Adobe Creek Reservoir/Blue Lake (Kiowa and Bent Counties)
Fishing for crappies from a boat is good. Crappies are being caught using minnows, and various styles of jigs. There are a few channel catfish that are being caught from the shore. Fishing for catfish will improve as the water begins to warm up. The low-water boat ramp is usable.
Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area /Arkansas River (Lake, Chaffee and Fremont Counties)
Here's an update from Greg at ArkAnglers: "Thanks to a snowpack that resides at high elevation, as of May 13, the Arkansas River has not experienced any runoff. Water quality remains clear to tinted, with a Bighorn Sheep Canyon flow of 282 cfs. Blue wing olive mayflies continue to be the most consistent producer with nymphal drifts transpiring every afternoon and locally intense hatches on cloudy days. This hatch has proceeded as far upstream as Granite. We are also seeing a late morning mayfly hatch, something like an iron blue dun, that is bigger (size 16) than the blue wing olives and is often more prolific. On warmer afternoons, look for the brachycentrus caddis hatch to continue its upstream movement. This hatch has proceeded as far as Stone Bridge, though as of today the main body of it remains in the Howard to Salida area."
Brush Hollow Reservoir (Fremont County)
The water level is up. Water temperature is about 57 degrees. Fishing has been slow but picking up. Trout fishing good with pink PowerBait. Crappie -picking up using white jigs. Bass-a few being caught along the east shore.
Clear Creek Reservoir (Chaffee County)
Clear Creek will be open and ice free. Boat inspections began May 9 at Clear Creek. From May 9 through May 20, the boat ramp will be open Thursday through Monday from 7 a.m. – 5 p.m. From May 23 through Sept. 2, the boat ramp will be open Thursday through Monday from 6 a.m. – 8 p.m. From Sept. 5 through Sept. 30, the boat ramp will be open Thursday through Monday from 7 a.m. – 5 p.m. The boat ramp will close for the season on Oct. 1. All ramps will be closed when inspections are not in place during the week and at night. Overnight beaching of boats is prohibited.
DeWeese Reservoir (Custer County)
Deweese Lake is open and free of ice. Boat fishing has been most productive trolling lures. Shore fishing has also been good using PowerBait.
Henry Lake (Crowley County)
Low lake levels and a cold winter combined to cause a winter fish kill at Henry Lake. At ice off, numerous dead fish washed up on the banks. While most of these fish were forage species (carp and shad), some game fish were also found. To determine the extent of the fish kill, CPW crews conducted a recent sampling of the lake and found that game fish species are still present in Henry Lake. Saugeye, crappie, bullheads, and channel catfish were the species present in the sample. Numerous carp were also found. Absent from the sample were wipers and gizzard shad. All species will be restocked in 2013 as lake levels permit. Fishing at Henry has been slow this spring. Anglers have reported some catches of bullheads and a few channel catfish. The new ramp and pier provide excellent boat launching facilities. Water levels are currently adequate for launching.
John Martin Reservoir State Park (Bent County)
Crappie and wiper fishing on the lake is picking up as water temperatures warm. Saugeye, catfish and striper fishing is good in the stilling basin along the Arkansas River.
Lake Pueblo State Park (Pueblo County)
As summer starts to peek out from behind the shadow of winter, we have been seeing a steady incline in the amount of fish being caught at Lake Pueblo State Park. The reservoir water continues to rise in temperature as we see strings of nice days, and this means the fish are becoming more active. Walleye and bass are hitting near the dam and in the coves, and the river below continues to be a hot spot for trout. It’s a great time to spend as a family out enjoying the sun and the water here at the park. As we near the busy season (Memorial Day is only days away!) please be considerate of all other users here at the park and know they are out enjoying our natural resources just as you are. Also, please continue to follow the rules and regulations regarding method of take and bait use while on the river. If you have any questions please stop in at our visitor center or stop and ask a ranger on the park. Tight lines everyone!
Lathrop State Park, Martin Lake and Horseshoe Lake (Huerfano County)
Mostly trout along shore still, with a few northern pike and catfish being caught at night. The fishing is pretty slow throughout the day, but should heat up as the weather warms up. So far only 1 muskie as been reported, and it measured 42 inches, we haven't had any sauger as of yet. Power bait continues to be the choice of most anglers having a small amount of luck. Good luck, and stop by the visitor center to let staff know how the fish are biting.
