Fishing at Safety Reservoir Number 2, Delta County, Colorado

• Overview

  Set in Delta County, Colorado, this is Safety Reservoir Number 2. The water sits 10,095 feet up. About 6 acres of surface, which puts the far bank inside easy sight. Cedaredge is the closest place, 8.9 miles off. For a city, Boulder is 159 miles off. The county line runs close by, so rules can change within a short drive. It repays a second visit more than a first.

• Where to Fish on Safety Reservoir Number 2

  We hold no depth figure for this one. Rip-rap along the wall holds fish that the open bank never does. Held water runs deepest at the wall and shallows back to the inflow. Records held for Delta County cover rainbow trout, white sucker, flannelmouth sucker and bluehead sucker. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. Anyone new to this water should walk it once before setting up.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The seasonal spread runs 17°F to 56°F. Cold locks it up for a good stretch each year. Once it clears, about mid May, the fishing comes on quickly. Open water usually runs from mid May until about mid November. The middle of summer slows a little, with dawn and dusk carrying it. This water runs to its own calendar within the local pattern.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access is not recorded for this water. Recorded parking is half a mile off, far enough to travel light. A rest area sits about half a mile from the water. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. State or provincial rules still apply whatever the bank status. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. If the gate is shut, Skinned Horse Reservoir at 0.5 miles is the nearest alternative. Rules at this water are worth checking on the day.