The following fishing and stocking report is produced by the Colorado Division of Wildlife. For further information call 303-291-7534.
Denver metro
Arvada Reservoir: Has been stocked several times this spring and trout fishing remains good.
Aurora Reservoir: Water level is high and temperature is 55 degrees. Fishing for trout has been fair to good from shore using salmon eggs and Power Bait.
Barr Lake: Trout are being caught on live minnows and Power Bait.
Bear Creek: Blown out by runoff.
Bear Creek Reservoir: Fishing for trout has been fair.
Berkeley Lake: Fishing for recently stocked trout is good using Power Bait, Nitro Bait, small night crawlers or live minnows beneath a bobber.
Centennial Park Lake: Trout fishing is excellent. Use live minnows, salmon eggs or chartreuse Power Bait.
Chatfield Ponds: Bass fishing has improved with the warmer weather. Some nice largemouths have been caught on spinnerbaits, buzzbaits and plastic worms.
Chatfield Reservoir: Walleye fishing is good using live bait, leeches, night crawlers and minnows.
Cherry Creek Reservoir: Walleye fishing is good using leeches and night crawlers.
Clear Creek (above Colorado 119): Blown out by runoff.
Clear Lake: Power Bait and Nitro Bait work best.
Evergreen Lake: Fishing for stocked rainbow trout is slow. Try using small night crawlers, salmon eggs or a fly and a bubble.
Georgetown Lake: Fishing for trout has been good with fish of up to 14 inches being caught on Power Bait and salmon eggs.
Gross Reservoir: Shorecasters have been having fair success on trout up to 18 inches using Kastmasters, Dardevles and Tasmanian Devils.
Jim Baker Reservoir: Good for catching small perch on ultralight tackle baited with a small night crawler or Gulp Grub.
Main Lake: Bass fishing is slow but should pick up after they finish spawning.
Quincy Reservoir: Bass have started to spawn and fishing for them is good using soft plastics.
Rocky Mountain Lake: Stocked with rainbow trout last week and fishing for them should be good using Power Bait, Nitro Bait, small night crawlers and salmon eggs.
Sloan’s Lake: Most of the fish are carp, with a few hard-to-find crappie.
Smith Reservoir: Bass are spawning and fishing for them is tough.
South Platte River (Waterton Canyon): Dry fly fishermen have enjoyed good action far up the canyon with Blue Wing Olives, Adams and Pale Morning Duns.
Standley Lake: Lake is full and anglers are catching plenty of stocked trout.
Washington Park Lakes: Crappie have been biting well on small tube jigs tipped with a minnow.
Webster Lake: Best baits for trout are Power Bait and salmon eggs.
Northeast
Barker Reservoir: Fishing for recently stocked trout is good with Power or Nitro Bait, worms and salmon eggs.
Bellaire Lake: The road and campground are open. Trout fishing is good with Power Bait, salmon eggs and Nitro Bait.
Big Creek Lakes: Fishing for grayling, trout and tiger muskies is traditionally very good immediately after ice-out.
Big Thompson Ponds: Fishing for bass is fair.
Big Thompson River: Water is murky and not really fishable.
Boedecker Reservoir: Fishing remains slow.
Boulder Reservoir: Anglers had been catching walleyes, mostly on minnows or black and chartreuse Twister tails, and trout on worms and Power Bait.
Boyd Lake: Lake is full, recently stocked and fishing is slow for all species.
Carter Reservoir: Trout fishing remains good with anglers doing best slow trolling along the west side.
Chambers Lake: Ice is going fast with fishable open water around the edges and the three inlet streams.
Cowdrey Lake: Fishing for stocked trout is fair to good with bait of all kinds.
Douglas Reservoir: Fishing is good for recently stocked trout with Power Bait, night crawlers and Fireballs just south of the boat ramp and off the dam face.
Dowdy Lake (Red Feather): Fishing remains good for trout using Thomas Buoyants, Little Cleos and Cyclones. Power Bait, eggs and worms are also catching fish near the dam face and on the southwest side.
Dumont Lake: Iced up and inaccessible.
East Delaney Lake: Trout have moved out of the shallows back into deeper water where boaters are having better luck than shorecasters.
Estes Lake: Fishing for trout has been fair to good since the lake was stocked with rainbows recently.
Flatiron Reservoir: Reservoir is stocked and trout are biting well on bait and lures.
