Fish Explorer is a member-driven resource for Colorado lakes, designed to make it easy for you to find lakes, fish species, maps, and fishing tips and reports. Help us maintain current water temps, water levels, and other elements by submitting lake updates.
Support the site, get more:
FxR+
Go to Lake...
Adobe Creek Reservoir (Blue Lake) Antero Reservoir Arvada Reservoir Aurora Reservoir Barker Reservoir Barnes Meadow Lake Barr Lake Bear Creek Lake Big Creek Lake(lower) Big Creek Lake(upper) Blue Mesa Reservoir Boedecker Reservoir Bonny Lake Boulder Reservoir Boyd Lake Brush Hollow Reservoir Carter Lake Chambers Lake Chatfield Reservoir Cheesman Reservoir Cherry Creek Reservoir Clear Creek Reservoir (Granite) Cowdrey Lake Crawford Reservoir Daigre and Wahatoya Lake DeWeese Reservoir Dillon Reservoir Dixon Reservoir Douglas Reservoir Dowdy Lake East Delaney Echo Canyon Reservoir Eleven Mile Reservoir Elkhead Reservoir Estes Lake Evergreen Lake Flatiron Reservoir Georgetown Lake Granby Lake Grand Lake Green Mountain Reservoir Gross Reservoir Harriman Lake Harvey Gap Reservoir Highline Lake Hohnholz Lake #2 Hohnholz Lake #3 Horseshoe Reservoir Horsetooth Reservoir Jackson Gulch Reservoir Jackson Lake Jefferson Lake Jim Baker Reservoir Joe Wright Lake John Martin Reservoir Jumbo Annex Jumbo Reservoir (Julesburg) Lagerman Reservoir Lake John Lon Hagler Reservoir Lonetree Reservoir Loveland Lake Mack Mesa Lake Martin Lake Marys Lake McPhee Reservoir Monument Lake (El Paso County) Mount Elbert Forebay Navajo Reservoir Nee Gronda Reservoir Nee Noshe Reservoir North Delaney North Michigan Reservoir North Sterling Reservoir Paonia Reservoir Parvin Lake Pearl Lake Pinewood Reservoir Prewitt Reservoir Pueblo Reservoir Quincy Reservoir Rampart Reservoir Ridgway Reservoir Rifle Gap Reservoir Rocky Mountain Arsenal Ruedi Reservoir Sanchez Reservoir Seaman Reservoir Seymour Lake Shadow Mountain Lake Skaguay Reservoir Smith Lake (Lar. Cty.) Smith Reservoir (Costilla Cty) South Delaney Spinney Mountain Reservoir St. Vrain State Park (Barbour Ponds) Stagecoach Reservoir Stalker Lake Standley Lake Steamboat Lake Stearns Lake Tarryall Reservoir Taylor Park Reservoir Trappers Lake Trinidad Lake Turquoise Lake Twin Lakes Union Reservoir Vallecito Reservoir Vega Reservoir Watson Lake Wellington Reservoir #4 West Lake Williams Creek Reservoir Williams Fork Reservoir Willow Creek Reservoir Windsor Lake Wolford Mountain Reservoir
FxR Fishing Articles and Stories
Evolution Two…Getting off the Bank Part two of becoming a Bass Pro Carp on the Fly Part 2 Cloopers, Mudders, and Rooters! Evolution of a Bass Angler – Getting Started The essentials for bassin' big-time Hiring a Fishing Guide A good guide can make all the difference on new water. Carp on the Fly Carp on the fly: presentation, presentation, presentation... Crankbait Trolling 101 An effective way to catch every species of game fish in Colorado Chasing Master Anglers Digging into Master Angler Data Diary of a Professional Walleye Tournament Angler On the road and water with a Professional Walleye Tournament Angler Fly Fishing for Catfish Understanding our Quarry Spring Walleye Pre and post-spawn Colorado walleye fishing Boyd Reservoir from a Fly Fisher’s Perspective Fly Fishing Boyd Lake Flashers: Vexilar vs. MarCum Comparing two flashers in the real world. Heavy Metal Late Season Spooning for Big Bass and Walleye Ice Fishing with Floats You'll Catch More Fish I Guarantee It! Fall Wiper on the Fly Fly fishing for wiper in cold water Things that go Thump in the Night Fishing shorelines at night for Big Brown Trout Fall Walleyes: All Your Questions Answered Building a pattern is critical this time of year. Getting started Fly Fishing Warm Water Turning your trout outfit towards warm water species Tactical Topwaters Catching bass where the water meets the wind Full Moon Open 2007 All-night tourney lands dozens of boats, big fish and red eyes Walleye Techniques A jig is probably the simplest, deadliest technique in fishing... Moody Muddy Carp Sight fishing carp gets tougher with poor visibilty and moody fish The Wiper Fly Fishing Experience, Part 2 With some guidance on finding wiper, here's the rest of the story. The Wiper Fly Fishing Experience, Part 1 Wiper on the fly in the Rockies, who could ask for more? Tricks of Trolling Expand your reach and control your presentation Ice fishing, friends and sunscreen As Front Range waters thaw, ice fishing gets hot in the mountains Warmwater Flyfishing at the Core Core elements of fishing will boost your fly fishing success Angling Knowledge Knowledge combined with experience helps decipher lakes and the fish in them 2007 International Sportsmen's Expo Primer Be prepared for the big one! Crankin’ Early Springtime Bass Try throwing that crankbait this spring - you may be the only one doing it The Will to Win The will to win is not as important as the will to prepare to win. Crappie Fly Fishing with Streamers In support of the Super Slabs Fall Tiger Hunting in Colorado Humility may be more important than patience in this sport.
