It’s a fishing day

Horsetooth Reservoir fishing conditions · Colorado

Now until 6 pmWalleye

The bite peaks at 94.

Log a trip here
Right now: 90 for walleye, go · inside the best windowTap or drag along the water to move through the next 36 hours

Walleye, hour by hour

Each float is an hour. The deeper it rides, the better the bite. The strip underneath runs daylight, dusk and dark; the red rule marks the best window. Click any hour to read it.

  1. 902 pm
  2. 90
  3. 94
  4. 905 pm
  5. 76
  6. 76
  7. 768 pm
  8. 76
  9. 80
  10. 8011 pm
  11. 80Sun
  12. 76
  13. 762 am
  14. 76
  15. 76
  16. 765 am
  17. 80
  18. 76
  19. 768 am
  20. 76
  21. 76
  22. 8011 am
  23. 80
  24. 76
  25. 762 pm
  26. 76
  27. 72
  28. 665 pm
  29. 68
  30. 76
  31. 768 pm
  32. 76
  33. 76
  34. 8011 pm
  35. 80Mon
  36. 76
Go, 85+Worth the trip, 70+Marginal, 55+Sit it out

Right now · best window

Water
No reading

Walleye range 50–72°

Wind
6 mph

From the southeast

Light
Daylight

Sunset 4:51 pm

Sky
Sunny

No rain expected

Air
65°F

NWS hourly forecast

Barometer
Falling

Measured, last 3 hours

Moon
5% lit

Waning crescent

What’s biting

Each species is scored against its own water-temperature range and tide preference, then wind, weather and warnings. The rules are Colorado non-tidal regulations for these waters.

Walleye

Walleye

Sander vitreus

94GoNow until 6 pm

Water

No water reading here right now. Walleye bite in 50–72° water, best near 62°.

Why

Sharp 3-hour fall — fish feed hard ahead of a front. Walleye feeds aggressively in low light. Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Holds 10–40 ft down.

Keep

21" minimum · 24" maximum · 2 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. 2 walleye a day, and only fish from 21 to 24" may be kept.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Horsetooth Reservoir

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Mar–May, Oct–Dec, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on walleye

Smallmouth Bass

Smallmouth bass

Micropterus dolomieu

82Worth the tripNow until 6 pm

Water

No water reading here right now. Smallmouth bass bite in 55–78° water, best near 68°.

Why

Sharp 3-hour fall — fish feed hard ahead of a front. Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Holds 3–30 ft down.

Keep

12" minimum · 5 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. 12" minimum on smallmouth bass.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Horsetooth Reservoir

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Apr–Nov, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on smallmouth bass

Largemouth Bass

Largemouth bass

Micropterus salmoides

82Worth the tripNow until 6 pm

Water

No water reading here right now. Largemouth bass bite in 55–85° water, best near 72°.

Why

Sharp 3-hour fall — fish feed hard ahead of a front. Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Holds 3–25 ft down.

Keep

5 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Colorado statewide: 5 largemouth, smallmouth and spotted bass a day combined, no minimum. Boyd, Chatfield, Cherry Creek and Pueblo have a 15" minimum.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Colorado non-tidal

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Apr–Nov, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on largemouth bass

Rainbow Trout

Rainbow trout

Oncorhynchus mykiss

82Worth the tripNow until 6 pm

Water

No water reading here right now. Rainbow trout bite in 45–68° water, best near 55°.

Why

Sharp 3-hour fall — fish feed hard ahead of a front. Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Holds 3–20 ft down.

Keep

4 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Colorado statewide: 4 trout a day in aggregate (brook, brown, cutbow, cutthroat, golden, lake, rainbow, splake, tiger), 8 in possession, no minimum length. Brook trout 8" or shorter are an extra 10 a day.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Colorado non-tidal

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Mar–May, Oct–Dec, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on rainbow trout

Yellow Perch

Yellow perch

Perca flavescens

82Worth the tripNow until 6 pm

Water

No water reading here right now. Yellow perch bite in 45–70° water, best near 58°.

Why

Sharp 3-hour fall — fish feed hard ahead of a front. Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Holds 5–30 ft down.

Keep

20 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Colorado: 20 yellow perch a day east of the Continental Divide; unlimited west of it. Eleven Mile and Spinney have no perch limit.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Colorado non-tidal

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Oct–May, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on yellow perch

Common Carp

Common carp

Cyprinus carpio

47Sit it outNo window clears the bar

Water

No water reading here right now. Common carp bite in 52–86° water, best near 72°.

Why

Sharp 3-hour fall — fish feed hard ahead of a front. Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Common carp is here May–Oct. Holds 1–15 ft down.

Keep

no daily limit

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Colorado: species not on the statewide limits chart, including carp, have no bag or possession limit. Some waters set their own rules.

Verified Oct 18, 2026 · Colorado non-tidal

Last checked 20 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: May–Oct, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on common carp

The water

  • Water temperatureNo reading
  • Barometer30.19 inHg, falling

Sun, moon & solunar

  • Sunset today4:51 pm
  • Sunrise tomorrow6:38 am
  • MoonWaning crescent, 5% lit
  • Minor solunarToday 3:20 pm–4:20 pm
  • Major solunarTonight 10:00 pm–12:00 am
  • Minor solunarTomorrow 5:50 am–6:50 am

Solunar tables are a popular heuristic. A peer-reviewed test found they don’t predict catch on their own, so here they only nudge the score when the tide or moon already agree. How the score works

Fishing report

No current report covers these waters.

We only show reports an agency has published, with their date. Colorado Parks & Wildlife has the state’s fishing pages.

Licenses and rules: state fishery agencies · fish-consumption advisory

About this spot

A 1,900-acre foothills reservoir west of Fort Collins, managed by Larimer County. Deep, clear water known for smallmouth and largemouth bass, walleye, yellow perch, and stocked rainbow trout.

Nearby

Public spots within 40 miles, with the same 36 hours of floats.

Boyd Lake11 mi · ColoradoBest now until 5 pm
90Go

Questions people ask

Do I need a fishing license to fish at Horsetooth Reservoir?

Yes (anglers age 16 and older). To fish at Horsetooth Reservoir you need the appropriate state fishing license. See the agency's current rules: the state agency website

What fish are commonly targeted at Horsetooth Reservoir?

Horsetooth Reservoir is listed on this site for 6 commonly-targeted species: Smallmouth Bass, Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Rainbow Trout, and 2 more. Which species is currently in season and which is scoring highest today is shown in the per-species ranking on this page.

When is the best time to fish at Horsetooth Reservoir?

It depends more on the species and the day's conditions than on a fixed "best hour." Water temperature, weather, and — at tidal locations — the stage of the tide drive activity most. The per-species ranking on this page scores every target species at Horsetooth Reservoir against today's live conditions, so the fish near the top are your best bets right now; check back as conditions change through the day.

What kind of access does Horsetooth Reservoir have?

Horsetooth Reservoir has multiple access types — pier, shoreline, and at least one public boat ramp.

Which state's fishing regulations apply at Horsetooth Reservoir?

state agency regulations apply at Horsetooth Reservoir. Size limits, creel limits, and seasonal closures are listed per species on each species page. Always confirm against the agency source linked from each regulation block — emergency closures can take effect mid-season.

Is Horsetooth Reservoir tidal water?

No. Horsetooth Reservoir is non-tidal — water level varies with rainfall, seasonal flow, and (where applicable) upstream dam releases rather than tidal exchange.