Fishing at Konopik Reservoir, Rio Blanco County, Colorado

• Overview

  Rio Blanco County in Colorado is where Konopik Reservoir sits. Elevation runs to 8,346 feet. This is a pocket water of some 3 acres, and every part of it is reachable from the bank. Meeker lies 20 miles from the water. Craig is 23 miles and Hayden 28 miles. Round about: Owen-Carrigan Reservoir at 1.2 miles, Cove Reservoir lies 1.5 miles on, Cove Lake Reservoir at 1.5 miles, D D and E Wise Reservoir lies 5 miles on and Wyman Reservoir at 7.3 miles. There is no boundary nearby to worry about.

• Where to Fish on Konopik Reservoir

  Without a survey to go on, judge depth from how the bank falls away. Standing timber shows when the level drops, and fish sit against it. Inflow corners move water, and moving water gathers fish. Fish documented in Rio Blanco County include flannelmouth sucker, cutthroat trout, rainbow trout and bluehead sucker. Take it as the county picture rather than a promise for this water. Konopik Reservoir gives up its fish to patience rather than distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July near 63°F and January near 20°F on the long-run figures. The year splits cleanly: hard water, then open water. 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. Late spring and early autumn carry the year between them. It sets the rhythm of the year at Konopik Reservoir.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. Nothing is listed nearby for parking or launching a boat. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Parking space is the usual limit rather than the bank itself. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. Owen-Carrigan Reservoir, 1.2 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. What applies at Konopik Reservoir may have changed since it was mapped.