Basin Reservoir, Colorado: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  The Grand County entry here is Basin Reservoir, in Colorado. Elevation runs to 8,107 feet. At 12 acres it is the sort of place you fish for an evening rather than a day. Head to Kremmling, 18 miles away, for anything you forgot. The nearest city of size is Boulder, 70 miles away. No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on Basin Reservoir

  We hold no depth figure for this one. Draw-down through summer strips the margins, so follow the water out. Look for where the old bank line still shows under the surface. Survey and observation records for Grand County include black-spotted cutthroat trout, brook trout and rainbow trout. At least one recorded species is protected in parts of its range; read the local rules before targeting anything. At Basin Reservoir the first feature you find is worth twenty minutes.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-term averages put July at about 58°F and January near 15°F. Expect a real winter and a strong spring after it. The open season starts with the thaw, near enough late April. Ice clears near late April and comes back about mid November in a typical year. The strong weeks are the first after break-up and the last before the freeze. The season on Basin Reservoir rarely departs from it.

• Tackle & Baits

  No public source sets out the position on this bank. Mapping shows no built access close by; expect to walk in from wherever you can leave the car. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Where access is informal, keep it that way by behaving. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. Milk Creek Reservoir sits 2.1 miles off and takes the overflow. Check the position on Basin Reservoir before loading the car.