City Reservoir in Ouray County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  City Reservoir lies in Ouray County, Colorado. It sits at 7,562 feet above sea level. The water measures roughly 2 acres, so nothing here is far from anything else. On size it sits at the modest end of our Ouray County list. Nearest town is Ouray, 9.7 miles off. Further out sit Telluride (14 miles) and Mountain Village (15 miles). One jurisdiction covers this water end to end.

• Where to Fish on City Reservoir

  There is no recorded depth, so work from what you can see. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Records held for Ouray County cover rainbow trout, brown trout and black-spotted cutthroat trout. Records at county level tell you what is around, not what is stocked here. At City Reservoir light and wind decide more than tackle does.

• Seasonal Patterns

  In an average year July sits at 64°F and January at 22°F. Winter shuts the surface down for months. Hard cover is dependable here; it goes around early April. The season between ice runs from about early April to early December. Look to early summer and the first cool weeks of autumn. On City Reservoir that shapes the whole year.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. The nearest car park we can see is 0.9 miles out, so expect a walk with your gear. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. State or provincial rules still apply whatever the bank status. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. Lake Otonawanda, 2 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. For City Reservoir, the notice at the access point is the final word.