Waddle Creek Reservoir near Craig: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  In Colorado, Waddle Creek Reservoir falls inside Routt County. The bank is 6,998 feet above sea level. It covers about 5 acres, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. For supplies, Craig is 15 miles out. The nearest city of size is Boulder, 121 miles away. The line between counties passes nearby, which can change who manages the water.

• Where to Fish on Waddle Creek Reservoir

  No chart reached our records; the first cast is your sounding. Built water gives depth close in, which suits a bank angler. The arms fish better than the open middle whenever the water is up. Routt County records list brook trout, cutthroat trout and rainbow trout among the fish reported. County records show the wider picture rather than this one place. Waddle Creek Reservoir gives up more to patience than to distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-term averages put July at about 62°F and January near 21°F. Winter shuts things down for a spell, then spring reopens them fast. Winter fishing happens on the ice here, with open water back around mid April. From about mid April to around late November, expect open water on the long-run figures. Just after the ice goes and just before it returns, the fishing lifts. The season on Waddle Creek Reservoir rarely departs from it.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. There is a jetty half a mile off, worth knowing on a busy day. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. A landowner's word beats anything printed elsewhere. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. Failing this one, try Sullivan Reservoir, 3.5 miles away. Rules at Waddle Creek Reservoir are worth checking on the day.