Hohnholz Lakes: Lake No. 2 was recently stocked with rainbows and will produce good catches for bait fishermen using Power Bait, Fireballs and night crawlers.
Horsetooth Reservoir: Boaters do best for walleye trolling Twister tails sweetened with night crawlers or casting shad-imitation crankbaits along the dams and eastern shoreline.
Jackson Reservoir: Wiper action is fair to good from the west shore, off the dam and from boats.
Joe Wright Reservoir: There is fishable open water around the inlet and in some of the pocket coves along the north and south shoreline.
Jumbo Reservoir: Full and water is very clear but fishing for all species is slow.
Lake John: Rainbow trout are biting well on crayfish imitations such as Gitzits, Thomas Buoyants, Kastmasters and Little Cleos.
Laramie River at Hohnholz State Wildlife Area: Determined anglers have been catching 2- and 3-pound brown trout on Panther Martins, Blue Fox, Vibrax and Roostertails.
Lonetree Reservoir: The reservoir is full, water remains cool and fishing will remain slow until the weather warms.
Lon Hagler Reservoir: Fishing for stocked trout remains good with Power Bait, Nitro Bait and night crawlers.
Lost Lake (at Chambers): Fishing has been slow but will improve as water temperatures rise.
North Delaney Lake: Fish have moved out to deeper water in anticipation of the Damselfly hatch. Recent fishing has been fair to good from boats, poor from shore.
North Fork of the North Platte River: Running high, muddy and unfishable.
North Michigan Lake: Ice is all off, all campsites are open and fishing is fair to good on drifted black Woolly Buggers, Halfbacks and Hornbergs.
North Park Streams: Most North Park streams are muddied by runoff and difficult to fish.
North Platte River: Determined anglers can still catch fish on streamers and Woolly Buggers fished close to the banks.
North Sterling Reservoir: Wiper fishing has improved and catfish are biting in the coves on worms.
Parvin Lake (Red Feather): Fishing is fair to good using Kastmasters, Tasmanian Devils and Fiord spoons.
Pinewood Reservoir: Night crawlers are most effective on rainbows.
Poudre River: Fishing is impractical.
Prewitt Reservoir: Fishing is very slow for all species.
Ranger Lakes: Fishing should be good with Power Bait, Fireballs and night crawlers.
Seeley Lake: Weed growth provides great habitat for trout and bass, but also robs anglers of many lures.
Seymour Reservoir: Lake has been stocked with rainbows and fishing for them is very good with night crawlers, Power Bait and Nitro Bait.
Simpson Ponds: Anglers have been catching small bass on spinners, mostly in the back pond.
Slack Weiss Reservoir: Trout fishing is slow.
South Delaney Lake: Best fishing is usually along the west side, off the rock outcrops, using Tasmanian Devils, Z-Rays and Thomas Buoyants.
St. Vrain River: Muddy and no longer fishable.
Union Reservoir (Calkins): Water temperature is in the mid-60s and fishing for trout remains good, with many nice fish being caught on bait and spinners.
Watson Lake: Smallmouth bass have started biting on crankbaits and plastic worms and spinnerbaits.
Wellington Reservoir No. 4: Anglers can catch catfish on stinkbaits.
West Lake (Red Feather): Fishing is good with small Kastmasters, Thomas Buoyants and Tasmanian Devils on the east and south sides.
Northwest
Blue River (below Green Mountain Reservoir): Midges are still hatching in profusion with Blue Wing Olives on cloudy days and larger Mayflies on sunny days.
Blue River (Dillon to Green Mountain Reservoir): Regular midge hatches and a smattering of Blue Wing Olives provide good dry fly fishing for trout up to 4 pounds in the clear section.
Colorado River (below Parshall): River is not fishable.
Colorado River (Glenwood to Rifle): High and muddy. Fishing is impossible.
Colorado River (near Granby): Increased flows have made fishing the tailwater a good bet.
Crystal River: High, muddy and unfishable.
Elk River: Unfishable.
Fryingpan River: Heavy hatches of Blue Wing Olives are occurring daily from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and midges and mysis shrimp are still a primary food source for trout in the top mile below the dam.
Granby Reservoir: Fishing for lake trout is good whether trolling spinning/spoon lures, jigging with tube jigs or bait fishing with shiners or suckers.
