Ault Reservoir near Paonia: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  Ault Reservoir is one of the Gunnison County listings for Colorado. The land about it is rolling bush. This is a pocket water of some 5 acres, and every part of it is reachable from the bank. Paonia is the closest place, 16 miles off. Carbondale is 26 miles and Crested Butte 28 miles. Within a short run: Aspen Leaf Reservoir roughly 1.1 miles, Floating Lake (4 miles), Hall Reservoir roughly 5.9 miles, Island Lake (7.1 miles) and Tomahawk Reservoir roughly 8.2 miles. No border sits close enough to matter.

• Where to Fish on Ault Reservoir

  Without a survey to go on, judge depth from how the bank falls away. Built water gives depth close in, which suits a bank angler. The old creek line under the surface is the feature worth finding. Survey and observation records for Gunnison County include rainbow trout, brown trout and brook trout. County records show the wider picture rather than this one place. Anyone new to Ault Reservoir should walk it once before setting up.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warm month here averages 60°F; the cold one sits at 18°F. Expect a real winter and a strong spring after it. Winter locks it down, and late April brings it back. From about late April to around late November, expect open water on the long-run figures. The strongest runs come at either end of the open season. Plan any trip to Ault Reservoir around it.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. Mapping shows an empty shoreline: no ramp, no jetty, no marked entry. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Some banks are open only from a marked point. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. Should this one be busy, Aspen Leaf Reservoir is 1.1 miles off. Check the current arrangement for Ault Reservoir.