Mason Reservoir Fishing Guide, Teller County, Colorado

• Overview

  Out in Teller County, Colorado, sits Mason Reservoir. The ground round it is pine and birch. It runs to roughly 110 acres — big enough to hold fish away from the bank, small enough to learn. Size puts it in the front rank of our Teller County list. Some 7.4 miles away sits Manitou Springs, the nearest settlement. It is 11 miles to Colorado Springs, the nearest city. The boundary is near enough that local access rules are worth double-checking.

• Where to Fish on Mason Reservoir

  There is no published depth for this one, so start shallow and work out. Look for where the old bank line still shows under the surface. Held water runs deepest at the wall and shallows back to the inflow. County-wide records name brook trout, rainbow trout, black-spotted cutthroat trout and brown trout. County records show what lives in the area; the local agency holds the water-by-water list. Mason Reservoir responds to conditions more than to tactics.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate normals give 51°F for July and 17°F for January. Four clear seasons, with a proper winter at one end. The lid usually sets by midwinter and gives way around late May. The water is typically free of ice between late May and early November. The open run goes from the thaw to the freeze, and April through October covers most of it. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Mason Reservoir.

• Tackle & Baits

  Ownership and access are not documented in what we hold. The nearest mapped parking is half a mile away, so the last stretch is on foot. There are toilets half a mile off. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Gates get locked out of season on water like this. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. For a change of water, Dead Lake is 0.5 miles distant. For Mason Reservoir in particular, ask before you travel.