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Colorado Fishing Report
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Information for fishing reports is gathered by a number of
ways including angler contact, state agencies and bait and tackle
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Read Reports from Colorado
Anglers
We've had a request for reports on Golden Pond,
Pela Crossing & Lageman Reservoir
If you fish those waters, please email
us some reports.
Here is a list of Colorado Counties
June 11, 2013
Keep in mind that fishing conditions change on a constant basis. A lot can change in a week from the time this fishing conditions report is produced. If the water you are interested in knowing more about is not listed here or if you're looking for the most current information, we encourage anglers to explore some of the numerous private websites that offer fishing condition reports. Examples include: http://www.fishexplorer.com/, http://www.coloradofisherman.com/, http://www.fishhound.com/ and http://www.sportfishcolorado.com/. Many other fly shops and marinas also offer fishing condition reports on their websites as well.
Metro Denver Area
Aurora Reservoir (City of Aurora)
Aurora Reservoir is open to boating. Water temperature is 61 degrees. All watercraft must be inspected prior to launch in the lower parking lot near the boat ramp. Trout fishing is slow to fair at this time, but showing signs of picking up. June can be a great month for trout. From shore, try PowerBait using a slip rig and fishing deeper water. From boats, try trolling slowly with spoons and Rapalas. Some reports of walleye being caught using jigs and trolling with bottom bouncers. We’ve also had reports of smallmouth being caught using jigs and swim baits off the points. Some success from shore on walleye using slip floats and crawlers fished shallow. Slow on all other species. Watercrafts are restricted to electric motors only. For more information call 303-690-1286. Park hours for June are 5 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.
Arvada Reservoir (City of Arvada)
The agency stocked another 4,700 rainbow trout last week. We have had nearly 10,000 fished stocked in the past five weeks, so fishing has been good. All bait, worms, PowerBait, and jigs seem to be working. The smallmouth bass are still hitting jigs and worms. The 13th annual "Kid's Fishing Derby" held on Saturday was another great success with 284 kids registered. The largest fish taken was a 33-inch, 24-pound catfish.
Barr Lake State Park (Adams County)
Trout are biting near the boat ramp; trolling the buoy line works well for walleye. Some 18 to 20 inch walleye have been caught there recently; a 25-inch wiper was also hauled in in that area over Memorial Day weekend. Water temp is 63 degrees -- perfect for walleye. A state parks pass is required in addition to your valid fishing license.
Chatfield State Park (South of Littleton in Douglas and Jefferson Counties)
Fishing for rainbow trout is steady on the reservoir. Both shore fishermen and those from boats have had success using all variety of baits for trout. Sunfish are also becoming very active as the weather starts to warm up. Smallmouth and largemouth bass are moving in to shallow water in the reservoir and in the ponds on the south side of the park. Both species are feeding actively, and fishing with top-water lures can make for exciting catches this time of year. Use this method in the morning and evening. Bluegill and perch are an easy catch from the shoreline of most of the ponds. They will usually bite on small live bait, such as bee moth larva (wax worms), and are a good way to introduce children to fishing. Walleye are starting to move to deeper water. Fishing at night may be your best bet for walleye. Try using any deep water rig. Many fishermen have been fishing for catfish at night. There have been limited results and it may still be early for catfish to be active. As the summer approaches, fishing in the early evening and at night is the best approach for catfish. Try using live bait such as large night crawlers or commercially produced catfish “stink bait.”
Cherry Creek State Park (South of I-225, East of I-25 in Arapahoe County)
The water temperature is 63 degrees. From the shore at Dixon Grove and Tower Loop, trout and wiper are being caught with worms. From mid-lake, walleye and crappie are being caught with worms and bottom bouncers. The West Shades are reporting trout using worms. Just a reminder, boaters must stay at least 60 feet away from the front of the tower structure at Tower Loop. Both ramps are open from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. No launching is permitted outside those hours without previous inspection.
