Horsetooth Reservoir Fishing Report

Current Fishing Report: Very Good To Excellent

Smallmouth bass fishing is currently experiencing good results using the latest high-tech fish finders and forward-facing sonar. Especially anglers who fish from a boat, are improving their catch rate. Even when fishing is slow, it's easier to catch them when you know exactly where they are holding. The advent of new lures and equipment has also improved success for anglers fishing from the bank. Savvy anglers, who study smallmouth movements and patterns, continue to catch nice fish, even without the new technology.

SUMMER. Summer is one of the best seasons for Smallmouth Bass at Horsetooth Reservoir. Fish relate to steep rocky banks, submerged humps, offshore points, and boulder fields. Topwater action can be excellent early and late, while finesse presentations excel once the sun gets high. During the warmer months, Smallmouth bass typically feed shallow early and late in the day, in 12 to 15 feet of water. They are often caught on topwater, crankbaits, swimbaits, Ned rigs and tube baits. Smallmouth bass here feed on crawfish, minnows and small sunfish. They prefer rocky or gravel bottom areas, as this is where crayfish live. Popular Summer holding areas include rip rap shorelines, as well as rocky points, humps and structure near the thermocline. During the hotter parts of the day, they are being caught on points, humps, and ledges around 20 to 30 feet deep. Often these deeper fish tend to school, so finding them can deliver some fast action.

FALL. Cooling water temperatures trigger aggressive feeding as bass chase schools of baitfish along rocky shorelines and main-lake points. This is one of the year's most productive periods for catching both numbers and trophy-sized Smallmouth. Once Fall arrives smallmouth move into coves and bays, 8 to 20 feet deep. They thrive in the cooler, shallow water, which is an ideal environment for them. Locals report that tube jigs, and drop shot rigs with small worms or shad shaped plastics, are popular in 10' water or deeper. Worms, jigs, deep-diving crankbaits, swimbaits, and slow-rolled spinnerbaits, are also successful when bass are shallow to mid depths. Later in Fall, smallies move to 10 to 20 feet deep.

WINTER. Smallmouth Bass become sluggish during winter, holding near deep rock piles, bluff walls, and steep drop-offs. Fishing can be slow but rewarding for patient anglers using finesse techniques. Horsetooth Reservoir rarely develops ice thick enough for dependable ice fishing, so open-water fishing from shore or boat is the norm. Winter isolates smallies around deeper structure, points, flats and creek channels, often suspending in open water above these features. They can generally be found from 25 to 45 feet deep. Jigging spoons, tube baits, drop-shot worms, jigs and Ned rigs tempt smallmouth to bite in deep water. I like to work these deeper haunts very slowly in cold weather, as the bass are somewhat sluggish. Here they hold, feeding less frequently, awaiting warmer water to return in Spring. Smallmouth fishing can be very good on cold, windy, cloudy and rainy days.

SPRING. Spring offers outstanding Smallmouth Bass fishing as warming water draws fish shallow to feed before spawning. Bass stage on rocky points before moving onto gravel flats and protected coves to build nests. Sight fishing becomes possible during late spring. Water temperatures have risen into the 50's, and smallmouth are moving from deep wintering spots to shallower water, just outside spawning areas. They are feeding aggressively in 4 to 15 feet of water at this time, and are typically caught on jerkbaits, crankbaits, tube baits, Ned rigs, and crayfish imitating plastics. Once water warms into the high 50's, they move into shallower water, 3 to 10 feet deep and create nests in gravel or sand areas, then lay their eggs. Some of the better spawning areas include protected, shallow flats and points. Females then move to deeper water and males remain to guard the eggs, and then the fry. After a couple weeks, the males also move into 15 to 20 feet deep, and feed aggressively. Crankbaits, tube baits, Ned rigs, plastic worms, spoons and swimbaits are catching smallies during this period.

Current Fishing Report: Good

A lot of walleye are being caught using new technologies, cutting down the time it takes to locate them. Forward-facing, and side scanning, sonar is assisting anglers, fishing from a boat, to locate fish. Fishing is better as anglers can focus on areas with good numbers of fish. This is true for either trolling or casting. Anglers fishing from the bank still have to search the old fashion way, via test casting, until a school is located.

SUMMER. Summer Walleye fishing is quite good, especially during low-light periods and after dark. Fish hold along steep drop-offs, submerged humps, and the edges of the old river channel during the day before moving onto flats and points to feed at night. Slow trolling and jigging are consistently productive. Water temperatures rise notably in Summer, and walleye fishing is good if you can get your bait deep enough. Early mornings, walleye tend to concentrate in 20 to 25 feet of water. As the day warms they descend in deeper water, around 30 to 40 feet deep. Throughout Summer, early in the morning, and from dusk to long after dark are good times to catch walleye a little shallower. At those times they move slightly shallower to feed in low-light conditions. Night fishing is often good in Summer, as well. When the bite is slow, grubs and nightcrawlers, fished just off the bottom typically catch walleye.

FALL. Fall is one of the premier seasons for Horsetooth Walleye. Cooling water temperatures trigger aggressive feeding, and fish move shallower to chase schools of perch and baitfish. Evening trolling and casting crankbaits along rocky points can produce excellent catches. Fall brings cooler temperatures to shallow water, drawing walleye and baitfish into coves and bays. Walleye continue to be a major draw for anglers, even as the weather cools. This is a prime time to catch some of the bigger fish, and the fishing is generally good. Locals report catching nice walleye on long points, flats along the river and creek channels, and on structure off shore. Early Fall anglers report good results fishing deep weed edges and rocky points in 10 to 18 feet of water. Jigs, swimbaits, spoons, crankbaits, jerkbaits, and spinnerbaits are all historically good for catching walleye this time of year. In October anglers find them in 15 to 20 feet of water, in late Fall they hold 20 to 25 feet deep. Dragging jigs, bottom bouncers, or worm harnesses with nightcrawlers or leeches, around ledge drop-offs catches walleye fairly consistently. Watch for the bigger walleye to be slightly deeper than the majority of the school.

