Hermit Number 4 Reservoir, Colorado: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Set in San Juan County, Hermit Number 4 Reservoir is a Colorado water. Everything around it is mixed forest. At 13 acres it is the sort of place you fish for an evening rather than a day. The nearest place of any size is Ouray, 28 miles away. For a city, Pueblo is 148 miles off. It sits well inside the county, so one set of rules covers it.

• Where to Fish on Hermit Number 4 Reservoir

  Without a survey to go on, judge depth from how the bank falls away. Draw-down through summer strips the margins, so follow the water out. The old creek line under the surface is the feature worth finding. Species logged across San Juan County include black-spotted cutthroat trout, rainbow trout and brook trout. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. This water repays a walk before the first cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate normals give 52°F for July and 12°F for January. Hard water is a season in its own right here. Hard water holds through the cold months, breaking up near late May. Expect the water usable from around late May until roughly mid November. The open run goes from the thaw to the freeze, and April through October covers most of it. This water runs to its own calendar within the local pattern.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. No made access appears within a short radius, so plan to park on a verge and walk. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Ask in the nearest town if you are unsure. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. If the gate is shut, Hermit Reservoir 3 at 0.4 miles is the nearest alternative. None of that is settled for this water in what we hold.