Anderson Reservoir Fishing in Routt County, Colorado

• Overview

  Anderson Reservoir lies in Routt County, in Colorado. Everything around it is pine and birch. It covers about 8 acres, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. The nearest place of any size is Hayden, 13 miles away. Craig follows at 17 miles, then Steamboat Springs at 28 miles. The nearest boundary is well away, so one set of rules covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Anderson Reservoir

  Depth is not on record here, so the bank has to tell you. A reservoir gives you a hard edge, a shelf, and not much else. Built water gives depth close in, which suits a bank angler. Reported across Routt County: brook trout, cutthroat trout and rainbow trout. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. The near bank of Anderson Reservoir is often the one people ignore.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July runs about 60°F on average, January about 21°F. Fishing here follows the temperature more than the calendar. Firm cover through the cold months, then open water from late April. On average, late April opens the water and late November closes it again. The strongest runs come at either end of the open season. At Anderson Reservoir the season follows that pattern closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. The map shows no ramp or car park nearby, so this is a walk-in water. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Bank access can be seasonal on ground like this. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. Morgan Creek Reservoir Number 1, 8.1 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. Treat Anderson Reservoir as unsettled until someone local tells you otherwise.