family-friendly fishing spots.
If your little ones (or the big ones in your family for that matter) have never fished, Dad advises taking them to a pond near your hometown. Before you go, check with the town or city recreation or natural areas department to find out which parks have ponds with Bluegill, Crappie, Bass and maybe even Carp (if you’re going to catch and release anyway).
“If they can see fish or catch one, this should keep their interest,” he says. “If not then point out other wildlife such as
birds, turtles or frogs.”
Dad often employed this attention-keeping technique with my daughters, who didn’t always come home with fish, but who always emerged from his truck with breathless tales of what they’d seen. The time out in nature alone makes fishing a worthwhile family activity.
Although he has fished all over the state, Dad further narrowed down his favorites by listing only spots close to home in northern Colorado.
A go-to with the granddaughters is Arapahoe Bend Ponds in Fort Collins. He also recommends The Rivers Edge ponds in Loveland.
“A bobber and bait should at least get a Bluegill or two,” he says. “If they want to release them then show them how to remove the hook and handle the fish. Don’t leave them out of the water too long.”
I can vouch for that last piece of advice. You’ll have some seriously sad children if they muster the compassion to release their catch only to have it float belly up instead of swim away.
If you are willing to take a drive, Dad recommends heading for North Park near Walden. “The kids should be able to catch some trout at Lake John,” he says. “The resort there can provide bait or these trout can be caught on flies and lures. There is great access to the lake and picnic areas.”
In addition to the peace and scenery of being in the mountains, Dad explained that the fishing can actually be better at high altitude. The depth of mountain lakes means cooler water long into the season, which means more oxygen and more fish. Wind also adds oxygen to lakes making them more alkaline, which helps grow the plants fish like to eat.
Fishing opportunities are only beginning where road access ends.
“The adventurous could take the kids on a backpack to a remote lake,” Dad says. “We took our little ones to Rainbow Lake on the west side of North Park.”
Even in the faded photos and memories of this “little one,” the dramatic scenery of the area is still stunning and the feelings of tranquility still grounding. And all these years later I still remember the excitement of feeling a hit on my line and reeling in a feisty fish with Dad coaching me from nearby.
Although Dad says no one really knows if fish can think, he sure spends a lot of time trying to outsmart them. Many a fisher subscribes to the notion that the more remote the fishing spot the less “educated to the fly” the fish are because they’ve never been caught before. Uneducated fish increase the odds of a catch for newbies.
“Fishing for trout is best as the sun goes down,” Dad says of Rainbow Lake. “And afterwards there will be fishing stories around the campfire.”
Getting them hooked:
The following organizations will be offering fishing camps for youth in the coming season: www.rockymtnflycasters.org www.coloradoyo.org www.getoutdoorscolorado.org