Nelson Reservoir Fishing near Fort Collins, Colorado

• Overview

  Nelson Reservoir is a Larimer County water, Colorado side. The setting is open valley on every side. By elevation it sits in the lower part of our Colorado listings. Fort Collins lies 3.2 miles from the water. Then Laporte, 7.2 miles, and Windsor, 9.1 miles. The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Nelson Reservoir

  No figure exists for depth, so let the water show you. Held water runs deepest at the wall and shallows back to the inflow. Look for where the old bank line still shows under the surface. Larimer County records list black-spotted cutthroat trout, brook trout and white sucker among the fish reported. Records at county level tell you what is around, not what is stocked here. Read Nelson Reservoir for ten minutes before the first cast goes out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  On the long-term average, July reads 72°F and January reads 27°F. Some winters cap it and some do not. Some winters give nothing at all, so plan for open water. April and May are the settled weeks, with October close behind. Anyone fishing Nelson Reservoir regularly works to that calendar.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. Mapping shows parking within half a mile. Toilets show in mapping about half a mile away. Mapping puts a reserve boundary across this water; check what it allows. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Check whether a boat is allowed before you tow one. Night access is frequently treated as a separate matter. Williams Lake sits 0.6 miles off and takes the overflow. Check the position at Nelson Reservoir before loading the car.