Montgomery Reservoir, Colorado: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Out in Park County, Colorado, sits Montgomery Reservoir. It lies 10,853 feet above sea level. Roughly 89 acres: a morning covers one end, an afternoon the other. About 1.3 miles of bank, so nothing stays unexplored for long. Nearest place of any size is Breckenridge, 8.9 miles away. It is 58 miles to Lakewood, the nearest city. You are close to a county edge here; who manages the access can change within a short drive.

• Where to Fish on Montgomery Reservoir

  Depth went unrecorded, which puts the reading back on you. Rip-rap along the wall holds fish that the open bank never does. The arms fish better than the open middle whenever the water is up. Public occurrence data for Park County names brown trout, rainbow trout, longnose sucker, brook trout and black-spotted cutthroat trout. Several of these carry legal protection or closed seasons; the rulebook comes before the rod. At Montgomery Reservoir light and wind decide more than tackle does.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July runs about 50°F on average, January about 15°F. A hard winter is normal, and the thaw brings a strong few weeks. Firm cover through the cold months, then open water from late May. On the long-run averages the water opens up around late May and starts locking again about early November. The strongest runs come at either end of the open season. The season on Montgomery Reservoir rarely departs from it.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public sources are silent on who controls the bank. There is a car park half a mile from the bank. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Where access is informal, keep it that way by behaving. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. For a change of water, Crystal Lake is 1.4 miles distant. For Montgomery Reservoir in particular, ask before you travel.