The following fishing and stocking report is produced by the Colorado Division of Wildlife. For further information, call 303-291-7534.
Denver area
Arvada Reservoir: Fishing is slow, though a few trout are being caught on various-colored Power Bait. Water temperature is in the upper 60s. Because of high water levels the fishing dock is not in use.
Aurora Reservoir: Water level is high and temperature is 65 degrees. Fishing for trout has been fair to good for shorecasters off the dam using Power Bait. Fishing for walleyes is fair. Smallmouth bass are hitting on jigs and minnows.
Barr Lake: Trout fishing is slowing down but warm-water species are becoming more active. Bass and catfish are beginning to hit with some regularity.
Bear Creek: Trout fishing should be good in back eddies and pocket water.
Bear Creek Reservoir: Fishing for stocker trout has been good; most are being caught on salmon eggs, worms or Fireballs at the Bear Creek river inlet and Pelican Point.
Berkeley Lake: Fishing for stocked trout has slowed. Sunfish also are starting to hit as the water warms.
Centennial Park Lake: Trout fishing is good along the north shore. The shoreline and pier area are good for small sunfish and bass.
Chatfield Ponds: Some nice largemouth bass are being caught on spinnerbaits, buzzbaits and plastic worms. Best fishing time is in the evenings. Perch fishing has slowed.
Chatfield Reservoir: Walleyes are hitting well on leeches, harnessed night crawlers or jigs tipped with crawlers. Fishing for smallmouth bass is slow to fair.
Cherry Creek Reservoir: Fishing has been good here evenings and after dark. Bass, walleyes, wipers and crappie bite well in low- light conditions. Best fishing is along the dam or following the old Cherry Creek channel.
Clear Creek (above Colorado 119): The creek is high, dirty and difficult to fish.
Clear Lake: Harbors large numbers of smaller rainbow and brook trout.
Evergreen Lake: Trout fishing remains hit or miss.
Georgetown Lake: Fishing for trout is excellent. The west shoreline is most productive.
Gross Reservoir: Shorecasters have been having fair success on trout up to 18 inches using Kastmasters, Dardevles and Tasmanian Devils.
Jim Baker Reservoir: A good lake for catching small perch on ultralight tackle. Trout action has slowed.
Ketring Park Lake: Small bluegill, perch and catfish have been stocked.
Main Lake: Bass fishing is fair to good.
Quincy Reservoir: Bass fishing is excellent. Trout and perch fishing is fair.
Rocky Mountain Lake: Trout fishing has slowed with the warmer weather but a few are still being caught on Power Bait, Nitro Bait, small night crawlers and salmon eggs.
Sloan’s Lake: Typically a slow lake for fishing. Most of the fish in this lake are carp, with a few hard-to-find crappie. Use corn for carp, live minnows below a bobber for crappie.
Smith Reservoir: A good lake for largemouth bass.
South Platte River (Waterton Canyon): There have been good Caddis hatches between 10:30 a.m. and 4 p.m.
Standley Lake: Lake is full and anglers are catching plenty of stocked trout left over from last year. Wipers, walleyes and crappie are becoming more active.
Washington Park Lakes: Crappie have been biting well here.
Northeast
Barker Reservoir: Fishing for stocked trout is good.
Bellaire Lake: Damselflies are hatching sporadically depending on the weather.
Big Thompson Ponds: Fishing for bass has been good but few are keepers.
Big Thompson River: Best fishing is in the pocket water and holding water close to the banks.
Boedecker Reservoir: Anglers have been catching catfish up to 5 pounds on chicken livers. Most other species in this lake were killed by low water in 2003 and although it has been restocked with fingerlings and fry, it will take a few more years for them to grow to catchable size.
Boulder Reservoir: Fishing is good, particularly off the south dam. Bass and walleyes are hitting on minnows.
Boyd Lake: Trout are being caught on bait at the inlet channel. Walleye fishing is slow.
Chambers Lake: Fishing at the three inlet streams is good. The lake contains rainbows, cutthroats, kokanee and mackinaw with a few big browns.
Cowdrey Lake: Fishing for stocked trout is fair to good.
Douglas Reservoir: Fishing is good for trout.
Dowdy Lake (Red Feather): Fishing is good for trout.
East Delaney Lake: Swarms of midges are hatching in coves along the south shoreline and Mayflies are starting to show.
