Mac Farlane Reservoir, Colorado: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Out in Jackson County, Colorado, sits Mac Farlane Reservoir. Height above sea level is 8,314 feet. This is sizeable water at about 257 acres, and a boat opens up most of it. Shoreline length is close to 5.1 miles, and each section fishes a little differently. Size puts it in the front rank of our Jackson County list. Start from Steamboat Springs, 29 miles down the road. It is 63 miles to Fort Collins, the nearest city. The nearest boundary is well away, so one set of rules covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Mac Farlane Reservoir

  No depth figure appears in our records, so the bank has to tell you. A reservoir gives you a hard edge, a shelf, and not much else. Inflow corners move water, and moving water gathers fish. County-wide records name brown trout, brook trout and rainbow trout. These are county-wide records, so not all of them will be in this water. On Mac Farlane Reservoir the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate normals give 58°F for July and 18°F for January. Seasons are distinct, and each one fishes differently. After late April the shallows warm and the fish move up. Average temperatures cross freezing around late April in spring and again near mid November in autumn. Late spring and early autumn carry the year between them. The season on Mac Farlane Reservoir rarely departs from it.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access status is simply unknown for this water. Mapping shows no built access close by; expect to walk in from wherever you can leave the car. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. State or provincial rules still apply whatever the bank status. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. Clayton Reservoir, 3.1 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. Signs at Mac Farlane Reservoir carry more weight than any list.