Porter Reservoir, Colorado: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Garfield County in Colorado is where Porter Reservoir sits. The water sits 7,228 feet up. At 12 acres it is the sort of place you fish for an evening rather than a day. Glenwood Springs sits 6 miles from here and is the nearest stop. After that come New Castle at 6.5 miles and Silt at 12 miles. It sits well inside its county, with no border complications.

• Where to Fish on Porter Reservoir

  There is no recorded depth, so work from what you can see. Points where the flooded channel swings in are the reliable ones. The old creek line under the surface is the feature worth finding. Reported across Garfield County: cutthroat trout, rainbow trout and brown trout. Those are county-wide records, so not every one of them will be in this water. At Porter Reservoir the first feature you find is worth twenty minutes.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Typical July readings run about 67°F; by January the average is down near 21°F. Seasons are distinct, and each one fishes differently. Hard water holds through the cold months, breaking up near late March. Ice clears near late March and comes back about early December in a typical year. The middle of summer slows a little, with dawn and dusk carrying it. The season on Porter Reservoir follows the weather closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. No made access is recorded, so a short walk in is the likely arrangement. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Look for a notice board at the entrance. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. Hughes Reservoir, 5 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. Ask locally about Porter Reservoir if anything is unclear.