Fishing Season: Open year round

Antero Reservoir - CO

Fishing Outlook & Conditions

Water Temp:

40

Royal Gorge Anglers's Tip of the Week

Wade fishing is available until May 13 at which time the reservior will be closed for draw down! Grab your indicator rods and maybe a streamer rod and walk the edges looking for cruising fish!

Directions open in app

Map of Antero Reservoir

Orvis-Endorsed guides nearby

Royal Gorge Anglers
Angler's Covey
Sunrise Anglers
Breckenridge Outfitters

5-Day Outlook as of 4/27/26

Get out and enjoy before the reservoir closes for draw down! May 13th is the closure date for Antero...for the season!

Techniques & Tips as of 4/27/26

Indicator rigs featuring egg patterns, leeches and chironomids will be your best bet. Also, covering water with a streamer rod (featuring a leech or baitfish pattern) will be a great tactic.

Local Species Available Open year round

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    Rainbow Trout

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    Brown Trout

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    Cutthroat Trout

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    Brooke Trout and Splake

Royal Gorge Anglers's Recommended Fly Patterns

"Must-have" fly fishing patterns in descending order of importance:

Name: Colors: Size(s):
Bead Head Soft Hackle Hare's Ear Nymph orange 16
Birchell's Hatching Midge nat 12
Mad Bomber Chironomid red 10
Bead Body Scud olive 14
Landons Micro Leech olive 12
Thin Mint olive/black 14
Micro Egg red or pink 20
Bead Head Woolly Bugger Streamer Olive 10
Frenchie Chironomid Nat 14
CDC Callibaetis nat 12

Bead Head Soft Hackle Hare's Ear Nymph

Double the effectiveness of your nymph fishing by using a bead head soft hackle pattern.

2.49

Item #940B

Buy Now

Royal Gorge Anglers's Recommended Gear

Description: About Antero Reservoir

Antero Reservoir is located off Colorado Hwy. 24 just West of Hartsel and East of Buena Vista over Trout Creek Pass. This is a shallow impoundment that grows fish at the rate of over an inch a month. This is due to exaggerated weed growth and scuds by the zillions. Being shallow also subjects this fishery to the potential of partial winter kill. Even with this in mind and the fact that a fisher can use bait in this lake, we consistently pull out lunkers in the mid 20s range. Ice fishing is also allowed here in the winter. This is a great fishery to teach children fly fishing on stillwater because it is heavily stocked and fish take on wild characteristics quickly. Boats or kick boats are recommended. Shoreline wading is only good in the spring just after ice off.

Nearest Airport:

Colorado Springs

Hatches:

Big Midges are hatching..leeches, scuds, eggs, chironomids.

Best Stretch:

Along shorelines