Hourglass Reservoir in Larimer County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  In Colorado, Hourglass Reservoir belongs to Larimer County. The surroundings are mixed forest. At about 64 acres, a day is enough to walk the shoreline properly. The edge runs 1.3 miles or so, easy to work in an afternoon. For a base, Estes Park sits 15 miles out. The nearest city of size is Fort Collins, 29 miles away. The nearest boundary is a fair way off.

• Where to Fish on Hourglass Reservoir

  Without a survey to go on, judge depth from how the bank falls away. Inflow corners move water, and moving water gathers fish. Standing timber shows when the level drops, and fish sit against it. Species logged across Larimer County include black-spotted cutthroat trout, brook trout, white sucker and rainbow trout. Those are county-wide records, so not every one of them will be in this water. On Hourglass Reservoir that means starting tight and working out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The seasonal spread runs 19°F to 51°F. Winter puts a hard lid on this one. The lid usually sets by midwinter and gives way around late May. On average, late May opens the water and early November closes it again. Fishing peaks soon after break-up and again before the cold returns. The season on Hourglass Reservoir rarely departs from it.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing in our records says who may fish here. You can camp about half a mile away, going by the mapping. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. A landowner's word beats anything printed elsewhere. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. The nearest alternative is Comanche Reservoir, 1.1 miles out. For Hourglass Reservoir in particular, ask before you travel.