Skyline Reservoir Number 3 in Moffat County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Skyline Reservoir Number 3 sits in Moffat County, out in Colorado. The setting is rolling bush on every side. You can fish the entire water from one spot if you pick it well. On size it sits at the modest end of our Moffat County list. Rangely lies 12 miles from the water. Naples lies 37 miles off, Vernal another 39 miles. There is no boundary nearby to worry about.

• Where to Fish on Skyline Reservoir Number 3

  Our records hold no depth for this water. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Species logged across Moffat County include flannelmouth sucker, bluehead sucker, white sucker, common carp and brook trout. Take it as the county picture rather than a promise for this water. This water repays a walk before the first cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The seasonal spread runs 21°F to 69°F. Winter closes the water for a while, and the reopening is worth catching. Once it clears, about late March, the fishing comes on quickly. Break-up sits around late March on average, with the water closing again about early December. May into June fishes hardest, and September gives a second good stretch before the lid returns. It holds true on this water more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access status is simply unknown for this water. Mapping is blank for access, so scout the approach before committing the car. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. A landowner's word beats anything printed elsewhere. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. If the gate is shut, Box Elder Reservoir Number 4 at 8.3 miles is the nearest alternative. Treat this water as unsettled until someone local tells you otherwise.