Fishing
Lake Pueblo produces record walleye spawn after COVID-19 aborted efforts
Colorado Parks and Wildlife / Courtesy photo
Colorado Parks and Wildlife's Josh Nehring, senior aquatic biologist for the Southeast Region, displays a large walleye during the "March Madness" walleye spawn at Lake Pueblo State Park.
CPW’s “March Madness” shows promise for future fishing seasons
While college basketball fans sit glued to their televisions each March, Colorado Parks and Wildlife plays its own version of “March Madness.” Without fanfare, betting brackets or “One Shining Moment” tributes, CPW biologists and volunteers head out at dawn, usually in freezing temperatures, to Front Range reservoirs and spend a
month capturing thousands of walleye and spawning them in a quest for Colorado anglers’ precious aquatic prize. This March, CPW collected approximately 130 million eggs – a slam dunk for anglers statewide. It’s particularly great news after last year’s disappointing, pandemic-shortened spawn produced only a tiny fraction of the usual haul.
“Honestly, it’s hard to believe what our team of aquatic biologists, other CPW staff, and three volunteers were able to accomplish this year at Lake Pueblo State Park,” said Josh Nehring, senior aquatic biologist for CPW’s Southeast Region. “We weren’t sure what to expect. But we never expected to catch so many fish and produce so many
8 • APRIL 17, 2021 • OUTDOORS 2021 SPRING/SUMMER • PRAIRIE MOUNTAIN MEDIA
eggs, so fast. “It’s remarkable. And anglers ought to be thrilled because it’s going to mean great fishing in the coming years in Colorado.” Most every spring, CPW holds its March Madness at three state parks: Lake Pueblo, Cherry Creek and Chatfield. There, three teams of aquatic
See LAKE PUEBLO, pg. 9
