Antero lunkers

[fire-n-ice]

About ten years ago I went with my father in law to antero reservoir. First trip there during ice season. We drilled our holes, pulled the shanty over, and started to clean the ice from our holes. I noticed that what i was scooping out of the hole wasn't ice but a million tiny freshwater shrimp. Every ten minutes or so I had to clean my hole. I thought if the fish are eating these shrimp their going to get huge in this lake. Six years later we were hauling out footballs. I still wonder if the reason they are getting so big there is because of the freshwater shrimp. After they had drained the reservoir and filled it back still they grow huge. I visited antero two months ago. There was a million people out there. I wonder how long the lunkers are going to be in antero?

[anglinarcher]

Yeah they eat well in that pond, but they do see their fare share of pressure.

[_colorado]

And if it's a cold winter like 2007-2008 then the ice gets so thick (along with blowing snow cover) that there's no oxygen production and the shrimp dominate - the result is major winterkills. 

[Prairiegoat]

Never fear, the trout in Antero grow at a rate of 1 1/2 to 2" per month. So a 12" stocker planted in August will grow to 18-20" by December. Couple that with a lack of predation and it is the reason why lunkers are relatively easy to catch. They are young trout with a hatchery mentality; whereas 11 Mile trout of the same size are several years old and angler savvy.

[fire-n-ice]

What does antero have that the nearby lakes don't? Are the food sources at antero that good or are the food sources at the other lakes to few?

[_colorado]

Just shallower and very weedy, like Spinney.  The vegetation grows like crazy during the warm months, thanks in part to the fertilizers and nutrients that wash in from the surrounding area.  Makes great habitat for aquatic insects and forage and the animals that exist on them.  It's exactly like Prairiegoat said, several DOW reports show that Antero stockers grow up to 2" per month.  I never thought of the 'stocker trout' mentality before but it kind of makes sense.  Baby Hueys out of the hatchery and into the feed tank.

11 Mile is deep, quickly getting over 30-40 feet on the west end and pushing 180-200' near the dam on the east end.  Older and wiser fish I guess - but that's what makes 11 Mile so satisfying to me: the prospect of a skunk is there everyday.

[Hardwater Junkie]

_colorado has never been skunked at 11 mile don't let him fool ya. He out fished me 4 to 1 on 12/7 , of course it was over the spot i picked....