Anglers of all ages will have a chance to prove their mettle at the first-ever Bear Creek Lake Trout fishing tournament on Saturday, June 23.
“It’s something we’ve been talking about for years,” said Drew Sprafke, regional parks supervisor. “People get a lot of use in a lot of areas in the park, but fishing doesn’t get as much, so we’d like to showcase it.”
The target fish will be brown and rainbow trout, with the winner being determined by weight of the fish caught. The lake is normally a great place for fisherman to find rainbow trout, small-mouth bass and saugeye — all of which are stocked by the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Department, according to Sprafke. He said the department will stock the lake right before the tournament, which is sponsored by Dick’s Sporting Goods.
“There are spots for 25 shore anglers and 25 boat anglers,” said Jennifer Standlee, a seasonal park naturalist. She said the park has been getting the word out to the fishing community in an effort to make sure anglers are aware of the event.
The tournament is a two-person event, and one person on each team must be over 16 and have a valid Colorado fishing license. No equipment will be provided, so participants will need to bring their own, including boats.
The last day to register for the tournament is Monday, June 18. The cost is $50 per team and includes the park entrance fee.
The event will run from 6:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., and anglers will pick their two largest catches to enter in the competition, Sprafke said. While the event is not catch and release, naturalists are encouraging conscientious angling.
“If people are new to fishing, this is a fun way of showing that anyone can do it,” Standlee said. “It’s another neat way to get kids and families outside.”
For more information on the tournament, call 303-697-6159 or go to online to www.lakewood.org/bclp.