Aurora Reservoir, Aurora Colorado - Aurora Reservoir has excellent fishing opportunities close to Denver. The reservoir is open all year round and provides great ice fishing as well.
Offering an abundance of year-round recreational opportunities, Aurora has sailing, non-motorized boating, windsurfing, a seasonal swim beach, SCUBA area, archery range, large group picnic shelters, and fishing. There is an 8 mile multi-use, concrete trail that circles the reservoir those wishing to get in a little exercise.
Aurora Reservoir is a popular destination for trout anglers in the Denver metro area and only allows electric motors which can make this lake difficult to navigate by boat on windy days. But trout aren't the only species available to anglers. The area is well known for its black bass, wiper, walleye, and yellow perch. In fact, it is rumored that Aurora could produce the next state record smallmouth bass and wiper.
From the Aurora Parks Website: Aurora Reservoir is open year around except for Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day and New Years Day. Additional closures will be posted on site and on this website. Aurora Reservoir operates on a per vehicle pass system.
Hours of Operation: January: 7:00 AM - 6:00 PM February: 6:30 AM - 6:30 PM March: 6:30 AM - 8:00 PM (Quincy opens March 1) April: 6:00 AM - 8:30 PM May: 5:30 AM - 9:00 PM June: 5:00 AM - 9:30 PM July: 5:00 AM - 9:30 PM August: 5:30 AM - 9:00 PM Sept: 6:00 AM - 8:00 PM October: 6:30 AM - 7:30 PM (Quincy closes on October 31) Nov: 6:30 AM - 6:00 PM Dec: 7:00 AM - 5:30 PM
Aurora Reservoir WALK-IN Hours - Walk in gates are located along the southern property line of the reservoir. The gates will be opened 1/2 hour after the above listed opening time and will be closed/locked ˝ hour before the above listed closing time. (For example: In June - the walk in gates will open at 5:30 a.m. and will close at 9:00 p.m.
Colorado Division of Wildlife Fish Surveys 2008: Annual surveys included the use of gill nets and boat electrofishing. The 2008 results show that yellow perch comprised the majority (56%) of the sample, followed by walleye (28%), and then rainbow trout (6%). Species in the “other” (10%) category included largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, wiper, and gizzard shad.
Walleye up to 27” and rainbow trout up to almost 20”were collected in 2008. The walleye grow well on a diet of yellow perch and crayfish. Rainbow trout are typically stocked at an average length of 10”. The presence of trout up to 20” shows that they have survived at least on winter to grow to the larger size. Trout do well in this deep lake, where they can find cooler water during the summer months. Although most of the yellow perch collected were in the 3” to 6” range, larger fish are present, probably schooling in open water and therefore not susceptible to sampling gear.
Getting there: From E-470 take Quincy Ave 2 1/4 miles east to Powhaton. Go south on Powhaton 1 1/4 miles to entrance.
Fees: $10 - $100. See Aurora Parks website for more information. Boating: Electric Motors Only. Inspections for aquatic invasive species will continue in the 2010 boating season at
Aurora & Quincy Reservoirs. Boat operators at these reservoirs will pay an annual,
one-time fee of $10 to obtain a Watercraft Access Pass. Visit www.auroragov.org for further information.
Electric motors only. All portable gas tanks must be removed from the vessel prior to launching. Motors for propulsion on the reservoir must be electric. Ice Fishing: Ice fishing allowed
7/27/2010 - Aurora Reservoir - Open to boating and the water temperature is 71 degrees. All vessels must be inspected prior to launch. A watercraft access permit is required for all vehicles bringing in watercraft. Trout fishing is fair to good with orange or yellow powerbait and night crawlers suspended off the bottom. We were stocked with trout last week. Walleye fishing is fair to good from the dam using crawlers, leeches, jerkbaits and crankbaits from boats on the flats. Wiper is fair to good at this time off the West dam and the swim beach point from boats using swimbaits. All other species are slow. The limit for trout is two fish. Boating is restricted to electric motors. For more information, call 303-690-1286.
Conditions History
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