Cove Reservoir, Colorado: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Cove Reservoir belongs to Rio Blanco County, Colorado. The water sits 8,215 feet up. At roughly 4 acres, the whole thing is within casting reach of a single walk. Start from Meeker, 21 miles down the road. Beyond it, Craig at 22 miles and Hayden at 26 miles. The nearest boundary is a fair way off. The shoreline runs longer than it looks on a map.

• Where to Fish on Cove Reservoir

  The records we hold are silent on depth, so plan to find it yourself. The arms fish better than the open middle whenever the water is up. Levels move with the draw rather than the rain on water like this. Open biodiversity records for Rio Blanco County list flannelmouth sucker, cutthroat trout and rainbow trout. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. On Cove Reservoir the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July is the warm end of the year here, averaging about 59°F, while January sits near 20°F. Cold winters and warm summers give a wide working range. Hard cover is dependable here; it goes around early May. In an average year the thaw lands around early May and the freeze near late November. The weeks after the thaw and the ones before the freeze are the strongest. Plan any trip to Cove Reservoir around it.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. There is no mapped parking or launch close by, which usually means walking in. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Ask in the nearest town if you are unsure. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. Cove Lake Reservoir at 0.2 miles is the sensible second choice. Ask locally about Cove Reservoir if anything is unclear.