Hartman Reservoir Fishing near Paonia, Colorado

• Overview

  The Delta County end of Colorado holds Hartman Reservoir. Around the bank it is pine and birch. At roughly 3 acres, the whole thing is within casting reach of a single walk. On size it sits at the modest end of our Delta County list. Nearest place of any size is Paonia, 12 miles away. For a city, Boulder is 147 miles off. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Hartman Reservoir

  No figure exists for depth, so let the water show you. Standing timber shows when the level drops, and fish sit against it. Rip-rap along the wall holds fish that the open bank never does. County-wide records name rainbow trout, white sucker, flannelmouth sucker and bluehead sucker. The county figures include rivers and lakes alike. Hartman Reservoir gives up more to patience than to distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Typical July readings run about 54°F; by January the average is down near 16°F. Spring and autumn carry the fishing; summer and winter test it. Winter fishing happens on the ice here, with open water back around mid May. Ice clears near mid May and comes back about mid November in a typical year. Spring is short and heavy here; autumn is longer and steadier. The season on Hartman Reservoir follows the weather closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  We hold no note on access for this one. You can camp half a mile off, which suits an early start. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Where the road in crosses private land, ask first. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. If the gate is shut, Elk Wallows Reservoir at 0.1 miles is the nearest alternative. Treat Hartman Reservoir as unsettled until someone local tells you otherwise.