Foothills Reservoir in Boulder County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Look for Foothills Reservoir in the Boulder County part of Colorado. The surface lies 5,203 feet up. It measures about 160 acres, which is a comfortable size for bank fishing. The bank runs about 2.0 miles all the way round, so one visit can cover most of it. It is among the larger waters listed here for Boulder County. Lyons sits 3.7 miles from here and is the nearest stop. The big place round here is Boulder, 12 miles distant. One jurisdiction covers this water end to end.

• Where to Fish on Foothills Reservoir

  No published figure covers depth, so learn it as you fish. Built water gives depth close in, which suits a bank angler. Inflow corners move water, and moving water gathers fish. Across Boulder County, recorded fish include black-spotted cutthroat trout, brook trout and brown trout. It is the county picture; the agency list is water-specific. At Foothills Reservoir light and wind decide more than tackle does.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Seasonal averages run from 30°F in January up to 71°F in July. Conditions shift steadily rather than sharply. It should never be assumed safe, whatever the month says. The cooler months are the comfortable ones to fish here. That is the shape of the year on Foothills Reservoir. Long dry spells drop the level and concentrate them.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something 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. Read any posted signs at the access point rather than assuming. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. McCaslin Lake at 0.6 miles is the sensible second choice. For Foothills Reservoir, the notice at the access point is the final word.