Deserted Park Reservoir in Delta County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  You will find Deserted Park Reservoir in Delta County, Colorado. It stands 10,003 feet above sea level. This is a pocket water of some 4 acres, and every part of it is reachable from the bank. It is one of the smaller waters we list in Delta County. The nearest place of any size is Cedaredge, 11 miles away. Further out sit Orchard City (16 miles) and Paonia (19 miles). No boundary runs near, so the county rules hold throughout.

• Where to Fish on Deserted Park Reservoir

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. Points where the flooded channel swings in are the reliable ones. Look for where the old bank line still shows under the surface. Survey and observation records for Delta County include rainbow trout, white sucker, flannelmouth sucker and bluehead sucker. The county figures include rivers and lakes alike. On Deserted Park Reservoir the obvious spot is not always the productive one.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The seasonal spread runs 17°F to 56°F. Winter closes the water for a while, and the reopening is worth catching. Winter fishing happens on the ice here, with open water back around mid May. The water is typically free of ice between mid May and mid November. Look to early summer and the first cool weeks of autumn. That is the shape of the year on Deserted Park Reservoir.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. This one is mapped as intermittent, so a wasted trip is a real risk in a dry year. Launching is at Trickle Park Boat Ramp, about 0.9 miles away. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. State or provincial rules still apply whatever the bank status. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. For a change of water, Blanche Park Reservoir is 0.6 miles distant. None of that is settled for Deserted Park Reservoir in what we hold.