Colorado is a spectacular place for fishing to take place. They have many types of fish and lovely locations. They have some hidden spots out of the way as well as those National Parks. The climate in Colorado is very nice in some areas, but they have very cold winters. They also have extremely hot summers along the plains, but then it is cooler in the mountains.
I tell you all of this to help you evaluate when you should go to Colorado for fishing. You don’t want to bake in the heat or freeze out there. You need to make sure the gear you take along is perfect for the weather. What you need to know about Colorado weather is that it can change fast. It can be nice during the day and then very cold when the sun goes down.

Places

I have had the luxury of visiting many places around Colorado for fishing. There are several reservoirs including Chatfield, Cherry Creek, and Aurora that you can check out. They are all around Denver and they offer a very large population of larger sized walleye.

The only problem though with these locations is that you need to be able to fish them during the week if you can fit it into your schedule. These reservoirs are close to the Denver metro area. During the weekends you will find that the waters are full of boats, jet skis and more. The shores are lined with avid fishermen too so try to go when you can avoid those mass numbers.

If you are looking for a more secluded location, you may want to check out Pueblo Reservoir which is in the Southern part of Colorado. This is a large body of water too with plenty of great locations around it. Again, it is a common weekend destination for people all over the state. However, there are usually less numbers over all due to the location so that can work to your favor.

Lathrop State Park is also an option for you. I have been there a couple of times, and it is a nice location. It is located off of highway 160, just West of Walsenburg. If you are coming from surrounding states this can be a better option for you in terms of travel times. They have some nice looking walleye too.

John Martin Reservoir is a great place too, in the small town of Hasty Colorado. It has been upgraded since the state too it over. If you went there years ago and you were disappointed, you will be happy with the makeover. They also have large camping areas with modern facilities.

This is the second largest reservoir in Colorado, but it is off the beaten path so there are less people here than other great places in Colorado. They don’t have as many walleye but you will still find that you get plenty of benefits, without the interruptions of recreational boaters so it is a good trade off.

Baits & Gear

You will need a pole that is 6 ? to 7 feet long, with a flexible tip that is also very sensitive. That will allow you to notice any movements. I suggest taking two poles – one with a spinning reel for angling. The other can have a bait cast reel for trolling or if you decide you would like to fish off the bottom.

Jig heads with Twisters or Grubbs will work the best. If you want to try live bait, the walleye in Colorado seem to do well when you use Crawdads. This is especially true at Lathrop State Park due to this being a natural food source for the walleye there.

Keep in mind that you can easily snag your line so don’t spend a fortune on gear and bait. The rockier the areas are you will find the more rocks and other debris that can get into the way of a clear line. Some of these locations have deep weed beds too so just keep all of that in mind when you are going fishing in Colorado.

Time & Weather Conditions

The walleye are found in the shallow waters and low lighting conditions. During the heat of the day, they will move deeper to stay cool and out of the sunlight. They will use the cover of trees and other types of overhanging debris too. If you can find a fishing area like that you can use the shade of the tree yourself.

Try to identify the cooler areas of the water and you should be able to find the walleye. Around Colorado, spawning occurs from early to mid spring when the temperatures of the water are going to increase. They may be in the low 40′s through the winter but as they increase the movements of the walleye will increase.