The following fishing and stocking report is produced by the Colorado Division of Wildlife. For more information, call 303-291-7534.
Denver area
Arvada Reservoir: Fishing for recently stocked trout remains very good on Power Bait, night crawlers or salmon eggs.
Aurora Reservoir: Fishing for trout has been fair to good from shore using salmon eggs and Power Bait. Most fish are being caught close to the surface; best area has been off the dam.
Barr Lake: Trout fishing has slowed somewhat, but a few stockers are still being caught. Best baits are Power Bait and live minnows.
Bear Creek: Flow is 109 cfs and fishing has been fair to good for smaller rainbow trout.
Bear Creek Reservoir: The lake has been stocked with trout which can be caught on salmon eggs, worms or Power Bait.
Berkeley Lake: Smaller trout can be caught on Power Bait, Nitro Bait, small night crawlers or live minnows beneath a bobber.
Centennial Park Lake: Anglers are doing quite well here on rainbow trout using live minnows, pink Power Bait and Tasmanian Devils.
Chatfield Ponds: A good bass is caught now and again but fishing remains generally slow.
Chatfield Reservoir: Walleye are being caught on 1/4-ounce jigheads and three-inch Twister tails tipped with night crawlers.
Cherry Creek Reservoir: Some walleyes are continuing to hit minnows and shiners trolled slowly around the island. Crappie fishing has been slow. Trout have been caught on Power Bait, worms and salmon eggs.
Clear Creek (above Hwy. 119): Creek is clear and eminently fishable above Idaho Springs, somewhat discolored below. Use small midge patterns or Beadhead Prince Nymphs, Pheasant Tails, Adams and Blue Winged Olives.
Clear Lake: Power Bait and Nitro Bait work best.
Evergreen Lake: Fishing for stocked rainbow trout is slow.
Georgetown Lake: Ice is all off and fishing for trout has been quite good.
Gross Reservoir: Shorecasters have been having fair success on trout up to 18 inches using Kastmasters, Dardevles and Tasmanian Devils.
Jim Baker Reservoir: Kids can have a blast here catching small perch.
Main Lake: Bass fishing is slow because of the spawn near the shoreline.
Quincy Reservoir: Trout fishing has been fair to good on Beadhead Prince Nymphs and Pheasant Tails, or olive and brown midge patterns. Bass fishing is fair to good for some anglers, slow for others.
Rocky Mountain Lake: Mostly stocked rainbow trout.
Sloans Lake: Typically a slow lake for fishing.
Smith Reservoir: Bass have started their spawn and fishing for them is tough.
South Platte River (Waterton Canyon): Dry fly fishermen are doing well far up the canyon with Blue Wing Olives, Adams, and Pale Morning Duns.
Standley Lake: Fishing is good for stocker trout left over from last year.
Washington Park Lakes: Some nice crappie action.
Webster Lake: Best baits for trout are Power Bait and salmon eggs.
Northeast
Barker Reservoir: Stocked with rainbow trout last week and fishing for them should be good.
Bellaire Lake: Ice is off and anglers are catching trout on Power Bait, salmon eggs and Nitro Bait.
Big Thompson Ponds: Several anglers have reported catching largemouth bass, but most have been below keeper size.
Big Thompson River: Fishing is slow because the flow is up to 90 cfs through the canyon and water has chilled.
Boedecker Reservoir: Fishing remains slow.
Boulder Reservoir: Fishing should pick up again as the weather warms. Trout remain active, hitting on worms and Power Bait. Water level is good and boat ramps are usable.
Boyd Lake: Lake recently stocked and anglers have been catching trout.
Carter Reservoir: Trout fishing remains good with anglers doing best slow trolling along the west side.
Chambers Lake: Ice fishing for trout and mackinaw has been very good on Fat Gitzits sweetened with sucker meat.
Cowdrey Lake: Fishing has been slow.
Douglas Reservoir: Ice fishing for trout was fair to good but has slowed since ice-out.
Dowdy Lake (Red Feather): Fishing is good for trout using Thomas Buoyants, Little Cleos and Cyclones.
Dumont Lake: Iced up and inaccessible.
East Delaney Lake: All ice is off but the latest cold front slowed fishing.
Estes Lake: Fishing for trout has been fair to good and should get better since the lake was stocked with rainbows last week.
Flatiron Reservoir: Fishing remains good for recently stocked catchable trout.
Hohnholz Lakes: Fishing is slow.
