McCoy Reservoir, Colorado: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Set in Eagle County, McCoy Reservoir is a Colorado water. This is lake country bush country. Small at around 4 acres: two anglers spread out cover most of it. The closest town, Kremmling, is 16 miles away. Boulder is the closest city, 73 miles away. More in the same country: Yarmany Reservoir 1.4 miles, Reid Reservoir 7.6 miles off, Little Cottonwood Reservoir 7.6 miles, Oxford Lake 7.6 miles off and Hadley Reservoir 8.2 miles. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on McCoy Reservoir

  No chart reached our records; the first cast is your sounding. Points where the flooded channel swings in are the reliable ones. Levels move with the draw rather than the rain on water like this. Eagle County records list brook trout, brown trout, rainbow trout, cutthroat trout and black-spotted cutthroat trout among the fish reported. Records at county level tell you what is around, not what is stocked here. On McCoy Reservoir that means starting tight and working out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Average temperature peaks around 60°F in July and bottoms out near 19°F in January. The freeze arrives properly here and holds. Expect a solid lid for months and a thaw around late April. Climate averages put the opening at about late April and the closing near late November. Early summer and early autumn carry the open-water season. The season on McCoy Reservoir follows the weather closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing on record says whether the bank is open or closed. Mapping records no facilities at all near this water. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Ask in the nearest town if you are unsure. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. Failing this one, try Yarmany Reservoir, 1.4 miles away. For McCoy Reservoir in particular, ask before you travel.