Left Hand Valley Reservoir near Niwot: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  Left Hand Valley Reservoir belongs to Boulder County, Colorado. The bank is 5,371 feet above sea level. The water covers some 110 acres, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. On our Boulder County list it sits near the top for size. Supplies mean a trip to Niwot, 5.1 miles off. For a city, Boulder is 5.6 miles off. It sits well inside the county, so one set of rules covers it.

• Where to Fish on Left Hand Valley Reservoir

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. Rip-rap along the wall holds fish that the open bank never does. Draw-down through summer strips the margins, so follow the water out. Across Boulder County, recorded fish include black-spotted cutthroat trout, brook trout, brown trout and bluegill. The county figures include rivers and lakes alike. On Left Hand Valley Reservoir the obvious spot is not always the productive one.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-run averages give July about 69°F and January about 30°F. The swings are modest, so patterns change slowly. Cover comes and goes, so treat it with suspicion rather than trust. April and May are the settled weeks, with October close behind. Left Hand Valley Reservoir fishes to that pattern most years.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. The car has to stay half a mile away, which shapes how much tackle you bring. Mapping records toilets within half a mile. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Check locally before you travel, because a wasted drive is a long one. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. Loukonen Brothers Reservoir sits 0.6 miles off and takes the overflow. Where Left Hand Valley Reservoir is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.