Horsetooth Reservoir: Anglers are doing well on smallmouth bass and trout, with a few splake thrown in.
Jackson Reservoir: Wiper fishing remains fair to good at the inlet and off the dam.
Joe Wright Reservoir: Ice fishing for trout and grayling has just about come to an end.
Jumbo Reservoir: Fishing for stocked trout is good with Power Bait.
Lake John: Mostly open with little remaining ice but fishing is slow.
Laramie River at Hohnholz SWA: Anglers are catching brown trout of up to 18 inches on Panther Martins, Blue Fox and Vibrax.
Lon Hagler Reservoir: Fishing for recently stocked trout remains very good on Power Bait, Nitro Bait or night crawlers.
Lonetree Reservoir: Fishing will remain slow until the weather warms.
Long Draw Reservoir: Ice fishing should remain good until mid-May.
Lost Lake (at Chambers): There should be good fishing immediately after ice-out.
North Delaney Lake: Ice is all off but cold weather has delayed the Damsel Fly Hatch.
North Fork of the N. Platte River: Running high and discolored, still fishable with spinners and spoons, not much good for flies.
North Michigan Lake: Still ice-covered but ice is rotting fast and no longer safe.
North Park Streams: Panther Martins, Mepps Black Fury and spinners work well.
North Platte River: While flow stays down, you can catch some big browns on streamers and Woolly Buggers.
North Sterling Reservoir: Fishing remains slow though anglers are starting to catch a few walleyes, catfish and trout.
Parvin Lake (Red Feather): Fishing is fair to good using Kastmasters, Tasmanian Devils and Fiord spoons.
Pinewood Reservoir: Fishing has been slow.
Poudre River: Flows average 90 cfs through the canyon, and fishing remains good using Beadhead Hare’s Ear, Beadhead Prince and Flashabou Olive nymphs.
Prewitt Reservoir: A few catfish and wipers have been caught but fishing is slow.
Ranger Lakes: Frozen and inaccessible.
Seeley Lake: Trout fishing is good with Power Bait and Fireballs.
Seymour Reservoir: This lake yields primarily rainbows with an occasional brown.
Simpson Ponds: Anglers have been catching small bass on spinnerbaits, mostly in the back pond.
Slack Weiss Reservoir: Open-water fishing will improve as the water warms.
South Delaney Lake: The best fishing is usually along the west side, off the rock outcrops, using Tasmanian Devils, Z-Rays and Thomas Buoyants.
St. Vrain River: Still fishable in the canyon with trout hitting on Panther Martins, Mepps Black Fury spinners and Beadhead Nymphs.
Union Reservoir (Calkins): Fishing for trout has been good and wiper action was starting to pick up.
Watson Lake: Smallmouth bass have started biting on crankbaits and plastic worms.
Wellington Reservoir No. 4: Anglers can catch catfish on stinkbaits this early in the year.
West Lake (Red Feather): Fishing has been good with small Kastmasters and Thomas Buoyants on the east and south sides.
Northwest
Blue River (below Green Mtn. Res.): Flows below Green Mountain Reservoir are low and clear. Fishing remains good all the way from the tailwater to the confluence with the Colorado River.
Blue River (Dillon to Green Mtn. Res.): Lousy weather means good hatches of Midges and Blue Wing Olives.
Colorado River (below Parshall): Flow is 318 cfs and anglers have been doing well with RS-2s, WD-40s and Copper Johns.
Colorado River (Glenwood to Rifle): Current flow is 2,240 cfs in Glenwood Springs, discolored by runoff and unfishable.
Colorado River (near Granby): Trout fishing remains good; anglers do best with black or gray beadhead RS-2s, Copper Johns, and egg patterns.
Crystal River: Blown out by runoff and unfishable.
Elk River: Flow is 1,240 cfs and is unfishable.
Freeman Reservoir: Lake remains inaccessible at this time.
Fryingpan River: In the tailwater, good hatches of BWOs are coming off daily while high concentrations of Midges are being seen on the upper river.
Granby Reservoir: See page 12D.
Grand Lake: Brown trout have been running in and around the channel between Grand Lake and Shadow Mountain Reservoir, hitting on Rapalas and Kastmasters.
Green Mountain Reservoir: Best fishing is around the Blue River inlet where flies, lures and bait all do equally well.
Green River: Trout fishing remains very good with egg patterns, beadhead nymphs, stonefly nymphs, midge imitations and streamers.
Harvey Gap Reservoir: Fishing for trout has been good using Rapalas, small spinners, worms, Power Bait and salmon eggs.