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: Shoreline is muddy and boat access is limited to smaller craft but fishing remains very good.
Green River: Trout fishing remains very good with egg patterns, beadhead nymphs, stonefly nymphs, midge imitations and streamers.
Harvey Gap Reservoir: Recently stocked trout have been hitting well on Rapalas, small spinners, worms, Power Bait and salmon eggs.
Highline Lake: Bass, catfish and crappie are hitting well.
Lake Avery: Fishing is excellent. Shorecasters have been catching trout of up to 16 inches on worms and Power Bait (rainbow, orange and yellow).
Mack Mesa Lake: Lake is full and fishing for stocked trout has been excellent using Power Bait or worms.
Rifle Gap Reservoir: Walleyes and perch are starting to bite and trout fishing remains excellent using Rapalas, small spinners, worms, salmon eggs and Power Bait.
Rio Blanco Lake: Anglers have been doing well on largemouth bass here using light-colored plastic worms.
Roaring Fork River: Upper river (Aspen to Basalt) is still fishable on a day-to-day basis with good BWO hatches.
Shadow Mountain Reservoir: Has been stocked with rainbow trout, which are hitting on small jigs tipped with mealworms or conventional bait rigs with night crawlers, waxworms or salmon eggs.
Stagecoach Reservoir: Fishing remains excellent for pike using Triple Clickers, black and white Dardevles, Black Fury spinners or dead minnows.
Steamboat Lake: With recent ice-off, fishing has been very good in the inlets.
Williams Fork Reservoir: Lake trout are being caught in very shallow water, about 8 to 12 feet deep, on whole suckers.
Williams Fork River: Main hatches remain Blue Wing Olives, midges and small olive Caddis.
Willow Creek Reservoir: Fishing is excellent.
Wolford Reservoir: Fishing remains fair to good near the dam and along the east shore with anglers catching rainbows, browns and cutbows on Panther Martins, Kastmasters, Blue Fox spinners and Woolly Buggers.
Yampa River (Hayden through Craig): Blown out by runoff.
Yampa River (Stagecoach through Steamboat): Muddied by runoff and not fishable.
Southeast
Adobe Creek Reservoir (Blue Lake): Spring fishing for catfish has been good, with good numbers of blue and channel catfish being caught using night crawlers, shrimp, and cut carp or shad.
Anticline Lake: The lake is stocked early every year and fishing for trout should be good.
Arkansas River No. 3 (through Pueblo): Frequent stocking of this stretch of river makes for excellent fishing.
Arkansas River (Buena Vista to Salida): Has ranged from unfishable to clear on the edges.
Arkansas River (Leadville to Buena Vista): Dirty and unfishable.
Arkansas River (Salida to Cañon City): The river has been rising and is quite murky.
Beckwith Reservoir: Fishing is slow for all species except channel catfish, which are being caught on night crawlers and chicken livers.
Bonny Reservoir: Warmer weather has greatly improved shore fishing.
Brush Hollow Reservoir: Fishing for trout is good while the water stays cool and bass, walleyes and crappie are becoming more active.
Catamount Reservoirs, North and South: Water levels are high and fishing is good to excellent for rainbows and cutbows, with some brookies and browns in the mix.
Clear Creek Reservoir: For bigger trout use Montera Marvels tipped with mealworms or honey worms. For the smaller stockers, use red Power Bait with glitter or salmon eggs.
Elevenmile Reservoir: Boaters are catching trout on trolled Arnies or Needlefish with Rainbow Pop Geer.
Horseshoe Reservoir: Trout have been stocked several times and fishing for them should stay good until the first or second week of June when the action switches to warm-water species such as bass, saugers, tiger muskies and catfish.
Jefferson Lake: Very good fishing for trout using all methods.
John Martin Reservoir: Wipers are being caught from boat and shore, mostly on bait but also on Rat-L-Traps and other shad-imitation lures.
Martin Lake: Bass and walleye action is picking up.
Monument Reservoir: Stocked with rainbow trout and fishing for them is good with all methods.
Nee Gronda Reservoir: Fishing is only fair for wipers but good for channel catfish, saugeyes and crappie.
Nee Noshe Reservoir: Bite is starting to get good for wipers, saugeyes and crappie.
Pueblo Reservoir: Reservoir is muddy because of runoff.
