Fishing Barr Lake in Adams County, Colorado

• Overview

  You will find Barr Lake in Adams County, Colorado. Farm and woodlot runs right down to the water. At 2.7 sq miles this is proper open water rather than a pond. At about 10 miles of edge, most people work one arm at a time. It is the biggest water on our Adams County list. The nearest place of any size is Brighton, 4.2 miles away. Thornton sits 12 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. You are close to a county edge here; who manages the access can change within a short drive.

• Where to Fish on Barr Lake

  Depth is not on record here, so the bank has to tell you. Points where the flooded channel swings in are the reliable ones. Levels move with the draw rather than the rain on water like this. Reported across Adams County: common carp, white sucker and bluegill. County records show the wider picture rather than this one place. On Barr Lake the first feature you find is usually worth a session.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warmest month averages 73°F, the coldest about 28°F. Ice comes and goes from one year to the next. In a normal year the cover is thin and short-lived. June to September is hot work, so the first and last hours are what count. It holds true on Barr Lake more years than not. Long daylight spreads the feeding across more hours.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. The car has to stay half a mile away, which shapes how much tackle you bring. There are toilets half a mile off. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Look for a notice board at the entrance. Close seasons apply to some species and not others. If the gate is shut, Magers Reservoir at 1.6 miles is the nearest alternative. Rules at Barr Lake are worth checking on the day.