Bayou Salado Reservoir in Park County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Bayou Salado Reservoir is listed under Park County, Colorado. Country round the bank runs to lake country bush. With some 26 acres of water, there is room for a boat but no need of one. Bailey at 18 miles is the nearest place to stop. For a city, Colorado Springs is 40 miles off. It sits well inside the county, so one set of rules covers it.

• Where to Fish on Bayou Salado Reservoir

  No depth figure appears in our records, so the bank has to tell you. A reservoir gives you a hard edge, a shelf, and not much else. Draw-down through summer strips the margins, so follow the water out. Across Park County, recorded fish include brown trout, rainbow trout and longnose sucker. Protected fish appear in the records for this area, so treat the list as information, not an invitation. The near bank of Bayou Salado Reservoir is often the one people ignore.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July is the warm end of the year here, averaging about 60°F, while January sits near 20°F. Winter shuts things down for a spell, then spring reopens them fast. Expect a solid lid for months and a thaw around late April. The season between ice runs from about late April to late November. Reckon on open water from spring through to late autumn, with May and June the strongest. Plan any trip to Bayou Salado Reservoir around it.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. A carry of half a mile from the nearest parking is the price of fishing here. Overnight stays are possible about half a mile out, where camping is mapped. There are toilets mapped about half a mile away. Local rules can differ across the county line, so check where you stand. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. Tarryall Reservoir sits 9.9 miles off and takes the overflow. Confirm before you fish Bayou Salado Reservoir.