Quail Lake: This lake is stocked early every spring and fishing is good to excellent for rainbow trout.
Queens Reservoirs: Anglers taking advantage of a public fish salvage at Upper Queens have to brave some really evil mud to reach the water’s edge.
South Platte River (between Spinney and Elevenmile): Fishing remains good with rainbows and cutthroats feeding aggressively on midges and Blue Wing Olives.
Spinney Mountain Reservoir: Trout fishing is excellent for boaters and very good for shorecasters.
Trinidad Reservoir: Fishing for trout has been good with several 16- to 18-inchers caught on worms and Power Bait.
Southwest
Animas River: Dirty and unfishable.
Beaver Creek Reservoir: Fishing is good for rainbow trout and brown trout of up to 15 inches using salmon eggs, worms, Power Bait and lures.
Blue Mesa Reservoir: Fishing is excellent for rainbows and browns from shore using bait near the bottom or trolling Rapalas near shoreline structure.
East River: Try eddies and pocket water close to the banks with bright-colored Woolly Buggers.
Echo Canyon Reservoir: Fishing is excellent for everything in the lake using lures, flies and bait.
Gunnison River (below Crystal Dam): The East Portal continues to fish well.
Gunnison River (through the canyon): Blown out by runoff below the Smith Fork and there is also high runoff from the North Fork.
Gunnison River (upper from Almont to Blue Mesa): Unfishable.
Jackson Gulch Reservoir: Fishing for recently stocked rainbow trout is good using Power Bait, night crawlers or salmon eggs.
Mountain Home Reservoir: Fishing has been fair for rainbow trout of 8 to 14 inches using Power Bait, salmon eggs and spinners.
Navajo Reservoir: Crappie of 12 to 14 inches are biting in the northern coves on the Colorado side of the lake and Boca Canyon in New Mexico.
Rio Grande River: Muddy and unfishable.
Road Canyon Reservoir: Ice is off the reservoir but trout fishing is slow.
San Juan River: Muddy and unfishable.
Sanchez Reservoir: Fishing slow for pike, walleye and yellow perch.
Taylor Reservoir: Ice is coming off fast and there is good trout fishing in all the inlets.
Taylor River: Sporadic caddis hatches may occur in the afternoon.
Trujillo Meadows Reservoir: Ice is off and road is open.
Uncompahgre River in Ridgway Park: Nymphing remains excellent with very occasional dry fly action. Beadheads always work well here.
Vallecito Reservoir: Lots of 16- to 18-inch kokanee are being caught on red and green spinners.
Williams Creek Reservoir: Fishing continues to be excellent for rainbow, brown and brook trout.
Stocking report
The following bodies of water have been stocked in recent weeks by the Colorado Division of Wildlife:
Arvada Reservoir; Aurora Reservoir; Axial Basin, northeast of Axial; Bear Lake, southwest of La Veta; Beaver Lake, East of Marble; Billy Creek Lake, Billy Creek State Wildlife Area; Blue Lake, southwest of La Veta; Brush Hollow Reservoir, northwest of Penrose; Catamount Reservoirs, south of Woodland Park; Chatfield Reservoir; Columbia Reservoir, north of Alma; Copper Mountain Ponds, below Copper Mountain Resort; Cowdrey Lake, northwest of Walden; Crystal Creek Reservoir, south of Green Mountain Falls; Denver City Park Lake; Fairplay Kids Pond; Frantz Lake, northwest of Salida; Fraser Lions Club Pond; Georgetown Lake; Grand Lake; Jackson Gulch Reservoir, north of Mancos; Lake John, northwest of Walden; Manitou Reservoir, northwest of Woodland Park; Nichols Reservoir, east of Rampart Reservoir; Officers Gulch Pond, west of Frisco; Parachute Pond; Quail Lake, Colorado Springs; Quincy Reservoir; Rampart Reservoir, east of Woodland Park; Republican River, North Fork No. 1, Nebraska state line to Chief Creek; Ruedi Reservoir, east of Basalt; Sands Lake, below Mount Shavano SFU; Seymour Reservoir, southwest of MacFarlane; Sleepy Cat Pond, east of Meeker; Sloan Pond, Maybell; Sweetwater Lake, northwest of Dotsero; Trinidad City Park Lake; Trinidad Reservoir, southwest of Trinidad; Wilmor Pond, west of Edwards.
