Fishing Reed Reservoir in Delta County, Colorado

• Overview

  Delta County in Colorado is where Reed Reservoir sits. It sits at 10,003 feet above sea level. About 18 acres of surface, which puts the far bank inside easy sight. Nearest place of any size is Cedaredge, 9.1 miles away. Boulder sits 158 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. The nearest boundary is a fair way off.

• Where to Fish on Reed Reservoir

  Depth is unmeasured here, so let the shoreline guide you. Levels move with the draw rather than the rain on water like this. Look for where the old bank line still shows under the surface. Records held for Delta County cover rainbow trout, white sucker, flannelmouth sucker and bluehead sucker. Take it as the county picture rather than a promise for this water. At Reed Reservoir light and wind decide more than tackle does.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-run averages give July about 56°F and January about 17°F. Winter shuts the surface down for months. Count on hard cover from midwinter, and open water from mid May. In an average year the thaw lands around mid May and the freeze near mid November. June through September is the settled part of the year, with the shoulders busier for fish. It sets the rhythm of the year at Reed Reservoir.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. Eggleston Boat Ramp gives a made launch, 0.9 miles off. The nearest mapped parking is 0.9 miles away, so the last stretch is on foot. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. State or provincial rules still apply whatever the bank status. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. Donnely Reservoir, 0.5 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. None of that is settled for Reed Reservoir in what we hold.