Rueter-Hess Reservoir in Douglas County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Rueter-Hess Reservoir is one of the Douglas County waters in Colorado. Farm and woodlot runs right down to the water. Surface area is around 216 acres, which gives you real water without needing a boat. Few waters listed in Douglas County are bigger. Stonegate sits 3.2 miles from the bank. The big place round here is Centennial, 6.8 miles distant. The county edge is within a short distance of the bank.

• Where to Fish on Rueter-Hess Reservoir

  Depth is unmeasured here, so let the shoreline guide you. Standing timber shows when the level drops, and fish sit against it. Built water gives depth close in, which suits a bank angler. Survey and observation records for Douglas County include white sucker, longnose sucker, rainbow trout and johnny darter. County records show what lives in the area; the local agency holds the water-by-water list. On Rueter-Hess Reservoir a short move beats a long cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July runs about 71°F on average, January about 29°F. The year turns gently, without extremes at either end. In a normal year the cover is thin and short-lived. March through May is the strongest run, with October and November a second stretch. Rueter-Hess Reservoir runs to its own calendar within the local pattern.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public data does not answer the access question here. You will be walking about half a mile from the nearest car park. There is a jetty half a mile off, worth knowing on a busy day. There are toilets mapped about half a mile away. Season dates differ by species, so read the table. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. Failing this one, try Franktown Parker FPS-1 Reservoir, 4.3 miles away. Ask locally about Rueter-Hess Reservoir if anything is unclear.