Independent Reservoir, Colorado: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  The Boulder County entry here is Independent Reservoir, in Colorado. It sits in mixed woodland country. At 24 acres it is the sort of place you fish for an evening rather than a day. The nearest town is Lyons, 4.2 miles away. The big place round here is Boulder, 13 miles distant. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Independent Reservoir

  There is no recorded depth, so work from what you can see. Held water runs deepest at the wall and shallows back to the inflow. Levels move with the draw rather than the rain on water like this. Reported across Boulder County: black-spotted cutthroat trout, brook trout, brown trout, bluegill and rainbow trout. Species recorded across the county may be limited to a few waters. On Independent Reservoir that means starting tight and working out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Typical July readings run about 71°F; by January the average is down near 30°F. The freeze here is occasional rather than annual. Some winters give nothing at all, so plan for open water. The cooler months are the comfortable ones to fish here. The season on Independent Reservoir rarely departs from it.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. There is a slipway on the shore, half a mile from the water we list. You can park half a mile away and walk in from there. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Gates get locked out of season on water like this. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. McCall Lake, 0.4 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. Check the position at Independent Reservoir before loading the car.