Empire Reservoir Fishing in Lake County, Colorado

• Overview

  Empire Reservoir is one of the Lake County listings for Colorado. Elevation runs to 11,709 feet. It covers about 4 acres, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. It is high ground by Colorado standards. Leadville is the closest place, 5.2 miles off. Lakewood sits 70 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. The county line runs close by, so rules can change within a short drive.

• Where to Fish on Empire Reservoir

  Depth went unrecorded, which puts the reading back on you. The arms fish better than the open middle whenever the water is up. Points where the flooded channel swings in are the reliable ones. Records held for Lake County cover rainbow trout, brook trout, brown trout, cutthroat trout and black-spotted cutthroat trout. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. Fish Empire Reservoir to its features, not to its size.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between January at about 13°F and July at about 49°F, the water has a wide range to work through. Winter closes the water for a while, and the reopening is worth catching. Look for the thaw near early June; the fishing lifts straight after. Ice clears near early June and comes back about early November in a typical year. Reckon on open water from spring through to late autumn, with May and June the strongest. Anyone fishing Empire Reservoir regularly works to that calendar.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. Public data shows nothing built here, so treat the whole approach as informal. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. A landowner's word beats anything printed elsewhere. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. For a change of water, Diamond Lake is 4 miles distant. Confirm access to Empire Reservoir locally before you travel.