Fishing McLellan Reservoir in Arapahoe County, Colorado

• Overview

  Colorado holds McLellan Reservoir, in Arapahoe County. The ground around here is farm and woodlot. Surface area is around 191 acres, which gives you real water without needing a boat. There is roughly 2.5 miles of shoreline here, which is a short walk end to end. For a base, Columbine Valley sits 2.4 miles out. Highlands Ranch follows at 2.7 miles, then Littleton at 3.1 miles. This one sits near enough to a boundary to be worth checking.

• Where to Fish on McLellan Reservoir

  No published figure covers depth, so learn it as you fish. Levels move with the draw rather than the rain on water like this. Inflow corners move water, and moving water gathers fish. Across Arapahoe County, recorded fish include common carp, white sucker, walleye, green sunfish and bluegill. It is the county picture; the agency list is water-specific. At McLellan Reservoir the water rewards a slow, careful approach.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warm month here averages 72°F; the cold one sits at 30°F. The swings are modest, so patterns change slowly. It is not guaranteed from one year to the next. Late winter often fishes better here than midsummer does. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to McLellan Reservoir. Cloud cover is worth more than temperature on a bright week.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public data does not answer the access question here. The closest car park is half a mile away, so pack accordingly. Toilets show in mapping about half a mile away. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Local rules can differ across the county line, so check where you stand. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. Should this one be busy, Wolhurst Lake is 1.1 miles off. None of that is settled for McLellan Reservoir in what we hold.