Quincy Reservoir (City of Aurora)
Water temperature is 65 degrees. Fishing is restricted to artificial flies and lures only. Only watercrafts capable of being launched by hand are permitted; electric motors only. All watercraft must be inspected prior to launch. Trout fishing is fair using spoons and flies. Bass fishing is good using soft plastics, buzz baits and jigs. Smallmouth reports using jigs and swim baits off the dam. No other reports at this time. For more information call 303-693-5463. Park hours for May are 5 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Standley Lake (City of Westminster, Jefferson County)
Standley Lake is open for day boating and permit holders. The current lake temperature is approximately 66 degrees. Fishing times are 6:30 a.m. to sunset and will be strictly enforced. Aquatic bait is not allowed at Standley Lake; this includes salamanders, leeches, crayfish, frogs and minnows. Aquatic Nuisance Species (ANS) regulations are in effect. Call for more details. A $7 fee is charged for all drive-in traffic. A $15 fee for daily boating is required for canoes, kayaks and small fishing vessels. No belly boats are allowed. Any trailered boat must meet ANS program protocols and are subject to a fifteen-day quarantine. Drive-in access is available from 7 a.m. to sunset. For more information, contact the Standley Lake Nature Center at (303) 425-1097.
Northeast
Antero Reservoir
Here's an update from Brian: "We launched the boat from the great new ramp on the south shore around 4 p.m. Friday. We chartered to the area towards Pelican Island and were with fish within a few minutes. It rained lightly a few times but the weather was warm enough to not dampen the enthusiasm to fish Antero for the first time this year. Great news that it was not drained. We caught about 15 fish between the two of us with a mixed bag of rainbows, cutbows and one Snake River cutthroat. The largest was pushing 22 inches with most around 17 to 18 inches and quite healthy "fatties." We released them back to grow for the summer. Fishing towards evening actually slowed as we reluctantly got off the water by the 8:30 p.m. curfew. Saturday morning we launched again by 530 a.m. despite a rather frigid night in the tent. We landed another nice mix and got the "Antero 4 way": rainbows, cutbows, Snake River cutthroat and two browns. In all, around 15 fish, although some were rather small by Antero standards, but most were hefty and fought with vigor. Strong winds came up, so we decided to pack the boat up and depart but look forward to more fine fishing at the alive and well Antero!"
Boyd Lake State Park (North of Loveland, Larimer County)
Largemouth bass fishing is good using worms in shallow water on the southwest side of the lake. The smallmouth fishing is also good using worms on the southwest side of the lake. White bass fishing is fair right now, using small white jigs on a float or plastic minnows at Inlet Shore. The blue gill fishing is poor, and there is no report lake-wide. Carp fishing is good, although there is no more to report. Catfish are fair – also no report lake-wide. Crappies are fair using Gold Kastmasters at the South End. The trout fishing is also fair using all baits lake-wide. Walleye is fair using a worm harness in about 15 feet of water. Yellow perch is poor, and there is no report. The current water temperature is in the low-to-mid-60s, with a depth of 38 feet. The lake is approximately 1000-plus surface acres. Please remember, any Live fish collected for use as bait may only be used in the same body of water from which they were collected. All live baitfish from a commercial source and transported by anglers must at all times be accompanied by a receipt for the source. See the Colorado Fishing Regulation for further clarification and information.
Carter Lake (Larimer County)
Walleye have been hitting hard near the North Pines boat ramp and back into Green Cove on crawler harnesses being jigged across the bottom at 12 to 15 inches.
Eldorado Canyon State Park (South Boulder Creek, Boulder County)
South Boulder Creek is running high around 311 CFS near the Ranger Station. Fishing conditions are good with stones, caddis and midges with pheasant tails.
Eleven Mile State Park (Park County)
Trout fishing is very good right now. The hot spots this week appear to be Coyote Ridge through North Shore to Rocky Flats, Suckers Cove and Witchers Cove. Early to late afternoon is showing the best results. Try lures with a meal worm, spoons, Kastmasters, or orange PowerBait with sprinkles. For night fishing, try a nightcrawler floated with a Marshmallow. The worm should be suspended in the water and not lying on the bottom. The salmon fishing is good. They are running 15 to 40 feet down. The best location is in the channel from the islands to the closure line. Try late morning to early afternoon. Try spoons tipped with meal worms, Swedish Pimples, jigs, or Kastmasters. Red and pink are the hot colors. The pike fishing is fair. Action is being found at Coyote Ridge, North Shore, Rocky Flats, Stoll Mountain, Cross Creek and Witchers Cove. Try spoons, waterdogs or tube jigs. Dream Stream is good. Large fish are being caught with Midges, Barr’s Emergers, San Juan worms and egg patterns.
Flatiron Reservoir (Larimer County)
Las week, 3,800 10-inch trout were stocked. They have been hitting hard on salmon eggs, PowerBait and worms.