Estes Lake: Trout fishing is good in the discolored water. In clearer water near the dam, stocked rainbows are hitting.
Flatiron Reservoir: Reservoir is well-stocked with trout but they’re mostly hitting on bait. Orange Power Bait is most effective.
Hidden Lakes: Stambaugh Reservoir has produced some nice rainbows and cutbows.
Hohnholz Lakes: Lake No. 2 has been stocked with catchable rainbows. Fishing on No. 3 has been good. Best places to fish are along the south side and near the dam face on both lakes.
Horsetooth Reservoir: Bass fishermen are catching loads of smallmouth with spinners, worm harnesses, jigs and spoons. Color is the key; any chartreuse-colored lure works.
Jackson Reservoir: Trout fishing continues to be good. Trout of 15 to 19 inches are being caught off the dam, west shore and boat ramp.
Joe Wright Reservoir: Grayling and trout are biting well on #20 midge emerger nymphs and small metal lures.
Jumbo Reservoir: Fishing for all species is very slow.
Lake John: Midges hatch in profusion on windless days.
Laramie River at Hohnholz SWA: Fishing is difficult.
Lonetree Reservoir: Fishing is slow.
Lon Hagler Reservoir: Fishing for stocked trout remains good.
Lost Lake (at Chambers): Fishing for recently stocked trout is good.
North Delaney Lake: Midges are hatching and callibaetis are starting up.
North Fork of the North Platte River: Running high, muddy and unfishable.
North Michigan Lake: Fishing is fair to good. The stream below the lake is producing some nice trout.
North Platte River: Still blown out by runoff; fishing is difficult.
North Sterling Reservoir: Fishing for wipers, walleyes, trout and catfish is fair to good; slow for crappie. Wipers and walleyes seem to be moving to more shallow areas.
Pinewood Reservoir: Trout fishing is still good, with boaters making most catches on slow-trolled Pop Geer.
Poudre River: Flow has dropped to 957 cubic feet per second (cfs) but is still high and muddy. Bait fishermen are having some success in holding water behind big boulders in the canyon. Worms are the top producer. Special restrictions apply to various sections of this river. Check page 55 of the regulations book.
Prewitt Reservoir: The reservoir is full and relatively clear but fishing is slow for all species. Anglers have landed a few small wipers and catfish. A use-fee permit is required.
Ranger Lakes: Both lakes are full. Fishing has been poor but should improve as both lakes will be stocked several times this summer.
Seeley Lake: The lake is full and weed growth provides great habitat for trout and bass. Trout fishing has been good.
Seymour Reservoir: Lake has been stocked with catchable-sized rainbow trout and fishing for them is very good.
Simpson Ponds: Anglers have been catching small bass on spinnerbaits, mostly in the back pond. Perch and bluegills are being taken in the front pond.
Slack Weiss Reservoir: Trout fishing is picking up, with most fish taken on bait at the foot of the hill below the parking lot.
South Delaney Lake: Midges are swarming on warm, sunny days and callibaetis are starting. This lake has some big cutbows, which bite best early morning and late evening.
St. Vrain River: Flow is 470 cfs through the canyon and 892 cfs at the mouth, still muddy and unfishable.
Teal and Tiago Lakes: Trout fishing is good. Bait of all kinds works well for shorecasters.
Union Reservoir (Calkins): Trout fishing is slow but wiper action is good. Fishing for catfish is picking up on the north and west shores north of the fishing pier.
Wellington Reservoir No. 4: This lake has had many stockings of trout, which continue to bite well until the heat of summer.
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): Fishing remains excellent
Blue River (Dillon to Green Mountain Reservoir): Dillon Reservoir has reached “fill-and- spill” level, sending warm surface water into the Blue River and raising flows.
Colorado River (below Parshall) : Flow at Kremmling is 1,040 cfs, high and off-color. Fishing is tough at best.
Colorado River (Glenwood to Rifle): The Colorado is still high, discolored and unfishable.
Colorado River (near Granby): Fishing is extremely good.
Crystal River: Discolored and unfishable.
Elk River: Still unfishable.
Crystal River: Discolored and unfishable.
Elk River: Flowing at 2,820 cfs near Milner and still unfishable. Runoff is not expected to end until late June or early July.
Freeman Reservoir: Fishing for cutthroats is usually good after the roads are cleared, which only happened a couple of weeks ago.
