Smith Reservoir Fishing in El Paso County, Colorado

• Overview

  Set in El Paso County, Colorado, this is Smith Reservoir. Rolling hill runs right down to the water. A splashy cast here empties the swim; a quiet one owns it. It is one of the smaller waters we list in El Paso County. Fountain is the closest place, 18 miles off. Further out sit Pueblo West (18 miles) and Pueblo (19 miles). No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on Smith Reservoir

  The records we hold are silent on depth, so plan to find it yourself. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Survey and observation records for El Paso County include rainbow trout, common carp, brook trout, green sunfish and white sucker. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. At Smith Reservoir the water rewards a slow, careful approach.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warm month here averages 75°F; the cold one sits at 30°F. The calendar is generous: something works in nearly every month. It is not guaranteed from one year to the next. November and March are the quiet, comfortable months to be out. Anyone fishing Smith Reservoir regularly works to that calendar.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public data does not answer the access question here. There is no mapped parking or launch nearby, which keeps numbers down. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Gates get locked out of season on water like this. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. For a change of water, J N Holland Reservoir Number 2 is 1.2 miles distant. Nothing on Smith Reservoir should be assumed from this page alone.