Golden Gate Canyon State Park Ponds (Jefferson and Gilpin Counties)
Golden Gate Canyon State Park offers five fishing ponds open year-round to all park visitors. The ponds are Kriley, Slough, Ranch Ponds East and West, and Dude's Fishing Hole. Each angler is allowed four fish per day with eight being the maximum number in possession. No live baits are allowed with the exception of worms. Please call the Visitor Center for directions at 303-582-3707.
Horsetooth Reservoir, Lory State Park (Larimer County)
Fishing at Horsetooth Reservoir has never been better! The water temperatures rise as the warm days of summer continue. The trout are active and abundant, feeding on anything from nightcrawlers to spinners. Shoreline fishing has improved as the water continues to rise and clear. Satanka, at the north end of the lake, has produced good sized trout and a few walleye. The small bass are attacking lures and jigs in the entrance to the Eltuck Coves, as well as Dixon and Quarry. Walleye have made their summer debut, and they are back hitting hard and often. Bottom bouncing in the South Bay channel has produced good sized fish. Come out and join in on the excitement.
Jackson Lake State Park (Morgan County)
The reservoir is full. Surface water temperature is approximately 66 degrees. Fishing has been fair to good on carp, wipers, walleye, trout and channel catfish; it's usually best to fish in mornings or evenings. There continues to be nice sized wipers and walleye being caught. For wipers and walleyes, the bait has been nightcrawlers. There were some trout stocked this past week.
Jumbo Reservoir (Logan and Sedgwick Counties)
The water level has dropped 2 feet. Fishing has been slow, but some anglers are catching a few walleye, trout, catfish and crappie. Jumbo requires an annual fishing/hunting license, or an annual state wildlife access permit to enter Jumbo, per person ages 19 to 64. The minimum size for walleye & wipers is 15 inches.
North Sterling State Park (Logan County)
No report this week.
Pinewood Reservoir (Larimer County)
Fishing has been great in Fisherman's Cove and below the Windy Pines Campground. Trout have been hitting on green and pink PowerBait as well as salmon eggs. An 11 year old boy caught a 20-inch Tiger Muskie near the cove on PowerBait.
Prewitt Reservoir (Washington County)
Water levels are beginning to drop. Fishing has been slow for most species. The boat dock has now been installed. Prewitt requires an annual fishing/hunting license, or an annual state wildlife access permit to enter Prewitt, per person ages 19 to 64. The minimum size for wipers and walleye is 15 inches.
Spinney Mountain State Park (Park County)
The trout fishing is good. Fishermen are reporting the most success in the deeper waters. Good catches are being seen in the inlets and closer to the dam. Try using small emergers, chironomids and egg patterns which seem to be the most productive flies. Rapalas in gold and green seem to be doing well, too. The pike fishing is also good. Reports are putting the pike at about 300 to 450 feet in the lake. Try using spoons or tube jigs.
St. Vrain State Park ponds (Weld County)
The trout fishing is starting to slow down at St. Vrain. Being as natural as possible in your presentations is going to be key in order to produce good numbers of fish. Try rooster tails and Mepps-type lures, along with the traditional nightcrawlers and red salmon eggs. The catfishing, however, is picking up. Lots of 12 to 14-inchers being caught on the standard worm setups and some on catfish bait. Late evenings are usually the best but some are even being caught during the day (see St. Vrain homepage for the latest "Big Cat"). Bass fishing is in full swing. Coot and Bald Eagle ponds are producing consistent three-pound-plus largemouths. Lucky Tip: Spinner baits in the deeper water are starting to produce.Please remember that Bald Eagle pond has the following restrictions: Flies and Lures only (no bait); all bass must be returned to the water immediately; scented plastic/rubberized baits must be one-and-a-half inches or longer. As the summer comes along, the more the fish are pressured. Being as natural as possible with both your lure and bait presentations is going to be key. Hope to see you out here!
Southeast
Adobe Creek Reservoir/Blue Lake (Kiowa and Bent Counties)
Fishing for crappies has slowed at Blue Lake. Fishing for catfish from the shore is fair to good. Boats can still be launched from the low water boat ramp at blue lake.
Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area/Arkansas River (Lake, Chaffee and Fremont Counties)
Here's an update from Greg at ArkAnglers: “The Arkansas River appears to be hitting peak flows during the early part of this week. As a result, the water is fairly turbid, especially as one moves downstream. Expect the edges to be clearing soon, though, and the dry-dropper fishing to really get going. Golden and yellow sally stoneflies are migrating toward the shoreline and fish will be keying onto them as the visibility improves. Hoppers and streamers will also be working well in the weeks ahead."
