Horsetooth Reservoir Fishing
A 1,824-acre Colorado reservoir in Larimer County at 5,433 feet.
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The short version on Horsetooth Reservoir
The CPW outline of Horsetooth Reservoir encloses about 1,824 acres in Larimer County. Elevation on the Fishing Atlas reads 5,433 feet. On the Fishing Atlas, the property is Horsetooth Reservoir Area. Around 5 miles separates the water from Fort Collins. CPW manages it out of the Northeast Region.
Expect black crappie, bluegill, brown trout, common carp, cutbow and native cutthroat trout, according to CPW. There are 4 boat ramps on its shore. Boat use on file: Motor boats (gasoline). Access is easy, pressure medium, per the atlas. Winter note: ice fishing listed as no.
Colorado health officials list Horsetooth Reservoir in a fish advisory: CDPHE advisory.
CPW Fishing Atlas 2025 layers (waterbody outline, Boatable Waters, fishing locations), Census places, retrieved October 25, 2026.
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CPW sources tie these fish to Horsetooth Reservoir; others may swim there too.
CPW Boatable Waters species field, CPW state records and stocking report, retrieved October 25, 2026.
Boat ramps at Horsetooth Reservoir
- Inlet Bay Ramp on Horsetooth Reservoirboat ramp, ANS inspection
- Satanka Bay Ramp on Horsetooth Reservoirboat ramp, ANS inspection
- South Bay Ramp #1 on Horsetooth Reservoirboat ramp, ANS inspection
- South Bay Ramp #2 on Horsetooth Reservoirboat ramp, ANS inspection
Where to fish from the bank at Horsetooth Reservoir
- Horsetooth Reservoir fishing access near Fort Collinseasy access, stocked: sub-catchables, 5,433 ft
More places to launch near Horsetooth Reservoir
- Heron Cove on Boyd LakeBoyd Lake, 10 miles southeast
- Main Boat Ramp on Boyd LakeBoyd Lake, 10 miles southeast
- Douglas Reservoir SWA on Douglass ReservoirDouglass Reservoir, 11 miles north
- Boedecker Reservoir boat rampBoedecker Reservoir, 11 miles south
- Lon Hagler boat ramp near LovelandLon Hagler Reservoir, 13 miles south
- Marina on Carter ReservoirCarter Reservoir, 14 miles south
CPW boat ramp and Fishing Atlas fishing location layers, retrieved October 25, 2026.
Storage and elevation readings for Horsetooth Reservoir
NCWCD/Bureau of Reclamation (Station Cooperators) storage telemetry for Horsetooth Reservoir (station HORTOOCO), recorded October 25, 2026; retrieved October 25, 2026. Provisional data from CDSS.
A reading well below normal can close ramps at Horsetooth Reservoir.
Colorado limits that apply at Horsetooth Reservoir
| Species | Bag and possession | Season |
|---|---|---|
| Trout, arctic char, grayling, salmon and whitefish (not kokanee) | Daily bag 4, possession 8, in aggregate | Open all year, day and night, unless a special regulation says otherwise |
| Brook trout 8 inches or less (bonus) | Daily bag 10, possession 10 | Open all year, day and night, unless a special regulation says otherwise |
| Kokanee salmon | Daily bag 10, possession 10 | Open all year, day and night, unless a special regulation says otherwise |
| Walleye, saugeye and sauger | Daily bag 5, possession 5, in aggregate | Open all year, day and night, unless a special regulation says otherwise |
| Largemouth, smallmouth and spotted bass | Daily bag 5, possession 5, in aggregate | Open all year, day and night, unless a special regulation says otherwise |
| White bass, striped bass and wiper | Daily bag 10, possession 10, in aggregate | Open all year, day and night, unless a special regulation says otherwise |
| Channel, flathead and blue catfish | Daily bag 10, possession 10, in aggregate | Open all year, day and night, unless a special regulation says otherwise |
| White and black crappie | Daily bag 20, possession 20, in aggregate | Open all year, day and night, unless a special regulation says otherwise |
| Bluegill and other sunfish | Daily bag 20, possession 20, in aggregate | Open all year, day and night, unless a special regulation says otherwise |
| Yellow perch | Daily bag 20, possession 20 | Open all year, day and night, unless a special regulation says otherwise |
| Tiger muskie | Daily bag 1, possession 1; at least 36 inches long | Open all year, day and night, unless a special regulation says otherwise |
| Northern pike and bullhead | No bag or possession limit | Open all year, day and night, unless a special regulation says otherwise |
Read the east of the Continental Divide rows of the statewide chart for Horsetooth Reservoir. The chart above is the baseline at Horsetooth Reservoir; a brochure entry can override it.
Rules that change at Horsetooth Reservoir
| Water as printed | Rule | Brochure |
|---|---|---|
| Horsetooth Reservoir | Min. size for smallmouth bass is 12 inches long. Fishing prohibited in inlet area as posted March 15–May 31. Bag, possession and min. size for walleye is 2, 21–24 inches long. | p. 25 |
Special regulations as printed in the 2026 Colorado Fishing brochure (CPW, season March 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027), pp. 11 to 39, checked against CPW Chapter W-1 (as approved 13 November 2025); retrieved October 2026.
Statewide bag and possession chart, 2026 Colorado Fishing brochure (CPW, season March 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027), p. 10, retrieved October 25, 2026.
