Ott Reservoir in Fremont County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Ott Reservoir lies in Fremont County, Colorado. It sits at 5,686 feet above sea level. It covers about 4 acres, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. Cañon City at 4 miles is the nearest place to stop. Colorado Springs sits 32 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Ott Reservoir

  Depth is not on record here, so the bank has to tell you. Points where the flooded channel swings in are the reliable ones. The arms fish better than the open middle whenever the water is up. Fish documented in Fremont County include brown trout, rainbow trout, white sucker and brook trout. These are county-wide records, so not all of them will be in this water. The shape of Ott Reservoir decides where the fish sit.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July runs about 72°F on average, January about 33°F. Spring and autumn are the strongest, but nothing is truly closed. It is not guaranteed from one year to the next. Spring and autumn carry the year; summer squeezes it into the ends of the day. Plan around that when you fish Ott Reservoir.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public sources are silent on who controls the bank. There is no recorded infrastructure here; expect to find your own way in. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Look for a notice board at the entrance. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. Should this one be busy, Lone Tree Reservoir is 0.6 miles off. Check the position on Ott Reservoir before loading the car.