McPhee Reservoir Fishing near Cortez, Colorado

• Overview

  Look for McPhee Reservoir in the Montezuma County part of Colorado. The surface lies 6,926 feet up. Around 6.8 sq miles of open water: conditions change from one end to the other. Some 34 miles of shoreline means conditions can differ from one end to the other. By surface area it heads our Montezuma County listings. Head to Cortez, 11 miles away, for anything you forgot. Then Mancos, 19 miles, and Towaoc, 23 miles. No boundary runs near, so the county rules hold throughout.

• Where to Fish on McPhee Reservoir

  Our records hold no depth for this water. Look for where the old bank line still shows under the surface. A reservoir gives you a hard edge, a shelf, and not much else. Across Montezuma County, recorded fish include bluehead sucker, brook trout, bluegill and walleye. Records at county level tell you what is around, not what is stocked here. Treat McPhee Reservoir as a water to read rather than to cover.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-term averages put July at about 68°F and January near 27°F. Some winters cap it and some do not. It should never be assumed safe, whatever the month says. February into May fishes hardest as the water warms. Time your trip to McPhee Reservoir by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access status is simply unknown for this water. No built facilities appear in mapping around this water. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Gates get locked out of season on water like this. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. Narraguinnep Reservoir, 3.7 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. Check the position at McPhee Reservoir before loading the car.