DENTRY: Antero ready to open after drought recovery

Wednesday, July 11, 2007

It won't happen at sunrise and not on a Saturday, either. After a five-year recovery from drought, Antero Reservoir will welcome anglers to a more low-profile reunion.

Gates to the almost legendary reservoir in South Park will swing open at 9 a.m. Tuesday. That's nap time for crack- of-dawn anglers.

Needless to say, Denver Water, which owns the celebrated, 2,200-acre fishing hole south of Fairplay, planned the midweek opener to minimize stampedes of curious early birds that might overrun limited parking spaces and facilities.

It also was no accident the Division of Wildlife announced Antero's opening two months ago, giving us time to forget.

The DOW accompanied the news with some tasty bait: an alternative menu featuring a dozen equally tempting fishing spots elsewhere in South Park.

For better or worse, such is the allure of Antero. When full of water, this nutrient-rich chowder bowl grows trout so plump and fast it can keep no secrets.

"Antero has a mystique like the Beatles," Denver Water recreation manager Neil Sperandeo said. "We're trying to keep the mystique in its place so everybody can have a good time."

To that end, opening-day visitors can expect law-enforcement officers to be in evidence. Game wardens will check licenses and make sure everyone follows the rules. Park County sheriff's deputies will control traffic and keep the peace.

As with Spinney Mountain Reservoir, this opening day will be mostly ceremonial compared with fishing fortunes later in the summer or next year.

But if you do attend the fest, note DOW biologist Jeff Spohn has stirred a hearty soup in advance. Large trout will not be much in evidence.

But stockings that started shortly after ice-out, 2006, have resulted in abundance and variety. Those first hatchery trucks delivered 2-inch fingerling brown trout, splake and brook trout to Antero. Rainbows went in at 3-5 inches. Cutthroat fry had grown to 1 inch last fall.

"And in fall, we were able to put in a pretty good shot of 10-inch (rainbows), mostly extras from our hatchery system," Spohn said.

More of the same, including 26,000, 10-inch rainbows, were scheduled to go into Antero in May.

Lest those appetizers seem half-rations, remember that trout grow 7-8 inches per year on average in Antero. Already, half of rainbows have grown to 15 inches. Some exceed 18 inches.

Antero is not limited to flies-and-lures fishing, but limits are modest: four trout, only one of which can be longer than 16 inches. The daily bag limit also is the possession limit.

Reservoir rules are posted at Water.Den ver.Co.Gov.

Park County is amply appointed with sterling fishing spots, so visitors looking for alternatives might consider some recommended by the Division of Wildlife:

• Elevenmile Reservoir: Trout fishing, a full-service marina, kokanee salmon biting at 20-30 feet. Northern pike fishing has been excellent.

• Jefferson Lake: The road north of the hamlet of Jefferson is newly paved, stocker rainbows and lake trout to 18 inches are biting. Boaters jigging deep find the occasional hefty laker.

• Tarryall Reservoir: Bulging with medium rainbows and cutthroats, the popular reservoir south of Jefferson also holds northern pike.

• Spinney Mountain Reservoir: Gold Medal Water with flies-and- lures rules. Many trout 18-20 inches and a fair share nudging the 21-inch keeper limit (one a day).

Fishing hot spot: South Platte River

• Why here? The "Dream Stream" between Spinney Mountain and Elevenmile reservoirs offers good, but often demanding, fly fishing for quality-size brown and rainbow trout.

• What's hot: Trico mayflies have appeared, along with pale-morning-dun mayflies and mini caddis. Trout have been feeding on the surface.

• Fly box: Trico-imitating dry flies, to include spent-wing versions, emergers and nymphs. PMD dries and nymphs and No. 18-20 caddis.

• Best times: Trico hatches have been coming off from 8-10:30 a.m.; trout might be more tuned in to the PMDs in the early afternoon.

• How to get there: From Denver, go south on U.S. 285 to Fairplay. Merge with Colorado 9 and continue to the junction with U.S. 24, near Hartsel. Go on U.S. 24 to the marked Elevenmile State Park turnoff on County Road 23. Go south on County Road 23 about 3 1/2 miles to a "T" intersection with County Road 59. Turn right onto County Road 59 and follow the signs to Spinney Mountain Reservoir, crossing the dam to access the river, or turn left on CR 59 to the river above Elevenmile Reservoir.

• Ask the experts: Peak Fly Shop (Colorado Springs location, 719-260-1415; Woodland Park location, 719-687-9122).