Meredith Reservoir (Crowley County)
Fishing for crappies at Meredith is slow. Fishing for catfish is fair to good, with an occasional wiper being caught. The boat ramp at Meredith is still usable. The water level in Meredith is dropping due to the release of water for agricultural purposes.
Mt. Elbert Forebay (Lake County)
Fishing at Mt. Elbert Forebay has been good. Anglers reported catching trout with a black wooly bugger on the south side of the reservoir. However, dry fly fishing has been very unproductive. Baits such as magnum floating power eggs and Uncle Josh Natura Trout Paste yielded a high fish catch. Most of the catch comprised of rainbow trout and cutthroat trout with an occasional lake trout being landed. Midday water surface temperatures were in the low 40s.
Nee Gronda Reservoir (Kiowa County)
Nee Gronda fishing has been slow. Fishing for wiper and catfish is expected to be good. Water levels continue to drop making boat access "hand launch only".
Turquoise Reservoir (Lake County)
As of Monday, Turquoise is still iced over with unsafe ice. Reservoir water levels remain low.
Trinidad Lake State Park (Las Animas County)
Trinidad Lake is approximately 459 surface acres and the surface temp is hovering in the low 50’s. Anglers are still catching 12-16” rainbows on various colored PowerBait and homemade dough baits. Boaters have started reporting the walleye biting on various jigs and crank baits. The boat ramp is open for the season. Boaters beware of floating debris and unmarked hazards. Anglers are reminded to check the regulations for bass and walleye.
Twin Lakes Reservoir (Lake County)
Fishing conditions at Twin Lakes Reservoir have been poor. Only one out of the 22 interviewed anglers caught fish last weekend. Shore anglers employing a sucker as bait reported a scintilla of lake trout activity at the lower part of Twin Lakes. The lower part of Twin Lakes is mostly thawed out, whereas the upper part of Twin Lakes is completely unthawed. Boat inspections will start for trailered watercrafts on May 31 at the Dexter Point boat ramp. The midday surface water temperatures were in the low 40s.
Northwest
Colorado River at Glenwood Springs (Garfield County)
Here's the latest from the Taylor Creek Fly Shop: "Flow- 2400 cfs in Glenwood Springs. Rating: 4 out of 10. The Collie is very high now, and will essentially stay that way for the foreseeable future. Oh, you should have been there last week! There was some of the best caddis fishing of the year before it blew out! With the considerable raise in flows, there is quite a bit of debris in the river, such as logs and small trees. The river will “clear” the lower you go, but at this point we suggest fishing elsewhere."
Delaney Buttes, Cowdrey and Lake John (Jackson County)
Here's an update from Bill at Lake John Resort: Lake John, along with North and South Delaney, joined East Delaney and Cowdrey Lake in the category of “ice free.” No report on the boat docks yet, but it shouldn't be long. No current word on Big Creek, but Chambers and Joe Wright are still capped. All roads are open, including the north road into John from Cowdrey, but expect some puddles around the lakes if the rain showers continue.
Elkhead Reservoir State Park (Moffat County)
No report this week.
Fryingpan River (Eagle County)
Here's a report from Taylor Creek Fly Shop: "Flow- 115 cfs. Rating- 9 out of 10. Oooh, baby! It’s nice to see some water flowing down the Pan again! Flows have essentially tripled in this past week, which makes for some very happy trout and equally happy fishermen. Any time the flows are raised or lowered dramatically, the mysis fishing in the toilet bowl gets incredibly good, and this is no exception. Toilet bowl fish are happily eating eggs and small streamers in addition to mysis shrimp. Hatches are still heavier and more diverse on the bottom half of this tail water due to higher temps, think BWOs on the bottom and midges up top. Dries are still best fished on 6 and 7x, nymphs on 5 and 6x. The lower river will typically be 10 to 15 degrees warmer in air temp, creating conditions for better BWO emergences in addition to small black stones and midges. Handfuls of caddis will also be found on the lower river in the late afternoon and early evening. Throwing streamers can be terrific river-wide after 6 pm or so. Remember, the Fryingpan is a presentation fishery, not “match the hatch” this time of year, so just get out there and fish!"