Brush Hollow Reservoir (Fremont County)
Recent chatter on fishexplorer.com indicates some success with crappies using Rat-L-Traps and some largemouth in the 4 to 15 inch range. The reservoir is full, and the boat ramp is in the water.
Clear Creek Reservoir (Chaffee County)
Clear Creek Reservoir boat ramp is open Thursday through Monday, 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Fishing has been good from boats and shore. Shore fishermen using various bait including worms and power bait. Most fishermen are bait fishing as the insects have not really come out yet. Most common bait is PowerBait. Here is an update from Jerry Hornbuckle: "This past week has been a continuation of the previous ones. Smaller stockers have been caught at rates between 5 and 15 per hour per person from both shore and boats, and a few larger sized rainbow trout were caught every day. From shore, PowerBait and worms continue to produce good numbers of rainbow trout all around the lakeshore with no distinct difference based upon location. Lures were spotty. Some days almost any lure did well; on other days, certain ones worked well but not others. This past week, Kastmasters seem to have been better than others, although Tasmanian Devils, and Montero Marvels or Pistol Petes fished with a water-filled bubble on spinning gear did just as well. Just as with last week, color preferences tended to be blue and silver, or red and gold patterns. In general terms, your favorite lure fished in your lucky spot seems to be the best combination. From boats, small spinner lures trolled or cast worked well. Those trolling with worms on a bare hook beneath pop gear produced fun results and numbers. Winds have, in general, suppressed fly fishing, but the few fly fishermen have seemed to do well with wet flies doing better than dry. Pheasant tails were reported to do well, and San Juan worms, too. Morning hatches of gnats were observed, not other insect species. Please note that when people report large numbers of fish caught, the majority of those caught are “catch and release,” subject to state regulations for daily catch limits and total possession limits."
DeWeese Reservoir (Custer County)
No recent reports.
Henry Lake (Crowley County)
There is currently a public fish salvage operation at Lake Henry. The fish salvage is due to low water conditions. Bag and possession limits have been lifted at Lake Henry. The prohibited methods of take at Lake Henry are: use of poisons, explosives, firearms, electricity. Anglers must have a current and valid fishing license to participate in the salvage. Fishing is restricted to day light hours only.
John Martin Reservoir State Park (Bent County)
Fishing is starting to pick up on the reservoir and below the dam. The stilling basin and the Arkansas River below the dam have produced large catfish, saugeye and striper. The reservoir has produced a few crappies using bright jigs along the rocky coves on the north and south shores near the dam. White bass and wiper are being caught by the dozens out of the reservoir on similar jigs as crappie. Drum bluegill, carp, and walleye have also been caught in the reservoir, but with varying frequency. Good Luck!
Lake Pueblo State Park (Pueblo County)
Summer is bringing many anglers out to the lake, and just in time! The fishing has been steady the past week, with crappie, walleye, trout and bass all being caught in good numbers. The reservoir is fishing the best at cooler times, though fish can be caught all day long. The ponds on the park (Anticline and Valco) have continued to fish well, as the young anglers proved on Sunday at the fishing derby at Anticline. Fish measuring in the high teens were caught by the eager kids, with carp and catfish being some of the ones to beat. The Arkansas River continues to run high, but the fishing is always nice for rainbows and browns. Come on out to the park today and try your luck. If all else fails, you are still outside enjoying the park! During the busy season please be considerate of all other users here at the park and know they are out enjoying our natural resources just as you are. Also, please continue to follow the rules and regulations regarding method of take and bait use while on the river. If you have any questions please stop in at our visitor center or ask a ranger on the park. Tight lines everyone!
Lathrop State Park, Martin Lake and Horseshoe Lake (Huerfano County)
The stocked trout are still biting and provide a fairly easy catch if you take a boat out on Horseshoe. Most people are now using crawlers. The muskie bite has slowed down, and we have seen only a few pulled in over the last week. The pike bite is starting to pike up in about 10 to 12 feet of water and off the dam. We have seen a lot of cat fishermen at night, but we have not received any reports of catfish being caught yet -- the warmer water should help these fish become more active. The water is sitting around 62 degrees on both lakes. The lakes are warming up, which is also bringing more recreation boaters out to Martin, crowding the lake with boats. Good luck, and stop by the visitor center to share you catch.
