Nofstger Zeigler Reservoir Fishing near Hayden, Colorado

• Overview

  Nofstger Zeigler Reservoir sits within Routt County in Colorado. The water sits 6,736 feet up. This is a pocket water of some 8 acres, and every part of it is reachable from the bank. Start from Hayden, 7.7 miles down the road. Then Steamboat Springs, 18 miles, and Craig, 21 miles. No border sits close enough to matter. There is enough here to keep coming back.

• Where to Fish on Nofstger Zeigler Reservoir

  Depth figures are not published for this one. Built water gives depth close in, which suits a bank angler. The arms fish better than the open middle whenever the water is up. Fish documented in Routt County include brook trout, cutthroat trout, rainbow trout, mountain whitefish and mountain sucker. Take it as the county picture rather than a promise for this water. Fish Nofstger Zeigler Reservoir where the bottom changes rather than where it looks deep.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Typical July readings run about 63°F; by January the average is down near 18°F. Winter closes the water for a while, and the reopening is worth catching. The lid arrives early and lasts until roughly mid April. Open water usually runs from mid April until about late November. The weeks after the thaw and the ones before the freeze are the strongest. That is the shape of the year on Nofstger Zeigler Reservoir.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. Access points are not mapped for this water, which suits people who like quiet. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Parking space is the usual limit rather than the bank itself. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. Nofstger Reservoir, 0.7 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. Signs at Nofstger Zeigler Reservoir carry more weight than any list.