Highline Lake: Fishing is good for recently stocked trout using Power Bait, spoons and spinners.
Lake Avery: This lake offers nice trout of 12-14 inches all summer.
Mack Mesa Lake: Fishing is excellent for stocked trout using Power Bait or worms.
Muddy Creek: Not fishable right now.
Pearl Lake: Fishing for trout is usually very good immediately after ice-out.
Rifle Gap Reservoir: Fishing has been excellent with trout hitting on Rapalas, small spinners, worms, salmon eggs and Power Bait.
Rio Blanco Lake: This lake harbors largemouth and smallmouth bass, pike, crappie, crappie, perch, bluegills and channel catfish.
Roaring Fork River: Above Carbondale, Blue Wing Olives are hatching consistently along with limited numbers of Caddis.
Shadow Mountain Reservoir: Small jigs sweetened with mealworms and conventional bait rigs with night crawlers, waxworms or salmon eggs are quite productive on trout.
Stagecoach Reservoir: Fishing should be good for pike using Triple Clickers, black and white Dardevles or Black Fury spinners .
Steamboat Lake: Ice-off is expected in the second or third week of May when fishing becomes very good with Woolly Buggers, other large nymph patterns, jigs and bait.
Trappers Lake: Look for good fishing after ice-out just before the cutthroat spawn.
Vega Reservoir: Fishing is good at the inlets with trout hitting well on Power Bait, salmon eggs, mealworms and flies.
White River: Discolored by runoff from feeder creeks but eminently fishable with flows of 638 cfs at Buford and 677 cfs at Meeker.
Williams Fork Reservoir: Laker trout are being caught on sucker meat and trolled Rapalas in 40 feet of water.
Williams Fork River: Releases from Williams Fork Reservoir are minimal and fishing will return to excellent as soon as the water clears.
Willow Creek Reservoir: Ice is still covering most of the lake, but fishing is excellent as soon as there is open water.
Wolford Reservoir: Fishing remains good with anglers catching lots of rainbows, browns and cutbows on Panther Martins, yellow with red spots and gold blades, and Kastmasters in silver and blue colors.
Yampa River (Hayden through Craig): High flow and is for the most part unfishable.
Yampa River (Stagecoach through Steamboat): Fishing remains very good in the tailwater below Stagecoach Reservoir with regular midge and Blue Wing Olive hatches.
Southeast
Adobe Creek Res. (Blue Lake): Spring fishing for catfish has been good, with large blue and channel catfish being caught.
Arkansas River No. 3 (through Pueblo): Good trout fishing except when there are extremely low or no outflows from Pueblo Dam.
Arkansas River (Buena Vista to Salida): Caddis have reached Stone Bridge and are expected to move upriver into Browns Canyon.
Arkansas River (Leadville to Buena Vista): Blue Wing Olives continue to be the hot ticket in this reach.
Arkansas River (Salida to Canon City): Caddis are extremely active throughout this reach, as are Blue Wing Olives.
Beckwith Reservoir: Fishing is fair for stocked rainbows.
Bonny Reservoir: A few catfish have been taken but fishing has been slow.
Brush Hollow Reservoir: Fishing for trout is good while the water stays cool.
Clear Creek Reservoir: Fishing is best along the dam and south shore, where flyfishers are doing well with Blue Wing Olives.
Cottonwood Lake: Fishing is good for rainbows and browns using nightcrawlers and salmon eggs.
Daigre Reservoir: Stocked last week and trout fishing should be good.
DeWeese Reservoir: Stocked with trout last week and fishing should be good.
Elevenmile Reservoir: Shorecasters are having success at Witcher’s Cove, North Shore, Suckers Cove and Howbert Point.
Fountain Lake: Spring trout fishing is usually very good.
Hale and Hopper Ponds: They are starting to yield some nice bass and catfish.
Hayden Meadows Reservoir: Cloudy days have produced good dry fly fishing with trout hitting Blue Wing Olives.
Horseshoe Reservoir: Has been stocked several times and trout fishing is fair to good.
John Martin Reservoir: Only a few crappie were caught off the face of the dam before the latest front slowed fishing again.
Martin Lake: Several northerns weighing up to 20 pounds have been caught here.
Monument Reservoir: Stocked with rainbow trout last week and fishing for them should be good with all methods.
Nee Gronda Reservoir: Wiper fishing is beginning to improve.
Nee Noshe Reservoir: Good wiper/white bass fishing should resume as the weather warms.
