Dry Cottonwood Reservoir Fishing near Craig, Colorado

• Overview

  Dry Cottonwood Reservoir falls in Moffat County, part of Colorado. The ground around here is pine and birch. Surface area runs to about 5 acres — small enough to read in one session. Some 17 miles away sits Craig, the nearest settlement. The big place round here is Fort Collins, 125 miles distant. The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Dry Cottonwood Reservoir

  The records we hold are silent on depth, so plan to find it yourself. Inflow corners move water, and moving water gathers fish. The arms fish better than the open middle whenever the water is up. Survey and observation records for Moffat County include flannelmouth sucker, bluehead sucker, white sucker and common carp. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. Anyone new to Dry Cottonwood Reservoir should walk it once before setting up.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July to average close to 65°F, with January the cold end at about 20°F. The freeze arrives properly here and holds. Hard water holds through the cold months, breaking up near mid April. The open-water window runs from around mid April to about late November in an average year. The shoulder weeks of the open season are the productive ones. Dry Cottonwood Reservoir runs to its own calendar within the local pattern.

• Tackle & Baits

  We have no record of the rules that apply on this bank. No made access is recorded, so a short walk in is the likely arrangement. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Some banks are open only from a marked point. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. If the gate is shut, Freeman Reservoir at 2 miles is the nearest alternative. Check the position on Dry Cottonwood Reservoir before loading the car.