Fishing at Skimmed Milk Reservoir, Delta County, Colorado

• Overview

  In Colorado, Skimmed Milk Reservoir belongs to Delta County. Beyond the shoreline you have lake country bush. This is a pocket water of some 9 acres, and every part of it is reachable from the bank. 12 miles away sits Paonia, the nearest town. It is 147 miles to Boulder, the nearest city. There is no boundary nearby to worry about.

• Where to Fish on Skimmed Milk Reservoir

  Without a survey to go on, judge depth from how the bank falls away. Draw-down through summer strips the margins, so follow the water out. Look for where the old bank line still shows under the surface. Fish documented in Delta County include rainbow trout, white sucker, flannelmouth sucker, bluehead sucker and brown trout. Read it as a county summary, not a water-by-water list. Anyone new to Skimmed Milk Reservoir should walk it once before setting up.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The year swings from about 16°F in January to roughly 54°F in July. Winter shuts the surface down for months. Winter locks it down, and mid May brings it back. Averages place the thaw at mid May and the freeze at mid November. May into June fishes hardest, and September gives a second good stretch before the lid returns. Skimmed Milk Reservoir runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. There is no mapped parking or launch close by, which usually means walking in. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Look for a notice board at the entrance. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. Fisher Reservoir, 0.1 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. What applies at Skimmed Milk Reservoir may have changed since it was mapped.