Lon Hagler Reservoir in Larimer County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Lon Hagler Reservoir is a Larimer County water, Colorado side. It stands 5,154 feet above sea level. It measures about 150 acres, which is a comfortable size for bank fishing. A shoreline of some 2.2 miles keeps the choices simple. On our Larimer County list it sits near the top for size. Campion lies 3.9 miles from the water. After that come Loveland at 4.5 miles and Berthoud at 5.3 miles. Rules can differ a short way off, since the county line is near.

• Where to Fish on Lon Hagler Reservoir

  No chart reached our records; the first cast is your sounding. Rip-rap along the wall holds fish that the open bank never does. The arms fish better than the open middle whenever the water is up. Survey and observation records for Larimer County include black-spotted cutthroat trout, brook trout, white sucker and rainbow trout. Species recorded across the county may be limited to a few waters. Lon Hagler Reservoir gives up its fish to patience rather than distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  On the long-term average, July reads 72°F and January reads 28°F. Neither winter nor summer shuts things down for long. In milder years the edges alone go, and the middle never sets. March through May is the strongest run, with October and November a second stretch. It sets the rhythm of the year at Lon Hagler Reservoir.

• Tackle & Baits

  We hold no note on access for this one. Launching is possible: a slipway lies half a mile off. There is a jetty half a mile off, worth knowing on a busy day. Facilities run to toilets half a mile from the water. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. A phone call first saves an afternoon. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. Poison Lake sits 1.4 miles off and takes the overflow. None of that is settled for Lon Hagler Reservoir in what we hold.