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Colorado · Fishing
Fort Collins sits at the edge of the Front Range with more stillwater fishing options than most people expect from a college town.
21 spotsUpdated dailyFree to access
View on mapFishing · 21 spots
Fort Collins sits at the edge of the Front Range with more stillwater fishing options than most people expect from a college town. The bulk of the action here is lake and reservoir fishing — Horsetooth Reservoir is the biggest draw, a long, narrow impoundment tucked into the foothills west of town that holds walleye, bass, wipers, and trout depending on the season. Closer in, spots like Fossil Creek Reservoir, Harmony Reservoir, and Terry Lake give you solid fishing without leaving the city limits. For a more casual outing, smaller ponds like Riverbend Pond #6, Prospect Pond #3, and Little Bass Pond are stocked and accessible, making them a reasonable option if you have kids in tow or just a few hours to spare. The fishing calendar here runs year-round — ice fishing is viable on some of the smaller lakes in a hard winter, and late spring through early fall is when most of the reservoirs fish best. This is not a destination for wild river trout; the Cache la Poudre runs through town but the listings here are all stillwater. If you are coming specifically for lake fishing in northern Colorado, Fort Collins has enough variety across 21 listed spots to keep you busy for a long weekend.
The reservoirs and lakes here hold a mix of species typical of Colorado's Front Range stillwaters — walleye, largemouth and smallmouth bass, wipers (hybrid striped bass), rainbow trout, and bluegill are all realistic targets depending on where you go and what time of year it is. Horsetooth Reservoir is your best bet for variety and size. The smaller ponds like Little Bass Pond and Prospect Pond #3 are stocked and tend to lean toward trout and panfish.
Yes, anyone 16 or older needs a valid Colorado fishing license to fish any of these waters. You can buy one online through Colorado Parks and Wildlife or at local sporting goods stores. Some waters may have additional regulations around bag limits or gear restrictions, so check the CPW regulation booklet for the specific body of water before you go.
Lindenmeir Lake
~1 min drive
A worthwhile stop near CO.
Cache la Poudre River - Poudre Canyon
~33 min drive
Moderate
Richards Lake
~2 min drive
A worthwhile stop near CO.
Richards Lake
~2 min drive
A worthwhile stop near CO.
Terry Lake
~3 min drive
A worthwhile stop near CO.
McMurry Park Lake
~4 min drive
A worthwhile stop near CO.
Water Supply and Storage Reservoir Number 4
~5 min drive
A worthwhile stop near CO.
Riverbend Pond #6
~6 min drive
A worthwhile stop near CO.
Sheldon Lake
~6 min drive
A worthwhile stop near CO.
Prospect Pond #3
~7 min drive
A worthwhile stop near CO.
Baker Lake
~8 min drive
A worthwhile stop near CO.
Curtis Lake
~9 min drive
A worthwhile stop near CO.
Lake fishing
Fort Collins, CO
Lake fishing
Fort Collins, CO
Lake fishing
Fort Collins, CO
reservoirLake fishing
Fort Collins, CO
Lake fishing
Fort Collins, CO
Lake fishing
Fort Collins, CO
lakeLake fishing
Fort Collins, CO
Lake fishing
Fort Collins, CO
Lake fishing
Fort Collins, CO
pondLake fishing
Fort Collins, CO
Lake fishing
Fort Collins, CO
Lake fishing
Fort Collins, CO
pondLake fishing
Fort Collins, CO
lakeLake fishing
Fort Collins, CO
Lake fishing
Fort Collins, CO
Lake fishing
Fort Collins, CO
Early morning and the last two hours before sunset are consistently the most productive windows, especially for bass and walleye. Midday fishing in summer slows down as water temperatures rise and fish push deeper. On the smaller ponds like Riverbend Pond #6 and McMurry Park Lake, early morning is still your best bet but the fish tend to be less temperature-sensitive.
Several of them are well-suited for beginners. Prospect Pond #3, Little Bass Pond, Riverbend Pond #6, and Sheldon Lake all offer easy bank access and are stocked, so you are not relying on finding fish on your own. Horsetooth Reservoir and Douglas Reservoir are better suited to anglers who are comfortable with a boat or are willing to hike to find good bank access points.
Most of the smaller lakes and ponds on this list — including McMurry Park Lake, Lindenmeir Lake, and the numbered ponds — are bank-fishable and designed for walk-up access. Horsetooth Reservoir and the larger storage reservoirs reward boat anglers because the productive structure is often away from the shoreline, but bank fishing is possible at designated access areas. Check CPW or the managing agency for each reservoir to confirm current access points, as some have seasonal closures.