Fryingpan River: The ‘Pan is clear and seeing good hatches of Pale Morning Duns, Blue Wing Olives, Caddis and Rusty Spinners.
Granby Reservoir: Warm, breezy weather has triggered a lot of new bug hatches, causing trout and kokanee to feed on the surface all over the lake. Fishing for lake trout remains good.
Grand Lake: No major changes. Trolling Kastmasters or jigging tubes with shiners and suckers can be productive for lake trout. Early birds do best fishing the dropoffs before sunrise.
Green Mountain Reservoir: Water temperature is around 55 degrees and trout fishermen are making good catches on pink Power Bait and night crawlers. Lake trout are deep.
Green River: Still somewhat discolored by runoff below the creek but clearing. Trout fishing remains very good with Woolly Buggers, beadhead nymphs, stonefly nymphs, and midge imitations.
Harvey Gap Reservoir: Water temperature is 65 degrees and the reservoir is slightly below full pool. Boaters are landing rainbow trout on a variety of lures, including sinking Rapalas and spinners.
Highline Lake: Trout continue to hit on bait and spinners, and crappie are starting to bite on crappie jigs. A few bass also are being caught along the north shore on crankbaits. Fishing for catfish is slow.
Lake Avery: Trout fishing remains excellent. Weed growth may hamper shore fishing later in summer.
Mack Mesa Lake: Lake is full, water temperature is 71 degrees and trout fishing has slowed though a few continue to be caught.
Muddy Creek: The tailwater is fishing well and the public water downstream is producing excellent catches of trout.
Pearl Lake: Canoe and float fishermen are enjoying better trout fishing than shorecasters. Lake level is full.
Rifle Gap Reservoir: Walleyes are active now. Trout fishing remains excellent using a variety of methods. Shorecasters are getting trout on worms, salmon eggs and Power Bait.
Rio Blanco Lake: Bass and crappie continue to provide most of the action. Largemouths are hitting on light-colored plastic worms; tan and yellow work best.
Roaring Fork River: The river is clear in Aspen and slightly discolored with 2 to 3 feet of visibility from Snowmass down to Carbondale. Below Carbondale it is unfishable.
Shadow Mountain Reservoir: Nice brown trout are being caught from shore around the dam on mealworms, waxworms and night crawlers.
Stagecoach Reservoir: Wet weather has clouded the water but warmer forecasts promise to heat up the pike fishing. The tailwater below the dam is always good for trout but restricted to flies and lures only and catch-and-release.
Steamboat Lake: Lake is full and trout are feeding mostly on the surface.
Vega Reservoir: Trout of 12 to 22 inches can be caught all over the lake on Power Bait, worms or flies.
White River: Flows are still muddy and unfishable. However, Blue Wing Olives and Caddis will still be around when the water clears.
Williams Fork Reservoir: Pike fishing has slowed as the spawn begins. Best fishing spots are the inlet and off the rocks toward the dam.
Williams Fork River: Flowing at 219 cfs below the reservoir with continuing hatches of Blue Wing Olives, midges and small olive Caddis.
Willow Creek Reservoir: Fishing is excellent. This is a “no wake” lake with less fishing pressure loaded with rainbows, browns and kokanee salmon.
Wolford Reservoir: Water has cleared and fishing is improving, especially around the inlet. Rainbows, browns and cutbows are all hitting on Panther Martins, Kastmasters, Blue Fox spinners and Woolly Buggers.
Yampa River (Hayden through Craig): Flows at Craig high, muddy and unfishable. Anglers should stick to the small lakes and ponds between Hayden and Craig, which have been stocked with pike removed from the river to save native and endangered fish species.
Yampa River (Stagecoach through Steamboat): Flow is still high, dirty and unfishable. When it clears, look for Pale Morning Duns to hatch.
Southeast
Adobe Creek Reservoir (Blue Lake): Spring fishing for catfish has been good.
Anticline Lake: Fishing for trout should be good.
Arkansas River (Salida to Cañon City): Not really fishable.
Beckwith Reservoir: Fishing is slow for all species.
Bonny Reservoir: Fishing for walleyes is good.
Brush Hollow Reservoir: Fishing is fair to good for bass.
Catamount Reservoirs, North and South: Fishing is slowing down.
Clear Creek Reservoir: Fishing remains good for rainbows and hybrids.
