Death of a monster

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lloyd3
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Location: Parker, Colorado

Death of a monster

#1

Post by lloyd3 »

Finally got out to fish a bit yesterday in an old & long-favored spot. Now, much like everywhere else here on the Front Range, it's been heinously-overused to the point where it plainly shows it, but...no matter, I/we badly needed a change of scenery, and since it was mid-week and having been predicted to be a fairly breezy day, my newly-retired neighbor & I gambled on things being a bit underutilized on the river (& thankfully, we guessed right). I'd fished one particular pool there in the fairly recent past (maybe 2 years ago now) and had hooked a fish then that I simply couldn't do anything with (which was an unexpected treat, really). It towed me around the smallish (but very-deep) pool for a good while until the size 24 hook finally let go. The river level was way down at that time, allowing drifts that would otherwise be impossible (due to the normally strong and conflicting currents). Yesterday was another low-flow day, so I gave it another shot. This time, however, nobody was home and after an extended stint of fruitless casting, I started to move-on downstream to the next plausible spot. Just below that pool however, I saw a decent-sized fish move out from under the bank (in a rather unlikely spot, open and fairly shallow) and shoot off into the main current (a good sign as I was seeing very few fish otherwise, a family of ospreys having taken-up residence on this once-wonderful location). I also saw something else as the silt cleared from the fish's departure so I moved in for a closer look. There in the ooze along the bank was at least 2 substantial feet of very dead brown trout. Big head, kype-jawed, and with all the classic markings still in evidence. Now... there's no way to know if this was the fish that gave me that fun little ride 2 long years-ago, but fish that size aren't exactly common on the river there anymore. Still sorting-out how all that feels...
Last edited by lloyd3 on 05/13/22 10:55, edited 3 times in total.

flyty2
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Re: Death of a monster

#2

Post by flyty2 »

:(

lloyd3
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Location: Parker, Colorado

Re: Death of a monster

#3

Post by lloyd3 »

It was a bit of a strange day there yesterday. While walking to the next bend, I almost ran into a cow elk, literally. A lone, possibly older (& dry?) cow that had almost no fear of me or my buddy. Now... I have hunted elk out here for 30-years and this isn't normal at all, so...not sure what's going on with her.

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RWHoffhines
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Re: Death of a monster

#4

Post by RWHoffhines »

Wow Lloyd, that an image-PACKED little missive there. I could really see through your words. "Two feet of brown trout"...good on ya!

Rob

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GerardH
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Re: Death of a monster

#5

Post by GerardH »

Very vivid writing and great photography, thank you!

Regarding the cow elk, is CWD known to inflicting deer/elk populations in the area?

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Re: Death of a monster

#6

Post by Low Profile »

Lloyd,

Can't comment on the elk. Did you look closely at the trout to see an obvious death cause? if it appeared to die of old age so be it and that's life. If it had and eagle claw hook leader hanging out of it's mouth you know what killed it. Your osprey comment is interesting. I fish quite a few bigger marginal trout rivers that in the recent past had very large free rising trout in April through late May and they are gone. Nothing has radically changed weather wise in my region and these rivers get little human pressure so that is not the issue. But there certainly have been more eagles nesting and soaring over all of these areas I fish. My last heavy 22 incher had claw marks scratched up it's back like it was branded. Not complaining about the eagles (and all predatory birds) but they have a decided advantage over us and are apparently a priority over fisheries. Now that the trout are gone the birds can gorge on the rising fallfish and can deal with the bones.

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lloyd3
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Location: Parker, Colorado

Re: Death of a monster

#7

Post by lloyd3 »

LP: The trout was so long-enough dead that I didn't do a close examination. No obvious injuries but...who knows. The osprey thing is no joke. They have just about cleared out this particular stretch of the river.

Gerard: I wondered about CWD as well. The animal wasn't acting impaired, just oddly fearless. I have read that CWD got started here in Colorado and was exported all around the country by well-meaning fools. Haven't heard much about it lately, but I test every animal I harvest for it and have now for nearly 20-years.

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DrLogik
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Re: Death of a monster

#8

Post by DrLogik »

Lloyd,

The cow Elk sounds like cronic wasting disease. I agree with GerardH, are there any documented cases where you live? I would report the animal to the State DNR and give location where you saw her. CWD was spotted in a small deer population in my State North Carolina and the State Wildlife office is all over it.

lloyd3
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Joined: 03/01/17 15:55
Location: Parker, Colorado

Re: Death of a monster

#9

Post by lloyd3 »

The large number of people in that area anymore means that all the resident creatures are subjected to lots of human interaction. That elk is acting exactly like the mule deer that come up on our deck to eat my wife's flowers. It might be CWD or... it might merely be learned behavior. In either case, it's likely too-late to call anybody about it now.

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