Harvey Gap State Park (Garfield County)
The Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission passed an emergency regulation last week. The regulation ends spearfishing, archery and gill netting for pike at Harvey Gap. The regulation was put in place to protect newly stocked tiger muskies that have been stocked in the lake. The hybrid muskies will help control the mid-size pike population at Harvey while also providing eventual angling opportunity. But don't head out expecting to catch those tigers just yet… fishermen familiar with tiger muskies will tell you they're one of the hardest fish to catch.
Highline Lake State Park and Mack Mesa Reservoir (Mesa County)
Fishing is always fun at both Mack Mesa and Highline Lakes! Both lakes have been stocked this spring, so come out and drop a line or two. Bring the gang, or come solo for the peace and quiet - any day fishing is a good day!! Boats must use the East (Visitor Center) park entrance for timely ANS inspections.
James M. Robb Colorado River State Park (Mesa County)
No report this week.
Lake Granby (Grand County)
No report.
Pearl Lake State Park (Routt County)
Ice is unsafe and melting fast. No angler reports at this time.
Rifle Gap State Park (Garfield County)
No report this week.
Roaring Fork River (Garfield County)
Latest info from Taylor Creek Fly Shop: "Flow- 148 cfs below Maroon Creek, 262 cfs in Emma, and 660 cfs in Glenwood Springs Rating- 7 out of 10 above Carbondale, 6 out of 10 below Carbondale. As with the Fryingpan, flows tripled over the course of this past week, though the Fork is steadily dropping at this point. The caddis bite has rolled all the way up in and through Basalt now, with very good numbers of these bugs hatching from 2 or so until egg layers return at twilight. The Crystal has been spilling it’s fair share of mud into the Roaring Fork below Carbondale, therefore fishing will be better above this confluence. Floats are still doable below Carbondale, just keep an eye out for a few feet of visibility before doing so. BWOs are steadily hatching nearly river-wide now, fish will be keyed in on them better above Basalt. The Fork will fish better this week in the afternoon, after the water has had time to clear somewhat. Streamers are certainly happening these days, adjust colors and retrieves to dial the fish in on these large bites. Caddis dry fly tandem rigs are best in the afternoon if you see risers, be sure to bump and skate these dries and keep them riding high!"
Stagecoach State Park (Routt County)
Anglers casting from shore have been landing plenty of 4-5 pound trout on PowerBait. Pike have been slowly moving towards shallow water. The reservoir is open to boating. Shores may be muddy. Tailwaters fishing has been great with many 18 inch plus sized trout being caught. Pearl or orange scuds, zebra midges, and RS2’s have been doing the trick for tailwaters anglers. Small sections of shoreline have been roped off to help prevent erosion. If the tailwaters parking lot is full, please park at the dam or come back another time to avoid overcrowding.
Steamboat Lake State Park (Routt County)
The ice is off at Steamboat Lake State Park and we are having strong fishing reports from all areas of the lake. The local anglers will tell you that this is the best time to fish.
Sylvan Lake State Park (Eagle County)
The lake was ice free as of May 10. Fishing with Rooster Tails has been very good near the inlet for rainbows and brookies.
Vega State Park (Mesa County)
Anglers are catching some very nice rainbows and Snake River cutthroats in the 12 - 18 inch range with PowerBait, worms, lures and salmon eggs. The fish are spawning. The Island boat ramp is open. Early Settlers and Oak Point boat ramps are expected to open by Memorial Day weekend depending on water levels. Please remember to stop at the entrance station or Visitor Center and have your boat inspected if it is on a trailer and has a motor of any type. Citations will be issued to boaters who fail to have an inspection prior to launching. Sealing your boat when leaving the reservoir will speed up launching time considerably on your next outing. Pre-sealed and inspected boats can launch earlier.
Yampa River State Park (Routt County)
Fishing is slow but still good. Water temps remain cold with visibility about 2.5 feet. Runoff is just starting so fishing in the morning will help with water clarity. We are seeing both trout and pike in the Hayden/Craig areas. Fish light color streamers slow off the bank. Slow retrieve on Rapalas or any minnow imitation should turn fish.
Southwest
Blue Mesa Reservoir (Gunnison County)
No report this week.
