Tarryall Reservoir near Bailey: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  Look for Tarryall Reservoir in Park County, Colorado. The surface lies 8,871 feet up. Roughly 189 acres: a morning covers one end, an afternoon the other. Around 2.6 miles of margin, front to back. Bailey at 14 miles is the nearest place to stop. Lakewood is the closest city, 43 miles away. The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Tarryall Reservoir

  Depth went unrecorded, which puts the reading back on you. Held water runs deepest at the wall and shallows back to the inflow. Built water gives depth close in, which suits a bank angler. Park County records list brown trout, rainbow trout, longnose sucker, brook trout and black-spotted cutthroat trout among the fish reported. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. Fish Tarryall Reservoir where the bottom changes rather than where it looks deep.

• Seasonal Patterns

  On the long-term average, July reads 59°F and January reads 18°F. Cold winters and warm summers give a wide working range. Firm cover through the cold months, then open water from late April. In an average year the thaw lands around late April and the freeze near mid November. June through September is the settled part of the year, with the shoulders busier for fish. Anyone fishing Tarryall Reservoir regularly works to that calendar.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access status is simply unknown for this water. There is a slipway on the shore, half a mile from the water we list. You can park half a mile away and walk in from there. Fishing from a pier is possible half a mile away. Overnight stays are possible about half a mile out, where camping is mapped. Public toilets are recorded roughly half a mile off. Take the rules with you rather than trusting memory. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. Failing this one, try Bayou Salado Reservoir, 9.9 miles away.