Fishing Boulder Reservoir in Boulder County, Colorado

• Overview

  Look for Boulder Reservoir in Boulder County, Colorado. The country here is mixed woodland. At some 536 acres it is far too large to cover on foot in a day. The shoreline runs about 6.3 miles, so it pays to pick a stretch and stay with it. Few waters listed in Boulder County are bigger. Gunbarrel at 2.9 miles is the nearest place to stop. The big place round here is Boulder, 5 miles distant. No border sits close enough to matter.

• Where to Fish on Boulder Reservoir

  Our records carry no depth, so judge it from the bank. The arms fish better than the open middle whenever the water is up. Rip-rap along the wall holds fish that the open bank never does. Boulder County records list black-spotted cutthroat trout, brook trout, brown trout, bluegill and rainbow trout among the fish reported. Read it as a county summary, not a water-by-water list. At Boulder Reservoir light and wind decide more than tackle does.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Typical July readings run about 72°F; by January the average is down near 30°F. The year gives four workable seasons without severe ends. Cover comes and goes, so treat it with suspicion rather than trust. Autumn steadies things again once the heat lets go. It sets the rhythm of the year at Boulder Reservoir.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. A slipway is marked about half a mile from here. Parking sits half a mile out, which makes for a walk with tackle. A jetty or pier is mapped about half a mile from here. Facilities run to toilets half a mile from the water. Look for a notice board at the entrance. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. Sixmile Reservoir, 0.7 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. Check the position at Boulder Reservoir before loading the car.