Other Articles and Stories
Articles by Category
Advertise on Fish Explorer
In part one of this 3-part series, Chad discussed bank fishing with simple tackle. Moving on up, in part 2 he gets into small boats and more advanced tools and techniques.
In part two of this fly fishing for carp series, Barry goes into detail discussing some of the easier carp to approach - mudding and rooting fish. Also included: matching the seed hatch for surface cloopers!
Whether or not you aspire to become a bass pro, there is a certain process, or evolution of sorts, that takes place once you take up bass fishing...and Chad walks you through it in this first of a three-part series.
There are several reasons why hiring a guide can be a good decision for eager anglers. Dan discusses the benefits of doing just that, what to look for, how to tip, and how to make sure you've got everything covered for your guided fishing trip.
Fly fishing for carp is more than a physical game, it is largely a mind numbing puzzle. Barry Reynolds, one of the leading advocates of this endeavor presents some of the most essential elements of turning your biglip quest into a forearm straining success.
Trolling is more than just throwing some lines out and putting the boat into gear. Dan steps through the crankbait types, equipment, and methods for successful trolling.
The CDOW Master Angler program is a neat way to be rewarded for catching big fish. Dave takes it a step further in this article, presenting data from historic Awards to illustrate interesting and helpful tidbits about Colorado's biggest fish catches.
In this article, Dan takes you through the ups and downs of fishing a PWT tournament including actual experiences , pertinent thoughts, mistakes, and everything in between from start to finish.
A must-read article for all catfish anglers, Dave discusses everything from common catfish misconceptions to the flies he uses to catch them. If you ever fish for cats, or are a fly fisherman looking for a unique new challenge, grab a drink and settle in for a great read...
When it comes to walleye in the spring, there are three stages; pre-spawn, spawn and post-spawn movements. Nate and Stephanie discuss techniques to catch spring walleye in Colorado.
If you plan to ever fish Boyd Lake in Loveland, you will not want to miss Dave's in-depth take the lake. Geared from a fly-fishers perspective, the article details 14 hot spots in writing, pinpointed on the map.
Nate and Stephanie discuss Marcum and Vexilar flashers for ice fishing, comparing the two in real-world application. The conclusion of which is more effective does not necessarily come down to features...
Troy explains why there is no bait that matches the jigging spoon's variety and success, describing various techniques and lures he uses to hook late season walleye and bass. The systems he utilizes will catch almost anything that swims and best of all, it’s cheap.
Frustrated with missing light-biting fish through the ice? Nate and Stephanie go into detail about using floats to improve your hook-set success on hard water for a variety of species, and discuss basic slip-bobber choices and application.
Don't put away the boat, don't put away your gear. Wiper fishing in the fall offers tremendous fights and big fat fish that will warm you on these cool crisp days. In this article Matt describes the techniques and approaches he uses fly fishing for fall wiper.
Patience and a headlamp can boost your chances of landing a big brown this fall. Bernie Keefe describes his stealthy, shallow, and patient techniques for fall brown trout fishing at night.
With an abundance of food available to these predators in the fall, Nate and Stephanie describe the techniques and rigs they use to fool late season walleye. Crawler harnesses, cranks, spoons, and jigging spoons are all on the menu for mid-August through December.
Don't think that fly fishing is reserved for only trout. Dave discusses the basics of warm water fly fishing in this article including why trout fly-fishermen do not have to break the bank to begin a quest for warm water species.
Finally a no-nonsense guide to fishing for bass on the surface spring, summer, and fall. Chad discusses what to consider when choosing a topwater bait, and how and where to fish them.
Centennial Bass Club's Full Moon Open held at Horsetooth Reservoir is one of the most anticipated events of the season. Under moonlight, competitors battle the sleepless conditions to bring in the largest 5 bass they can find.
Nate and Stephanie discuss specific techniques and equipment to make the most of jigging for summer walleyes.
Carp are not praised by many. Warmwater flyfishing is difficult. So why not combine the two and see what you get? Often considered easy fish to catch, carp will mostly prove this theory wrong. They are largely more spooky and finicky than trout. But the payoff is in their size and strength.
Finding Wiper is perhaps the toughest part of fishing for them. Part 2 of this series delves into the gear, the flies, the presentation, the fight, and some places to find these fish in Colorado.
Wiper fly fishing can be an exhilarating experience on some days and drive you crazy on others. This article dives into the various dynamics of the fish and aims to provide some building blocks to get you through the tough times.
It is critical to be able to present any bait properly in any situation to catch mature fish. Nate and Stephanie Zelinsky discuss some of the trolling tricks up their sleeve to do so.
When the lakes along the Front Range start to open up, people tend to forget about ice fishing. Give this late season bite a shot, but don't forget the sunscreen!
Whether you are an experienced fisherman turning to fly, or a fly fisherman new to warmwater, re-visiting the core elements of angling will boost your success.
Whether you're an old pro or a beginner, knowing which knowledge to soak up and how to apply it will play a large role in your success. The road to enlightenment is paved with common knowledge, navigated with local knowledge, and traveled with application.
We've compiled some useful links and information on Denvers largest sport show of the year.
Springtime brings people out of the woodwork to shake off their cabin fever. Troy discusses in this article how to present crankbaits to early season bass for success.
OK so crappie may not be on your list of gamefish to conquer, but these hardy fish can prove to be a lot of fun, especially on a fly rod. So whistle your favorite family sitcom tune, sling a fly rod over your shoulder, and stroll on down to your waterin' hole for some crappie...
If pounding the water for eleven days with relentless casting only taking breaks to wolf down a PBJ and only to watch your lure come to the boat with nothing behind it nor on it sounds like fun to you, then you are a prime candidate for Colorado muskie hunting...
