Fishing at McHatten Reservoir, Eagle County, Colorado

• Overview

  McHatten Reservoir falls in Eagle County, part of Colorado. The water sits 7,510 feet up. The water measures roughly 2 acres, so nothing here is far from anything else. It is one of the smaller waters we list in Eagle County. Eagle lies 4.3 miles from the water. Then Gypsum, 5.5 miles, and Edwards, 15 miles. No boundary runs near, so the county rules hold throughout.

• Where to Fish on McHatten Reservoir

  There is no published depth for this one, so start shallow and work out. Draw-down through summer strips the margins, so follow the water out. Points where the flooded channel swings in are the reliable ones. Records held for Eagle County cover brook trout, brown trout, rainbow trout, cutthroat trout and black-spotted cutthroat trout. County records show the wider picture rather than this one place. Work McHatten Reservoir in sections rather than trying to cover it.

• Seasonal Patterns

  On the long-term average, July reads 65°F and January reads 18°F. The freeze arrives properly here and holds. After early April the shallows warm and the fish move up. Climate figures give an open season running early April to late November. The open run goes from the thaw to the freeze, and April through October covers most of it. Anyone fishing McHatten Reservoir regularly works to that calendar.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. Nothing in the way of made access shows up nearby: no ramp, no car park, no path. 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. The Beaver Ponds at 7.6 miles is the sensible second choice. Rules at McHatten Reservoir are worth checking on the day.