Crawford State Park (Delta County)
We have numerous reports of pike and catfish. The crappie have slowed down in this cooler weather, but are still being reported.
Echo Canyon Reservoir (Archuleta County)
Echo Canyon has been fishing well for rainbow trout using worms, powerbait, lures, and fly/bubble. Fishing for bass has been fair.
Gunnison Gorge, Gunnison River (Gunnison - Delta County)
Gunnison River Expeditions provided this update: "The Gunnison Gorge is running around 304 cfs. River is clear and fishing well. The North Fork is too high to cross at this time. We have pontoon boats available to row across and float back to the Gunnison River Pleasure Park. Jet boat is still running up to Smith Fork. Flies that are working are stone fly nymphs, small midges, and streamers. Fishing is picking up with this warmer weather and the back side of the full moon."
Mancos State Park, Jackson Gulch Reservoir (Montezuma County)
Jackson Gulch reservoir is beginning to rise as snow melts in the mountains. The lake is still quite low. In spite of that, fishing has been fair for 10-12" rainbow trout and 6-7" yellow perch with an occasional large brown trout. The inlet is flowing at about 60 cfs and this is a favorite area for the trout to hang out. Trout enjoy various powerbaits (especially rainbow and garlic), and worms. Perch love nightcrawler, mealworm, or waxworm. Perch are small, averaging about 6-7”, but anglers should keep them if they’ll eat them. There is no limit on the number of perch you can possess and they make great fish tacos! This also helps to work towards thinning the perch population in the lake. The daily limit for trout is 4. A park pass is required when utilizing the park. Daily park passes are available at the self-serve pay post at the park entrance. If you are interested in an annual pass please call our Dolores office: 970-882-2213. Fishing licenses are on sale at the Mancos entrance station during the summer months. During the off-season licenses can be purchased at our Dolores office. For fishing rules/regulations and information, see the Fishing Regulations interactive brochure.
Navajo State Park (Archuleta County)
The crappie have been biting in LaJara and Bancos Canyons. Water temperature is currently approximately 54 degrees. 2013-14 Colorado and New Mexico fishing licenses are available at the Visitor Center at this time. Please remember to bring sunscreen, insect repellent and clothes appropriate for changes in the weather.
Ridgway State Park (Ouray County)
The reservoir is 74 percent and rising. The reservoir was just stocked with catchable trout. Shore fishermen and boaters are reporting good fishing for stocked trout in the 8-14" range, with a few 20" fish being caught. Fishermen are mainly catching rainbows, but there have also been some browns, splake, and a few smallmouth. Shore fishermen are doing well along the Dallas Creek day-use area shore. Shore fishermen should try gold Kastmasters, pink or green PowerBait, or worms off the bottom. Boat fishermen are having luck with gold pop-gear and black/silver sinking Rapalas near the dam and around the opening to Mears Bay. Fishing in the Uncompahgre River at Pa-Co-Chu-Puk is excellent. The Uncompahgre River below the dam was stocked with catchable trout this past week. The river flows are currently at around 81 CFS. Fly fishermen are doing well on bead-headed nymphs and wooly buggers; copper johns and small midges are also working. Spin fisherman are doing well with gold Mepps and yellow/black Panther Martins. Please remember that the Uncompahgre River in Pa-Cu-Chu-Puk is restricted to flies and lures only and all fish caught must be returned to the river immediately. The ponds at Pa-Co-Chu-Puk have a good population of rainbows and some brown trout. Fishing in the ponds in May has been good with worms and salmon eggs on top in the mornings and evenings, and various colors of Power Bait off the bottom in the afternoon. The Uncompahgre River adjacent to the ponds is 'flies and lures only.'
Taylor Reservoir (Gunnison County)
Here's an update from Dee Dee at Taylor Park Marina: "The reservoir is about half thawed now and is looking good for this weekend! The fishing for Rainbows has been extremely good. Anything is working. No Macks yet or northern pike. We open officially this Friday and are fully stocked!"
Anglers wishing to contribute information to the weekly fishing report should submit their fishing tips or conditions reports to fish.reporter@state.co.us. The deadline for the weekly fishing report is Mondays at 5 p.m.
Have a suggestion for the fishing report, email us at fish.reporter@state.co.us.