Another Colorado lake bites the dust.

[SLAYERFISH]

We hit Rifle Gap today, got absolutely Brutalized.   been fishing it early ice since 2010.   Every year its gotten worse till now where it is a virtual dead sea.   Drilled a 100 holes, barely marked a thing.  Im going North maybe follow Kang to Minnesota!

[Bigassbassman]

Damn.  Brutal. 

[SLAYERFISH]

I'm sure you can catch a few, but I ain't driving that far for a few!

[TimK]

I'm sure you can catch a few, but I ain't driving that far for a few!

And by a few you mean none🤣 at least it was a nice day.  Jeebus Chrysler.  If I ever say im going back to rifle someone hit me.

[SLAYERFISH]

Gaff ya like a Pike!

[kienkhang1205]

We hit Rifle Gap today, got absolutely Brutalized.   been fishing it early ice since 2010.   Every year its gotten worse till now where it is a virtual dead sea.   Drilled a 100 holes, barely marked a thing.  Im going North maybe follow Kang to Minnesota!

rifle is pretty done for now, not that many perch, more pike then anything I saw last year, ready to go north after Christmas,, will be fishing on boat tomorrow 😁😁😁

[fishslap]

Well that helps me make some decisions for weekend after next.  It doesn’t help the guys in Wyoming with crowding though

[meandcuznalfy]

Lots of that happening everywhere, plus liberal or no limits for perch, have a huge effect on the fishery.

[lovetofishnow]

We hit Rifle Gap today, got absolutely Brutalized.   been fishing it early ice since 2010.   Every year its gotten worse till now where it is a virtual dead sea.   Drilled a 100 holes, barely marked a thing.  Im going North maybe follow Kang to Minnesota!

You stopped drilling too soon, another 100 holes would probably located them.  

[JohnnyO19]

Yep, would've found them for sure in the 2nd hundred holes 

[TimK]

Rifle gap be like a crazy ex GF.  It always sounds good in theory but every time you go back you remember why you hate it and vow never to return... til next time

[Bigassbassman]

You didn’t try my spot…
 

[SLAYERFISH]

You didn’t try my spot…
 

You should go there tomorrow and tell us how you did!

[TimK]

You should go there tomorrow and tell us how you did!

Dont tempt him he'll go there catch 10 and makes us look like fools

[Bigassbassman]

Dont tempt him he'll go there catch 10 and makes us look like fools

Bwahahahaha!!  Nah.

[Baetis62]

That sucks Slayer.  Was gonna hit it for a couple of days next week but thanks for the head's up.  Save some scratch on the hotel.  No mention of Harvey but that place has been a dismal dink fest for me for the last 5 years.  Gotta get to retirement and get the hell outta here I think.  Back to Cheeseland or somewhere near it.  Watching those guys hit the Mississippi Backwaters is crushing.
Hit John today. It was good... I guess but its not Perch, Gills or Eyes.  Hell I'd take a bucket of White Bass at this point.

[Vex-Um]

Its been pretty good to me! Caught another 16 incher there last weekend. There aren't a ton of perch, but it grows the big ones.

[TimK]

Its been pretty good to me! Caught another 16 incher there last weekend. There aren't a ton of perch, but it grows the big ones.

The only reason we go is for perch.  Was just 4 years ago we put several limits of 11-13"ers on the deck with bonus eyes early ice.  Those days are over.  Everyone from glenwood to GJ pounds it all year.

[SLAYERFISH]

Its been pretty good to me! Caught another 16 incher there last weekend. There aren't a ton of perch, but it grows the big ones.

Pics?     If I landed a 16" perch there'd be evidence all over the Internet- just sayin'

[Team CO.F.F.]

I was thinking of hitting it too after the weekend...Probably will still go and try my luck, will let you guys know if it works out well or not. Sorry for the long drive for nothingness. Warm seasons since the COVID mess started, the gaps have been PACKED consistently!

[DrummerManDrew]

Pics?     If I landed a 16" perch there'd be evidence all over the Internet- just sayin'

What really sucks is how many people overfish these lakes. Dow never had a problem siting in a truck to give a boater a ticket for something but I’ve little seen some “not Americans” get caught with a 5 gallon bucket with 40 fish and Dow there and they get out of it some reason.

For me, I ended up leaving my native state and got completely fed up with the population increase and lack of water.

[Vex-Um]

Pics?     If I landed a 16" perch there'd be evidence all over the Internet- just sayin'

Look at my Avatar picture on CO Fisherman.... Buddy I was fishing with got a 15.5" this weekend.

[SLAYERFISH]

Look at my Avatar picture on CO Fisherman.... Buddy I was fishing with got a 15.5" this weekend.

From a boat in the summer?

[callovthemackinaw]

gotta hit up ol peck and he will put you on the sauce.

[Honks34]

This post is hilarious. It is far from the Dead Sea. I fish it all the time and have nothing but success. Been having 20+ walleye days on the ice, lots of jumbo perch, nice crappie, big browns, and pike. These are just a few highlights from the last couple seasons. Went out yesterday and caught 30 something fish. Fishing is definitely getting tougher because of added pressure, but there’s still a lot of fish. Still have 100 fish day in open water as well.

[Honks34]

Some more from a recent trip.

[callovthemackinaw]

 

[Honks34]

rifle is pretty done for now, not that many perch, more pike then anything I saw last year, ready to go north after Christmas,, will be fishing on boat tomorrow 😁😁😁

CPW literally stocks over 10,000 catchable perch in Rifle every year. I have no problem catching them. Pike are also having a downward trend due to low water causing little recruitment. Pike and walleye are the reason why Rifle is a trophy perch fishery anyway. Ice anglers take more big perch than pike ever will.

[TimK]

This post is hilarious. It is far from the Dead Sea. I fish it all the time and have nothing but success. Been having 20+ walleye days on the ice, lots of jumbo perch, nice crappie, big browns, and pike. These are just a few highlights from the last couple seasons. Went out yesterday and caught 30 something fish. Fishing is definitely getting tougher because of added pressure, but there’s still a lot of fish. Still have 100 fish day in open water as well.

Oh glorious day.  Look everyone, we've been graced by the presence of Ben Linnnnelll, the most humble of facebook ice fishing know it all sh!t talkers to ever hale from the western slope.  Dont question him hes got a degree in biology or something.  Heard he catches a lot of fish right around the spillway on the east side of rifle gap dam, something about a screen down there. 

[Honks34]

Oh glorious day.  Look everyone, we've been graced by the presence of Ben Linnnnelll, the most humble of facebook ice fishing know it all sh!t talkers to ever hale from the western slope.  Dont question him hes got a degree in biology or something.  Heard he catches a lot of fish right around the spillway on the east side of rifle gap dam, something about a screen down there.

That’s hilarious. Idk who you are and you clearly don’t know me. Also have never even seen the screen at Rifle, so that’s a blatant fabrication. I almost never fish near the dam. Maybe you should try.