Fishing Bailey Reservoir in Delta County, Colorado

• Overview

  Bailey Reservoir falls in Delta County, part of Colorado. Land around it is pine and birch. Roughly 30 acres: a morning covers one end, an afternoon the other. Bank access stretches around 1.2 miles in total. It ranks high for size among our Delta County listings. Start from Cedaredge, 13 miles down the road. Further out sit Paonia (13 miles) and Orchard City (18 miles). The nearest boundary is a fair way off.

• Where to Fish on Bailey Reservoir

  Our records carry no depth, so judge it from the bank. Draw-down through summer strips the margins, so follow the water out. Levels move with the draw rather than the rain on water like this. Reported across Delta County: rainbow trout, white sucker and flannelmouth sucker. County records show what lives in the area; the local agency holds the water-by-water list. At Bailey Reservoir the water rewards a slow, careful approach.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July runs about 54°F on average, January about 16°F. The freeze arrives properly here and holds. The freeze runs deep into the year, with break-up near mid May. The open-water window runs from around mid May to about mid November in an average year. Look to early summer and the first cool weeks of autumn. Bailey Reservoir runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  No public source sets out the position on this bank. Nothing is mapped in the way of a ramp or car park within a short radius. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Parking is often the real limit rather than the bank itself. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. If the gate is shut, Hanson Reservoir at 0.5 miles is the nearest alternative. For Bailey Reservoir, the notice at the access point is the final word.