Meredith Reservoir (Crowley County)
Fishing for catfish from the shore is fair to good using a variety of baits. There are a few wiper also being caught at Lake Henry. The boat ramp at Meredith is closed due to low water conditions.
Mt. Elbert Forebay (Lake County)
Fishing conditions at Mt. Elbert Forebay have been very good. A majority of the anglers reported catching multiple fish with very few anglers not landing any fish at all. Shore anglers employing bait may want to consider using worms, pink PowerBait and magnum floating power eggs. Trout were consistently taking these baits at both the northern and southern parts of the reservoir. Shore anglers engaging in active fishing reported trout taking Panther Martins and Kastmasters at the southern part of the reservoir. Anglers caught mostly cutthroat trout and rainbow trout between 8 and 12 inches. Midday water surface temperatures were in the low 50s.
Nee Gronda Reservoir (Kiowa County)
Nee Gronda fishing has been slow. Fishing for wiper and catfish is expected to be good. Water levels continue to drop making boat access "hand launch only."
Rampart Reservoir (El Paso County)
The U.S. Forest Service opened the reservoir to shoreline anglers and hand launched watercraft on May 24. The road across the dam and access to the boat ramp will remain closed to vehicle traffic. No reports on fishing.
Turquoise Reservoir (Lake County)
Turquoise is filling, but the water level is not quite to the bottom of the boat ramp. The ramp is still closed. Check with the USFS Leadville District Ranger office at 719-486-0749 for ramp opening info. Fishing is good for catchable size and larger trout with spinners and all baits.
Trinidad Lake State Park (Las Animas County)
Trinidad Lake is approximately 430 surface acres and the surface temperature is around 60 degrees. Anglers are still catching rainbows on various colored PowerBaits and homemade dough baits. Perch were biting for shoreline anglers using nightcrawlers. Boaters were also catching walleye, bass and wiper using various jigs with nightcrawlers or Mister Twisters. The boat ramp is open for the season. Boaters beware of floating debris and unmarked hazards. Anglers are reminded to check the regulations for bass and walleye.
Twin Lakes Reservoir (Lake County)
Fishing conditions at Twin Lakes Reservoir in late May have been slow. Fishing for large lake trout in the inlet area of the lower lake and near underwater structure has been very productive lately. Mackinaw are cruising shallow water looking for forage. Fishing early and late in the day with large Rapalas has worked well. Anglers fishing from shore fared better at the lower part of the lake than the upper part of lake. Shore anglers reported rainbow trout striking pink PowerBait near the power plant, and lures were found to be effective near the Dexter Point boat ramp. The dock is tentatively scheduled to be set up at the Dexter Point boat ramp by June 10. The midday water surface temperatures are in the low 50s.
Northwest
Colorado River at Glenwood Springs (Garfield County)
From the Taylor Creek Fly Shop: “Due to May run-off, the Colorado River is murky and not ideal for fishing for the next few weeks.”
Delaney Buttes, Cowdrey and Lake John (Jackson County)
Updates on fishexplorer.com say the nights at Lake John are cold, with warm days and windy afternoons. Catchable rainbows up to 17 inches have been reported.
Elkhead Reservoir State Park (Moffat County)
Elkhead Reservoir is mostly clear at this time. Smallmouth bass are biting about 10 feet below the surface. Pike and crappie are beginning to bite. Water temperature is above 60 degrees on the lake, finally, with coves holding near 65 degrees.
Fryingpan River (Eagle County)
Here's a report from Taylor Creek Fly Shop: "Flow is at 120 CFS. The Fryingpan is running gin-clear in the upper reaches and middle river, and there is a bit of color in the lower due to the smaller feeder creeks running off closer to Basalt. There are good numbers of blue-winged olives and midges river-wide, and we are seeing plenty of caddis on the lower. The ‘shrimping’ in the Toilet Bowl has been spectacular: watch the fish for a few minutes before you start and keep your flies high or low as the fish dictate. We have seen a handful of PMDs already, and better numbers of these bigger mayflies are on the horizon. Caddis and stoneflies are the name of the game down low, be sure to be on the water from 6 p.m. until dark for some lightning round caddis egg-layers. Streamers have moved plenty of fish this week, especially late in the day or anytime clouds are in the sky. If you are fishing near the top miles, keep dry fly leaders long and tapered to 7x. The farther downriver you fish, the heavier tippet sizes are easier to get away with. Hint: The San Juan Worm is fishing very well river-wide!"
