Aurora Reservoir
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Aurora Reservoir FISH SURVEY AND MANAGEMENT DATA Paul Winkle, Aquatic Biologist, Denver [email protected] / 303-291-7232 General Information: Aurora Reservoir, an 820 acre storage reservoir, offers good fishing for wiper, yellow perch, smallmouth bass, rainbow trout, and walleye. For park hours, fees, and other information: https://www.auroragov.org/ThingsToDo/Reservoirs/AuroraReservoir/index.htm Location: East on Quincy Avenue, one mile east of Gun Club Road. Turn south onto the access road to the reservoir. Recreational Management: City of Aurora (303-690-1286) Fishery Management: Warm and Coldwater species Annual Survey Data: (see page 2) Amenities and General Info. Previous Stocking Sportfishing Notes Boat Ramps (1) The current State Record Picnic Areas 2019 smallmouth bass and channel Restrooms Rainbow Trout catfish were caught at Aurora Swim Beach Channel Catfish Reservoir SCUBA Area Walleye Walleye Archery Range Wiper Big walleye are present in Windsurfing 2018 good numbers because the Rainbow Trout regulations protect large fish. Channel Catfish These regulations give an- Walleye glers an opportunity to catch 2017 trophy size walleye. Rainbow Trout Anglers are successful using Fishing Regulations Channel Catfish live bait rigs and jigging Minimum size for walleyes Walleye spoons. is 18” long. Only 1 walleye 2016 Yellow Perch longer than 21” can be tak- Rainbow Trout Large yellow perch can be en per day. No saugeye are Channel Catfish caught ice fishing using small present in this lake. Walleye jigs tipped with waxworms or Minimum size for large- Wiper mealworms. mouth and smallmouth bass 2015 Rainbow Trout is 15”. Rainbow Trout Trout fishing is generally Channel Catfish good during the cooler Walleye months using traditional baits. 2014 Flyfishing in shallow water in Rainbow Trout Spring can be excellent Channel Catfish Wiper Walleye Anglers are successful off the Wiper dam using jerkbaits. 2013 Rainbow Trout Channel Catfish Walleye Aurora Reservoir FISH SURVEY AND MANAGEMENT DATA Paul Winkle, Aquatic Biologist, Denver [email protected] / 303-291-7232 The figure to the left shows the percent relative abundance of the Aurora Reservoir 2016 Fish Survey most abundant species in the 2016 Aurora Reservoir survey. Annual surveys here include the Rainbow trout use of gill nets, trap nets, and 3% boat electrofishing. The 2016 results for gamefish show that 5% Walleye 14% yellow perch comprised the ma- jority (54%)of the sample, fol- 14% Largemouth Bass lowed by walleye and rainbow trout (14% each), and then large- 54% Yellow Perch mouth bass (10%). Smallmouth 10% bass, wiper, channel catfish, and bluegill were also collected. Wip- White Sucker er, catfish, and smallmouth bass typically reside in deeper water, Other not accessible by sampling gear. The figure below shows the length frequencies of yellow perch, walleye, largemouth bass, and rainbow trout in the collections at Aurora Reservoir in 2016. The vertical bars represent the number of fish at a particular length. The length ranges on yellow perch (largest at 10”) show a healthy population which provides a good forage base. Walleyes up to 20” were collected (although larger fish reside here), and largemouth up to 18”. Rainbow trout up to 20” were collected in 2016, although they are stocked at only 10”. Trout do well in this deep lake, where they can find cooler water during the summer months. There also is a healthy popula- tion of smallmouth bass in Aurora Reservoir. Largemouth bass have increased in numbers over the last several years. Aurora Reservoir 2016 Length Frequencies 50 40 walleye largemouth bass rainbow trout 30 Yellow Perch 20 Number Fish of 10 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 Length (inches).