Frostbite Fish-off THE
by Colorado TU Staff
T
he Frostbite Fish-Off is back on the Arkansas River and making a big impact for the local fishery. After a short hiatus in 2016 and 2017, the Southern Colorado Greenback Chapter of Trout Unlimited has brought the annual tournament back to the Arkansas River tailwater in Pueblo, CO. On Saturday, February 8, 2020, forty anglers and thirty-plus volun-
26
High Country Angler • Spring 2020
teers used the small break in the weather (although it was 22 degrees at “lines-in”) to have a challenging and fun day on the water. In this 3rd year of a new format, 20 teams from Colorado and New Mexico competed on four different beats between the Pueblo Dam and Pueblo Boulevard. Each beat, randomly drawn on Friday night, was fished for 90 minutes, with the two largest fish scored per team. Fishing ended up being so competitive on tournament day that it took over 103" of scored fish to place in the top five. The quantity and quality of fish appear to have improved for the 3rd year in a row. The Saturday night banquet included both a raffle and silent auction, with all funds targeted for tailwater improvements or educational efforts in the community,
www.HCAezine.com
