Knife Edge Reservoir near Hayden: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  Knife Edge Reservoir lies within the bounds of Routt County, Colorado. Country round the bank runs to mixed forest. This is a pocket water of some 12 acres, and every part of it is reachable from the bank. Nearest place of any size is Hayden, 17 miles away. After that come Craig at 21 miles and Steamboat Springs at 31 miles. No border sits close enough to matter.

• Where to Fish on Knife Edge Reservoir

  We hold no depth figure for this one. Draw-down through summer strips the margins, so follow the water out. Built water gives depth close in, which suits a bank angler. County-wide records name brook trout, cutthroat trout, rainbow trout and mountain whitefish. Those are county-wide records, so not every one of them will be in this water. Work Knife Edge Reservoir in sections rather than trying to cover it.

• Seasonal Patterns

  In an average year July sits at 62°F and January at 20°F. Hard water is a season in its own right here. Winter fishing happens on the ice here, with open water back around mid April. Open water usually runs from mid April until about late November. Early summer and early autumn carry the open-water season. Knife Edge Reservoir runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  We hold no note on access for this one. Nothing formal is recorded here: no ramp, no car park, no marked path. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Where access is informal, keep it that way by behaving. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. Wyman Reservoir at 1.2 miles is the sensible second choice. Nothing on Knife Edge Reservoir should be assumed from this page alone.