North Lake: Stocked with trout last week and fishing for them should be good.
Pueblo Reservoir: Fish counts show good populations of walleyes, wipers, smallmouth and spotted bass, catfish and bluegills.
Runyon Lake: Fishing for trout should be good.
San Isabel Lake: Fishing for recently stocked rainbow trout should be good on all methods.
Skaguay Reservoir: There is not much open water yet and fishing remains slow.
South Platte River (Spinney to Elevenmile): Fishing remains very good with rainbows and cutthroats feeding aggressively on midges and Blue Wing Olives.
Spinney Mountain Reservoir: Anglers have had fair to good success on rainbows and small pike depending on the winds.
Trinidad Reservoir: Fishing has been very good for trout using night crawlers and Power Bait.
Turks Pond: This 55-acre lake is bulging with wipers, saugeyes, channel catfish, largemouth bass, bluegills and rainbow trout.
Twin Lakes: Fishing good for lake trout in shallows on rainbow Rapalas.
Twin Lakes Forebay: Fishing has slowed for rainbows and Snake River cutthroats.
Two Buttes Reservoir: Trout fishing has been good and should remain so until late spring.
Wahatoya Reservoir: This reservoir was stocked with catchable-sized trout last week and fishing for them should be good.
Southwest
Animas River: Flowing very high and blown out by runoff, which may last into June.
Beaver Creek Reservoir: Fishing in the open water is good to excellent for rainbow trout.
Big Meadows Reservoir: Fishing has been fair for rainbow trout and brook trout using jigs or Power Bait.
Dolores River (lower): Drought has lowered fish numbers on the lower river.
Dolores River (upper): Flowing high and blown out by runoff.
East River: Flow is 342 cfs, which has made for easy wading but slowed the onset of stonefly and caddis hatches.
Echo Canyon Reservoir: Fishing has been very good for trout, catfish and bass.
Gunnison River (below Crystal Dam): The East Portal is open and fishing very well.
Gunnison River (through the canyon): Caddis have been coming off and anglers have been scoring with No. 14 Caddis Pupa.
Gunnison River (Upper from Almont to Blue Mesa): Dry fly action has dropped off but nymphs and streamers continue to score.
Jackson Gulch Reservoir: Stocked with rainbow trout last week and fishing for them should be good using Power Bait, night crawlers of salmon eggs.
La Jara Reservoir: Some catchable brook trout in the lake.
Lemon Reservoir: Fishing is fair on the north end for rainbows and browns.
McPhee Reservoir: Fishing for bass is fair and should improve as they move into the shallows to spawn.
Mountain Home Reservoir: Fishing should be good for rainbow trout of 10-16 inches using Power Bait, salmon eggs or lures of all types.
Navajo Reservoir: Catfish are biting on suckers and northern pike on cut bait where the Piedra and San Juan Rivers come together on the Colorado side.
Piedra River: Some anglers report limited success using dark-colored lures in the murky water.
Platoro Reservoir: Ice fishing for trout and kokanee has been fair to good.
Rio Grande River: Flows are 478 cfs at Monte Vista, 825 cfs at Wagon Wheel, and 1,290 cfs at Del Norte. Fishing remains fair with stonefly nymphs such as 20-Inchers and Woolly Buggers.
San Juan River: Flows are very.
Sanchez Reservoir: Fishing has been slow due to cold water temperatures.
Taylor Reservoir: Shore fishing is usually good around the Taylor River inlet on the north end and creek inlets along the eastern shoreline as the ice recedes.
Taylor River: With big rainbows starting to spawn, the catch-and-release area below the dam has been fishing well with egg patterns, Miracle Nymphs, Micro Midges and Mysis Shrimp.
Trujillo Meadows Reservoir: Ice fishing for trout has been fair to good.
Vallecito Reservoir: See page 12D.
Williams Creek Reservoir: When the ice starts coming off fishing will be excellent for cutthroats and brookies.
STOCKING REPORT
The following were stocked last week: Barker Reservoir, east of Nederland; Big Thompson River No. 3, Dam Store to Lake Estes; Easter Seal Camp Lake, Empire; Estes Lake, Estes Park; Fellowship Camp Pond, northwest of Golden Gate State Park; Harvey Gap Reservoir, north of Silt; Jackson Gulch Reservoir north of Mancos; Joe Moore Reservoir, northwest of Mancos; Pastorius Reservoir, southeast of Durango; and Shadow Mountain Reservoir, south of Grand Lake.