Cottonwood Lake: Fishing has been excellent.
Crystal Creek Reservoir: Fishing is slowing down for catchable-sized rainbow trout as the water warms.
Hayden Meadows Reservoir: Fishing has been slow.
Horseshoe Reservoir: Trout fishing is slow during the day but still good early mornings and evenings.
Jefferson Lake: Fishing for rainbow trout and small mackinaw remains good.
Montgomery Reservoir: Trout fishing is fair to good.
Monument Reservoir: Stocked with rainbow trout and fishing for them is good with all methods.
Nee Gronda Reservoir: Fishing is fair for wipers; good for saugeyes and catfish.
Nichols Reservoir: Fishing is good for rainbows.
North Lake: Trout fishing good.
Pueblo Reservoir: Walleye fishing is slow.
Quail Lake: Fishing is fair to good for stocked rainbow trout, small bluegills and yellow perch.
Queens Reservoirs: Fishing has slowed.
Runyon Lake: Trout fishing is slowing down as the water warms.
San Isabel Lake: Fishing is slow to fair.
Skaguay Reservoir: Pike fishing has been very good.
South Platte River (between Spinney and Elevenmile): Fishing has slowed.
Spinney Mountain Reservoir: Trout fishing is very good.
Twin Lakes: Lake trout have gone deeper.
Twin Lakes Forebay: Fishing has improved and nice rainbows are being caught.
Southwest
Animas River: Flowing at 4,490 cfs, high, brown and unfishable.
Beaver Creek Reservoir: Fishing is good for rainbow trout using salmon eggs, worms, Power Bait and lures.
Big Meadows Reservoir: Fishing is good for brook and rainbow trout.
Blue Mesa Reservoir: Fishing remains good for rainbows and browns with shorecasters catching them on bait fished near the bottom and boaters on trolled Rapalas.
Conejos County (high country lakes): Fishing is good but access may be difficult.
Conejos County (small streams): Many streams are now accessible but most are running high and fast.
Dolores River (upper): The river is running at 1,500 cfs and continues to be high and discolored.
Echo Canyon Reservoir: Fishing continues to be excellent for everything in the lake using lures, flies or bait.
Gunnison River (below Crystal Dam): Caddis provide most of the action on top.
Gunnison River (through the canyon): The whole river is fishing extremely well, with anglers having the best success.
Gunnison River (upper from Almont to Blue Mesa): Fishing is very difficult.
Jackson Gulch Reservoir: The lake has been stocked with more than 10,000 trout this season and fishing for them remains good.
McPhee Reservoir: Fishing for bass is fair and improving.
Navajo Reservoir: Pike, smallmouth bass, crappie and catfish are biting on the Colorado side of the reservoir.
Piedra River: Water discolored and unfishable.
Ridgway Fishing Ponds: Fishing for recently stocked rainbow trout is very good.
Rio Grande high country streams: Fishing is good for brook and brown trout.
Rio Grande River: River is clearing but can be muddied by rain; water temperatures are still cold.
San Juan River: Running muddy brown.
Vallecito Reservoir: Pike fishing continues to be good.
Williams Creek Reservoir: Fishing is good 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:
Bear Lake, southwest of La Veta; Beaver Lake, east of Marble; Beaver Lake, Mesa Lake Resort, Grand Mesa; Blue Lake, southwest of La Veta; Carp Lake, east of Island Lake; Fooses Lake, west of Poncha Springs; Frantz Lake, northwest of Salida; Fruita Reservoir No. 2, southwest of Grand Junction; Glacier Springs Ret Pond, Mesa Lakes Resort, Grand Mesa; Granby City Pond; Hohnholz Lake No. 2, Little, northwest of Glendevey; Jefferson Lake, northwest of Jefferson; Lake Dorothey, southeast of Trinidad; Mesa Lake, Mesa Lakes Resort, Grand Mesa; Mineral Creek South, west of Silverton; Molas Lake, Big Molas Pass; Monarch Lake, southeast of Lake Granby; Pericles Pond, below Ridgway Dam, South Pond; San Miguel River No. 3, Norwood Hill Bridge to South Fork; Sunset Lake, Mesa Lakes Resort, Grand Mesa; Trout Lake, southwest of Telluride; Urad Mine Lake, west of Empire; Williams Fork Reservoir, southwest of Parshall.