WINTER. Walleye remain catchable throughout winter by fishing slowly near deep structure. Vertical jigging with blade baits and jigging spoons often produces the best results. Horsetooth Reservoir rarely freezes sufficiently for dependable ice fishing, so open-water fishing is generally the only option. Last Winter, fishing for walleye was decent. Before, and during early ice, anglers report catching them in the main basin area, in 25 to 45 feet of water, along deep creek channel edges, rocky humps and ledges. Popular areas include weed edges, next to rock piles, along northern and central basin drop-offs. Steep drops in the area toward the dam are also producing during these cold months. Walleye primarily feed on small fish, staying close to the bottom. After ice-out blade baits, jigs, swimbaits, spoons, deep-diving crankbaits, and worm harness spinners, all work while deep trolling or drifting.

SPRING. Spring offers outstanding Walleye fishing as fish move onto rocky shorelines and shallow gravel areas for spawning. Following the spawn, hungry Walleye remain relatively shallow while feeding heavily before transitioning toward summer locations. Early Spring begins warming water in the shallows, and draws walleye to feed, especially rocky areas and inlet channels. They are usually caught 5 to 18 feet deep on points, drop offs, submerged structure, rock ledges, and wind-blown flats adjacent to deeper water. The upriver end of the lake, or on in-lake gravel bars and rip rap, is where many walleye spawn, starting in late February. Here, in 2 to 10 feet deep, they will spawn once the water warms to the mid to high 40's. When they are shallow, bright colored jigs, tipped with minnows or nightcrawlers typically catch them. Spinnerbaits, jerkbaits and crankbaits also work when walleye are up shallow. Afterwards, they move to 10 to 20 feet deep around points, flats, shoals and ledges, nearby shore, often staying in close proximity to their spawning locations. Main lake drop offs tend to produce some nice fish.

Current Fishing Report: Good To Very Good

The use of new technology is helping anglers catch more rainbow trout in lakes. Forward-facing, and side scanning, sonar is currently the best way to locate trout, especially when they school in deep water. Rainbows are caught trolling, casting or jigging, once located on these sophisticated fish finders. Fly fishing is not covered in this website, but rainbow trout are being caught on plenty of other lures and bait.

SUMMER. Summer trout fishing remains very good despite warming surface temperatures. Rainbow Trout hold in deep, cool water during the day and often move higher in the water column during low-light periods to feed. Trolling spoons, plugs, and wedding ring spinners is the most productive approach. Once Summer arrived, the warmer water has driven rainbow deeper. They tend to be caught in 25 to 50 feet deep during midday. Trolling the main basin with spoons, spinners and crankbaits, using downriggers or leaded line, and drift fishing with bait, are currently the most productive methods. Later in the Summer they hang out cooler zones, around 35 to 45 feet deep. Trout commonly suspend above the thermocline, over humps, deep channel edges and mid-lake structure. Following drop-offs into deeper water, along structure or creek channels, is a major key to getting bites. Early and late in the day they feed in 15 to 30 feet of water in August. Anglers fishing from the bank are using nightcrawlers or Berkley PowerBait, with fairly heavy weights on a Carolina rig, to get baits into deeper water.

FALL. Cooling temperatures bring Rainbow Trout into shallower water where they actively feed on baitfish and aquatic insects. Shore anglers and boaters alike enjoy some of the year's most consistent fishing during the fall. Cool water in the shallows, draws rainbow trout out of deeper Summer depths. Early in the season, anglers catch them 10 to 25 feet deep on rocky banks, wind-blown points, and flats in the upper regions of the lake. Rainbows also feed on deeper rocky structure, humps, and ledges, anywhere baitfish gather. By Fall, these trout have had a full season to grow, and there are typically some nice size rainbow to be caught. Small spinners, spoons, jigs, miniature crankbaits and swimbaits are good choices, as are salmon eggs and prepared baits. Later in Autumn, they move into 5 to 15 feet of water.

WINTER. Rainbow Trout remain active throughout winter in Horsetooth Reservoir. Cold water allows trout to roam throughout much of the water column, making them accessible from shore and boat. Although portions of the reservoir may briefly freeze, reliable ice fishing is generally unavailable. Jigging spoons, and jigs tipped with bait, typically catch nice rainbows out of 8 to 20 feet of water. These baits work well around the old river channel in the main basin, along rip rap around the dam, and along the edges of channel troughs. Vertical jigging with spoons, jigs and bait, have been the best approach during the early, cold-water season. In January, they often drop deeper, to around 25 feet. Slowly worked offerings are more likely to attract bites during colder water.

SPRING. Spring is one of the premier seasons for Rainbow Trout fishing. Recently stocked fish, as well as trout from previous years, actively feed in shallow water as temperatures begin to rise. Shore fishing is particularly productive during this period. As the water begins to warm this in Spring, rainbow trout move from their late winter holding spots, to feeding areas in 5 to 15 feet of water. A good number of rainbows are typically caught from mid morning to late afternoon, during the warmest water of the day. Inlets and creek mouths, as well as rocky shorelines and rip rap tend to warm quickly and attract feeding, pre-spawn fish. Shallow flats and rocky structure are also quick to warm in the afternoon sun. Creek mouths, points, shallow coves, and flats adjacent to deep water are popular in Spring. Mid Spring finds them feeding in 3 to 12 feet of water, after they spawn, then working out to closer to 15 feet deep. A wide variety of small spinners, spoons and bait catch most of the fish.