Harvey Gap State Park (Garfield County)
Lots of trout are being caught throughout the lake, especially at the dam.
Highline Lake State Park and Mack Mesa Reservoir (Mesa County)
Fishing is always fun at both Mack Mesa and Highline Lakes! Both lakes have been stocked this spring, so come out and drop a line or two. Bring the gang, or come solo for the peace and quiet -- any day fishing is a good day! Boats must use the East (Visitor Center) park entrance for timely ANS inspections.
James M. Robb Colorado River State Park (Mesa County)
Trout fishing is still great at the Fruita, Corn Lake and Island Acres sections using worms and PowerBait. The catfish are starting to bite at the Fruita and Island Acres sections, and there have been some large bass caught at Connected Lakes. Remember bass caught at Connected must be at least 18 inches and the limit is two.
Lake Granby (Grand County)
Here's an update from Tracy Featherston, the Lake Granby skipper from fishexplorere.com: "Granby water level is at minus-37 feet and clarity is at 1 to 2 feet depending where you are. Sunset Point boat ramp remains the only ramp open. Fishing is on and off for Macs in 25 to 40 feet of water at a lake depth of 45 to 80 feet, using orange spoons, small crank baits and white tube jigs tipped with sucker meat. Shore fisherman can find fish wherever water is coming into the lake."
Pearl Lake State Park (Routt County)
Blue Kastmasters in the evening have been doing well; wooly boogers, crawdad type flies have been hitting well also, according to our guests.
Rifle Falls, Rifle Gap State Park (Garfield County)
In Rifle Gap, pike and perch are being caught near the dam as well as on the east end of the lake. For Rifle Falls, rainbow and cutthroat trout are being found in East Rifle Creek which flows through Rifle Falls. Fish up to 19 inches long have been taken, with 6-to-9-inch fish being the average size. Brown and black flies or spinners work the best. Bait, except for live fish, can be used.
Roaring Fork River (Garfield County)
Latest info from Taylor Creek Fly Shop: "Flow (in Basalt) is at 1,300 CFS. The Fork is obviously in runoff mode, but there have been ‘moments of clarity’ to be found, especially in the last few hours of daylight. The best indicator for good fishing right now is to keep an eye on overnight temps. If it stays cool, the next afternoon will generally afford you some clarity and fishability. Check out the softer water, side channels, and anywhere the fish can get a break from the current. Caddis, stones, worms and eggs are the name of the game. The river, even when clearing, is moving very quickly, so be sure to exercise caution."
Stagecoach State Park (Routt County)
Anglers trolling the inlet have been landing plenty of 14 to 18 inch trout. PowerBait, wooly buggers, tazmanian devils and worms seem to be working well. Shores are a little muddy. Pike are spawning and a handful of smaller size pike have been caught. Emergers, midges and prince nymphs in dark colors have yielded some beautiful rainbows at the tailwaters below the dam. Small sections of shoreline have been roped off to help prevent erosion. If the tailwaters parking lot is full, please park at the dam or come back another time to avoid overcrowding.
State Forest State Park (Jackson County)
Four fish in bag, eight in possession at the lower lakes. Flies and lures only on the high alpine lakes, two fish in bag limit. North Michigan Reservoir is free of ice. North Michigan Reservoir stocked on May 23. Good fishing!
Steamboat Lake State Park (Routt County)
Meadow Point is pretty hot right now with most anglers using worms, eggs or PowerBait. A 20-inch rainbow was caught at Bridge Island on a crawdad lure; the inlets are still very heavily fished with fly fisherman doing well.
Sylvan Lake State Park (Eagle County)
The lake was stocked with catchable rainbows May 15, and 12-inch cutthroat on May 20. Anglers are trying to match a variety of hatches. Gold spinners and PowerBaits are working well for rainbow, cutthroat and brookies, too. East Brush Creek is running fast. Try the beaver ponds on West Brush Creek.
Vega State Park (Mesa County)
Fishing is excellent at Vega. Worms, PowerBait, spinners and salmon eggs have been successful in landing rainbows and cutthroat in the 12 to 16 inch range. All three boat ramps are open. Please stop by the entrance station for a boat inspection prior to launching. Citations will be issued for those failing to receive an inspection.
Yampa River State Park (Routt County)
Trout are beginning to bite on the Yampa River, and it continues to be clear but is running fast. One angler reported success with worms on the river.
