Fishing at Haley Reservoir, Routt County, Colorado

• Overview

  Haley Reservoir stands in Routt County, Colorado. Height above sea level is 8,848 feet. About 12 acres of surface, which puts the far bank inside easy sight. The nearest town is Hayden, 22 miles away. Steamboat Springs is 28 miles and Craig 31 miles. It sits well inside the county, so one set of rules covers it. Most people fish the same few areas, which leaves the rest quiet.

• Where to Fish on Haley Reservoir

  Depth is unmeasured here, so let the shoreline guide you. Look for where the old bank line still shows under the surface. Held water runs deepest at the wall and shallows back to the inflow. Reported across Routt County: brook trout, cutthroat trout, rainbow trout and mountain whitefish. County data is a starting point rather than a guarantee. Haley Reservoir gives up its fish to patience rather than distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate records put July near 57°F and January near 20°F. Spring and autumn carry the fishing; summer and winter test it. The lid usually sets by midwinter and gives way around early May. The season between ice runs from about early May to mid November. Fish feed hardest at the start and the close of the open season. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Haley Reservoir.

• Tackle & Baits

  No access rule appears in what we hold. Public mapping records no formal access here, so plan for a walk and soft ground. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Rules for this water may differ from the county norm. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. Sheriff Reservoir sits 2.8 miles off and takes the overflow. Treat access at Haley Reservoir as something to verify.