CPW stocking report entries for Horsetooth Reservoir
Trout report entries for Horsetooth Reservoir: 18 listings, ending June 12, 2026.
| Report date | What CPW lists |
|---|---|
| June 12, 2026 | catchable trout, CPW Northeast Region |
| June 5, 2026 | catchable trout, CPW Northeast Region |
| May 29, 2026 | catchable trout, CPW Northeast Region |
| May 22, 2026 | catchable trout, CPW Northeast Region |
| April 17, 2026 | catchable trout, CPW Northeast Region |
| April 3, 2026 | catchable trout, CPW Northeast Region |
| October 17, 2025 | catchable trout, CPW Northeast Region |
| July 11, 2025 | catchable trout, CPW Northeast Region |
| July 4, 2025 | catchable trout, CPW Northeast Region |
| June 26, 2025 | catchable trout, CPW Northeast Region |
| June 13, 2025 | catchable trout, CPW Northeast Region |
| June 6, 2025 | catchable trout, CPW Northeast Region |
CPW Fish Stocking Report (catchable trout of about 10 inches; the date is when CPW added the water to its weekly list), 2024 to October 2026, retrieved October 25, 2026. Colorado stocking.
Colorado records caught at Horsetooth Reservoir
| Species | Category | Weight or length | Angler | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Splake | heritage length (to 2019) | 32 inches in | Matt Snider |
CPW state records by weight and catch-and-release length, 2026 Colorado Fishing brochure (CPW, season March 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027), retrieved October 25, 2026. All Colorado records.
Sizing Horsetooth Reservoir up against the reservoirs nearby
| Lake | Distance | Acres | Elevation ft | Boat ramps | On the trout report |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Horsetooth Reservoir | 1,824 | 5,433 | 4 | yes | |
| Dixon Reservoir | under a mile east | 44 | 5,188 | 0 | |
| Sheldon Lake | 3 miles northeast | 14 | 5,050 | 0 | yes |
| North Shields Sterling Pond | 5 miles northeast | 14 | 5,001 | 0 | |
| McMurry West Pond | 5 miles northeast | 5 | 4,981 | 0 | |
| McMurry Park Lake | 5 miles northeast | 6 | 4,973 | 0 | yes |
CPW Fishing Atlas, ramp layer and stocking report, retrieved October 25, 2026.
Close to Horsetooth Reservoir
Backup lakes when Horsetooth Reservoir is slow
- Dixon Reservoirunder a mile east
- Sheldon Lake3 miles northeast
- North Shields Sterling Pond5 miles northeast
- McMurry West Pond5 miles northeast
- McMurry Park Lake5 miles northeast
Shops worth the stop before Horsetooth Reservoir
- Inlet Bay Marinamarina, Fort Collins, 2 miles
- BugLife Fly Fishingfly shop, Wolf Creek, 2 miles
- Marina Polingmarina, Fort Collins, 4 miles
- St Peter's Fly Shop, 202 Remington Stfly shop, Fort Collins, 5 miles
- Jax Outdoor Gearbait and tackle shop, Fort Collins, 5 miles
- Bettys Bait and Tacklebait and tackle shop, Fort Collins, 6 miles
Guide businesses near Horsetooth Reservoir
- Natural Drift Anglers LLCfishing guide, Fort Collins
- Northern Colorado Fishing Outfitters LLCfishing guide, Fort Collins
- Fly Fishing the Rocky Mountainsfly fishing guide, Estes Park, (417) 860-4175
- Sasquatch Fly Fishinfly fishing guide, Estes Park, (970) 586-3341
Towns that work as a base camp for Horsetooth Reservoir
- Fort Collins5 miles
- Timnath10 miles
- Loveland11 miles
County pages touching Horsetooth Reservoir
- Larimer Countyseat: Fort Collins
Reels from Piscifun that suit Horsetooth Reservoir
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Telling the species of Horsetooth Reservoir apart by photo
Photo: Zitsman Carl, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Public domain
Photo: USFWS Fish and Aquatic Conservation, Public domain
Photo: USFWS Midwest Region, Public domain
Horsetooth Reservoir: the questions Colorado anglers bring
Which Colorado county holds Horsetooth Reservoir?
Look in Larimer County, CPW Northeast Region, about 5 miles from Fort Collins.
What size is Horsetooth Reservoir on CPW maps?
Roughly 1,824 acres, at about 5,433 feet.
Which ramp is closest at Horsetooth Reservoir?
4 boat ramps, including South Bay Ramp #1 on Horsetooth Reservoir.
What might a Colorado angler hook at Horsetooth Reservoir?
CPW records show black crappie, bluegill, brown trout, common carp, cutbow, native cutthroat trout and largemouth bass.
Which limits apply at Horsetooth Reservoir?
Trout, arctic char, grayling, salmon and whitefish (not kokanee): Daily bag 4, possession 8, in aggregate. The brochure adds a water-specific rule, shown above.
What does a CPW license cost for a trip to Horsetooth Reservoir?
Colorado sells no separate trout stamp; a CPW fishing license covers trout ($44.87 for adult residents, $124.01 for nonresidents), and anglers 16 and older need one.
Does CPW stock Horsetooth Reservoir?
CPW records 18 listings on the CPW catchable trout report (6 in 2026, 7 in 2025, 5 in 2024); latest June 12, 2026.
How far is the nearest tackle shop from Horsetooth Reservoir?
Inlet Bay Marina is roughly 2 miles off.
Is Horsetooth Reservoir low this year?
The water supply band above prints Colorado Division of Water Resources telemetry.
Which Colorado record was caught at Horsetooth Reservoir?
Splake, heritage length (to 2019) 32 inches in, by Matt Snider in an unprinted year.
Does Horsetooth Reservoir freeze for anglers?
The Fishing Atlas shows ice fishing listed as no; check ice yourself before stepping out.
Hitch the boat and head for Horsetooth Reservoir
Read the limits above, then pick a ramp.