Southwest
Big Meadows Reservoir (Rio Grande County)
No recent reports.
Blue Mesa Reservoir (Gunnison County)
No recent reports.
Crawford State Park (Delta County)
Catfish and pike are both being caught on a regular basis. Crappie seem to bite when the weather is warmer, and slow down some when the temperature drops. There are still reports of an occasional perch or bass. No reports of bass caught that are large enough to keep.
Echo Canyon Reservoir (Archuleta County)
No recent reports.
Gunnison Gorge, Gunnison River (Gunnison - Delta County)
No recent reports.
Mancos State Park, Jackson Gulch Reservoir (Montezuma County)
Jackson Gulch reservoir continues to have inflow from snowmelt. However, outflow has also begun so the lake is still quite low. The water level has been fluctuating about six inches either direction depending on inflow and domestic demands on the outflow. In spite of the low lake level, fishing has been excellent for 10 to 12 inch rainbow trout and six to seven inch yellow perch with an occasional large brown trout. Early each month throughout the summer, 10,000 rainbow trout will be stocked. The inlet is flowing at about 33 CFS, and this is a favorite area for the trout to hang out while there is inflow. Trout enjoy various PowerBaits, worms, and some inline spinners such as panther martins and crocodiles, and Kastmasters have seen some success. Fly fisherfolk have had luck with small dry flies such as Irresistibles, especially in the early morning and late evening hours along the dam and near the inlet. Perch love nightcrawler, mealworm or waxworm. Perch are small, averaging about six to seven inches, but anglers should keep them if they’ll eat them. There is no limit on the number of perch you keep; the daily limit for trout is four. A park pass is required when utilizing the park. Daily park passes are available at the self-serve pay post at the park entrance. Park passes and fishing licenses are on sale at the Mancos entrance station during staff hours. For fishing rules/regulations and information please visit the "Fishing" page.
Navajo State Park (Archuleta County)
The crappie have been biting in LaJara and Bancos Canyons. Bullheads are biting in Colorado. Water temperature is currently approximately 60 degrees. The 2013-14 Colorado and New Mexico fishing licenses are available at the Visitor Center at this time. Please remember to bring sunscreen, insect repellent and clothes appropriate for changes in the weather.
Ridgway State Park (Ouray County)
The reservoir is 94 percent full and continues to rise this week. Our most recent stocking of the reservoir, with 2,000 catchable rainbow trout, occurred on May 7. Both shore fishermen and boaters are reporting very good fishing for stocker-sized fish (eight to 12 inches) with a few larger fish (18 to 20 inches) being caught. The catch is mostly rainbows, but there have also been some browns and smallmouth bass. Shore fishermen are doing well along the Dallas Creek day use area and Mears Bay shorelines. Shore fisherman should to try gold Kastmasters, rainbow or green PowerBait, or worms off the bottom. Boat fishermen are having luck with gold Kastmasters and black/silver sinking Rapalas near the dam, the west shore, and around the opening to Mears Bay. Fishing in the Uncompahgre River at Pa-Co-Chu-Puk is excellent. Our most recent stocking of the river, with 200 cutthroat trout, occurred on May 1. The river flows are currently at around 86 CFS and will increase soon. Fly fisherman are doing well on bead-headed nymphs, pheasant tails and brown wooly buggers; copper johns and small midges are also working. Spin fisherman are doing well with gold Mepps and yellow/black Panther Martins. Please remember that the Uncompahgre River in Pa-Cu-Chu-Puk is restricted to flies and lures only, and all fish caught must be returned to the river immediately. The ponds at Pa-Co-Chu-Puk have a good population of rainbows and some brown trout, and fishing in June has been very good. Fishermen have been doing well with worms and salmon eggs on top in the mornings and evenings, and various colors of PowerBait off the bottom in the afternoon.
Rio Grande River (Rio Grande County)
Rio Grande River is running high, so nothing to report.
Taylor Reservoir (Gunnison County)
Here's an update from Dee Dee at Taylor Park Marina: "Fishing continues to be hot up here. Lake Trout are between 20 and 50 feet. Jigging, trolling with Rapalas and Flatfish or suckermeat on the bottom are all effective! Pike fishing has been very good, too. Lots of Pike between 10 and 13 pounds were caught over the weekend, including a 25.75 pounder on Saturday. That almost beats our record. Check out the Taylor Park Marina on Facebook for new pictures. As usual, rainbow fishing is good too!
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