Eleven Mile Reservoir, CO Fishing Report & Live Conditions

Eleven Mile Reservoir, CO fishing report

Eleven Mile is primarily a trout fishery, and that shapes everything else. Rainbow and brown trout dominate most of the year, with browns pushing into the shallower rocky points and coves in fall for their spawn and rainbows staying more scattered across the open basin. Walleye are the sleeper species here — often overlooked but present and running actively along the deeper structure at dusk and dawn, especially in spring and early summer. Smallmouth bass show up along rocky transitions, while largemouth and panfish tend to concentrate in whatever warmer, softer-bottomed pockets the reservoir offers. Chain pickerel and catfish round out the mix but are incidental catches rather than primary targets.

For trout, troll or cast Rapalas, spoons like Thomas Buoyants, or PowerBait rigs near the surface in spring when water temps are cool, then drop deeper through summer as fish seek the thermocline. Work rocky points with tube jigs or small crankbaits for smallmouth, and target walleye along those same structure transitions using jig-and-minnow setups after sundown. In fall, watch for brown trout activity near gravel and rock shorelines and slow your retrieve — these fish are territorial and aggressive but spooky. Water clarity here is often high, so lighter line and natural presentations consistently outperform flashy attractor rigs.