Burgess Reservoir Number 1 Fishing Guide, Teller County, Colorado

• Overview

  Burgess Reservoir Number 1 lies in Teller County, in Colorado. The water sits 8,865 feet up. With some 26 acres of water, there is room for a boat but no need of one. For supplies, Woodland Park is 4.2 miles out. Colorado Springs is the closest city, 21 miles away. No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple. Nothing about the approach is difficult in dry weather.

• Where to Fish on Burgess Reservoir Number 1

  Depth is not on record here, so the bank has to tell you. Levels move with the draw rather than the rain on water like this. Standing timber shows when the level drops, and fish sit against it. Open biodiversity records for Teller County list brook trout, rainbow trout, black-spotted cutthroat trout, brown trout and lake trout. Records at county level tell you what is around, not what is stocked here. Anyone new to this water should walk it once before setting up.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The range across the year is 18°F to 57°F. The middle months are generous; the ends are demanding. Ice-out usually falls in early May, and the weeks after it fish hardest. Ice clears near early May and comes back about mid November in a typical year. June through September is the settled part of the year, with the shoulders busier for fish. Plan around that when you fish this water.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing we hold confirms whether access is permitted. The map shows no ramp or car park nearby, so this is a walk-in water. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Bank access can be seasonal on ground like this. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. For a change of water, Ute Lake is 1.2 miles distant. Where this water is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.