The latest statewide fishing conditions, updated Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2015, by the Department of Wildlife.
Metro Denver Area
Aurora Reservoir
The water level is low! The boat ramp is almost completely out of the water. Boaters with large boats should expect difficulty with loading and launching. Trout fishing currently from the shore is rated as fair to good. Most anglers are catching trout using powerbait and crawlers from a slip rig along the dam. Boaters are having good success fishing for trout when trolling with rapalas, spoons and pop gear with crawlers. Walleye fishing is anywhere from fair to good. Most walleye are being caught from boats trolling with bottom bouncers with crawlers, jigs and drop shots. Anglers are having some success catching walleye from the shore when using swim baits and jigs. There has been some good fishing for yellow perch using jigs and worms in the coves from boats. Some anglers are catching perch from shore in the Marina cove. Anglers are catching a few smallmouth and largemouth bass from shore using swim baits and jigs.
Quincy Reservoir
The reservoir is open to boating. The water temperature is 62 degrees and the water level is good. Fishing for bass is slow to fair. Most anglers are catching bass using soft plastics, spinner baits and crank baits. There have been a few anglers catching smallmouth bass from the dam using jigs. Perch fishing is fair to good using jigs.
Northeast Colorado
Eleven Mile Reservoir
The rainbow, brown, cutbow, and cutthroat trout fishing has been excellent. The hot spots on the lake to catch these species have been the West end, Stoll Mountain, Suckers, and North shore. Anglers have been using a multitude of lures but the most popular baits have been rapalas, tasmanian devils, kastmasters, and needlefish. The kokanee salmon fishing has been very slow, with not many anglers catching them. The northern pike fishing is fair and the best spots to be in right now are Cross Creek to Stoll Mountain and into the rocky flats. Baits that have been working are big stick baits and spinner baits in the weed beds. In the Dream Stream the fishing for trout has been good.
John Martin Reservoir
Fishing on the reservoir is slowing, and fishing at the stilling basin below John Martin Dam has been decent. Fishermen are urged to be careful of fluctuating water levels. There are some trout stocked in Lake Hasty as well.
North Sterling Reservoir
The water temperature is 60 degrees and the water level is about 20 feet down with the outlet off. Many large walleye were caught in the outlet using emerald shiners, worms, and colorful curly tail grubs. Crappie have been caught just off the dam by floating bait and lures 10 to 15 feet down as well as in the outlet also on curly tail grubs and minnows. Catfish fishing is still going strong. Many catfish have been caught using chicken liver, stink bait, and cut bait mostly during the night.
Spinney Mountain Reservoir
The trout fishing has been great. Jigging action on the south side is seeing some success, and the best times to fish have been very early morning and after 1 p.m. Baits to try are taz devils, kastmasters, tube jigs, small rapalas, wooly buggers, hares ears, scuds and halfbacks. As for the northern pike the fishing has also been good. Try fishing in the West end of the lake and work the weed beds, baits to try are rapalas, zonkers, daredevils, and tasmanian devils.
Southeast Colorado
Lathrop State Park
The fall fishing will continue to be somewhat hot on both lakes. Martin is providing a bit of a trout catch as well as a few northern pike, while Horseshoe has been a pretty reliable spot for bass and trout. Fall is a great time to fish, as the water cools off and the fish get hungry.
North Gateway Park
Fishing is still fairly slow, but the pond is scheduled to be stocked with catchable size rainbow trout this week.
Trinidad Lake
The lake is at 738 surface acres with a surface elevation of 6185 feet and the water temperature is in the mid 60s. Trout are still biting from shore on powerbait and night crawlers. Boaters are catching trout consistently while trolling. Some perch and walleye are being caught using jigs.
Two Buttes Reservoir
Anglers are catching fair numbers of catfish up to 17 inches on the east end of the lake off of the south side bluffs. Anglers seeking bass, bluegill, and crappie should target areas with structure and cover. Submerged trees on the east end of the reservoir can provide solid action for these warm water species. Trout are scheduled to be stocked this week.
Northwest Colorado
Pearl Lake
Fishing is getting better at Pearl Lake. The area by the dam is doing the best in the early morning and late evening.
State Forest State Park
Over the last couple of weeks the water level has been lowered by 10 to 15 feet at North Michigan Reservoir in order to do some work on the boat ramps as well as conduct some studies towards the dam itself. The trout still seem to be biting so only anglers locations on the reservoir should be affected from the work. As long as the warm weather continues the use of dry flies should still yield promising results. With the numerous amount of willow cover throughout the park don’t be afraid to use them to your advantage. The streams are starting to lower and become clear which can cause the fish to be spooky making the willows a viable hiding spot. Try tying on some foam and tucking it into the willows to help imitate the many bugs that fall from these willows and tall grasses.
Steamboat Lake
Fishing is really picking up at the lake, the cooler water has the fish hitting very good. Boat fishermen are doing well, with kastmasters, and rapalla’s are doing well.
Southwest Colorado
Blue Mesa Reservoir
The fishing at Blue Mesa has been good for rainbow trout and good for brown trout. The brown trout are still being caught in the 50 to 70 feet of water range. Rainbow trout have been caught mostly near the surface and around the shore, although some have been found deeper in the reservoir. There has been a fair number of salmon being caught in the 30 foot range, but the fishing has not been consistent, your best bet is to cover a lot of water and troll. The lake trout fishing has been very slow and not many small lake trout are being caught.
Pa-Co-Chu-Puk Ponds
Fishing in the Uncompahgre River at Pa-Co-Chu-Puk is excellent. The river flows are currently at 128 cubic feet per second below the dam, and 80 cubic feet per second coming into the reservoir. Fly fishermen are doing well on bead-headed nymphs, wooly buggers, copper johns, pheasant tails, and small midges. Spin fishermen are doing well with gold mepps and yellow/black panther martins.
Ridgway Reservoir
The reservoir is at 71 percent capacity and dropping slowly. Both shore fishermen and boaters are reporting good fishing for stocker-sized rainbows (8″-14″) with a few larger fish (18″-20″) being caught. The catch is mostly rainbows, but there have been some bigger brown trout and smallmouth bass caught. Shore fishermen are doing well along the Dallas Creek day-use area and Mears Bay shorelines. The kokanee salmon are running in Dallas Creek and the Uncompahgre River above the reservoir at this time. Shore fishermen should try gold kastmasters, green and rainbow powerbait, or worms off the bottom. Boat fishermen are having luck with gold pop-gear and black/silver sinking rapalas near the dam and around the opening to Mears Bay. Bag and size limits have been removed for smallmouth bass in Ridgway Reservoir. Fishermen are encouraged to take smallmouth from the reservoir to protect our rainbow and brown trout fisheries.
