Fishing at Hermit Number 1 Reservoir, Mineral County, Colorado

• Overview

  In Colorado, Hermit Number 1 Reservoir falls inside Mineral County. This is rolling bush ground. It measures about 87 acres, which is a comfortable size for bank fishing. The whole outline is near 1.5 miles, and most of it is walkable. It is among the larger waters listed here for Mineral County. For a base, Ouray sits 29 miles out. Telluride follows at 33 miles, then Mountain Village at 36 miles. The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Hermit Number 1 Reservoir

  No depth figure has reached our records, which makes a plummet useful. A reservoir gives you a hard edge, a shelf, and not much else. The arms fish better than the open middle whenever the water is up. Across Mineral County, recorded fish include brook trout, black-spotted cutthroat trout and brown trout. At least one recorded species is protected in parts of its range; read the local rules before targeting anything. The shape of this water decides where the fish sit.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate normals give 54°F for July and 13°F for January. Fishing here follows the temperature more than the calendar. The lid arrives early and lasts until roughly mid May. In an average year the thaw lands around mid May and the freeze near mid November. September and October fish steadily right up to the freeze. This water runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. Formal access is not mapped, so the last stretch is likely on foot. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Where access is informal, keep it that way by behaving. Close seasons apply to some species and not others. Hermit Lakes sits 0.9 miles off and takes the overflow. Rules at this water are worth checking on the day.