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Colorado lakes and reservoirs

Left Hand Reservoir Fishing

A 97-acre Colorado reservoir in Boulder County at 10,650 feet.

Get driving directions

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Photo of Gross Reservoir: SOTMUS, CC BY-SA 4.0

Boulder County

Left Hand Reservoir at a glance

Left Hand Reservoir holds around 97 surface acres within Boulder County. CPW gives an elevation of roughly 10,650 feet. Access runs through Roosevelt National Forest. For gas and groceries, Ward sits roughly 3 miles off. It falls inside the Northeast Region on CPW maps.

Boating allowed: Unsure. Reaching it is easy; crowds are low, CPW says. CPW winter status: ice fishing listed as no.

97acres

10,650feet elevation

0boat ramps

1atlas access points

CPW Fishing Atlas 2025 layers (waterbody outline, Boatable Waters, fishing locations), Census places, retrieved October 25, 2026.

Directions to Left Hand Reservoir Property page

Access

Putting in at Left Hand Reservoir

Bring a float tube or use a ramp nearby: Left Hand Reservoir has none mapped.

Walk-up spots at Left Hand Reservoir

Left Hand Park Reservoireasy access, 10,650 ft

Other CPW ramps around Left Hand Reservoir

Arapaho Bay Ramp on Lake GranbyLake Granby, 12 miles west
Sunset Point Ramp on Lake GranbyLake Granby, 18 miles west
Green Ridge Ramp on Shadow Mountain ReservoirShadow Mountain Reservoir, 18 miles northwest
Boulder City Reservoir boat rampBoulder City Reservoir, 18 miles east
Hilltop Ramp on Shadow Mountain ReservoirShadow Mountain Reservoir, 19 miles northwest
Stillwater Ramp on Lake GranbyLake Granby, 19 miles northwest

CPW boat ramp and Fishing Atlas fishing location layers, retrieved October 25, 2026.

Limits

Bag limits at Left Hand 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

CPW splits some limits by drainage, and Left Hand Reservoir falls east of the Continental Divide. Colorado has no closed season by species, so the chart applies all year at Left Hand Reservoir unless a special rule says otherwise.

Statewide bag and possession chart, 2026 Colorado Fishing brochure (CPW, season March 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027), p. 10, retrieved October 25, 2026.

Colorado license and limits

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Compare

Measuring Left Hand Reservoir against close lakes

Lake	Distance	Acres	Elevation ft
Left Hand Reservoir		97	10,650
Brainard Lake	under a mile northwest	16	10,340
Red Rock Lake	2 miles northeast	6	10,157
Long Lake, Boulder County	2 miles west	41	10,526
Mitchell Lake, Big	2 miles northwest	13	10,699
Isabelle Lake	3 miles west	34	10,873

CPW Fishing Atlas, ramp layer and stocking report, retrieved October 25, 2026.

Nearby

What sits near Left Hand Reservoir

Lakes to pair with Left Hand Reservoir

Brainard Lakeunder a mile northwest
Red Rock Lake2 miles northeast
Long Lake, Boulder County2 miles west
Mitchell Lake, Big2 miles northwest
Isabelle Lake3 miles west

Bait and flies near Left Hand Reservoir

Devil's Thumb Fly Fishing Centerfly shop, Tabernash, 14 miles
Stoney River Outfittersbait and tackle shop, Boulder, 15 miles
Winter Park Flyfisherbait and tackle shop, Fraser, 15 miles
Rocky Mountain Anglersfly shop, Boulder, 16 miles
Front Range Anglersfly shop, Boulder, 16 miles
Fly shopfly shop, Boulder, 16 miles

Registered outfitters around Left Hand Reservoir

Arbor Anglersfishing guide, Lafayette, (303) 562-7202
Front Range Anglersfishing guide, Boulder, (303) 494-1375
Flatirons Fly Shop, Inc.fly fishing guide, Boulder
Laughing Grizzly Fly Shop, Inc.fly fishing guide, Longmont

Mountain and plains towns near Left Hand Reservoir

Nederland8 miles
Fraser16 miles
Boulder17 miles

Counties holding part of Left Hand Reservoir

Boulder Countyseat: Boulder

Piscifun

What Piscifun makes for Left Hand Reservoir anglers

Piscifun and Amazon links are affiliate links; the site earns a commission on qualifying purchases.

Know your fish

Species photos for anglers bound for Left Hand Reservoir

Rainbow Trout, Colorado — Rainbow Trout
Photo: Purefury182, CC BY-SA 4.0

Brook Trout, Colorado — Brook Trout
Photo: Photo by and (C)2007 Derek Ramsey (Ram-Man), CC BY-SA 2.5

Wiper, Colorado — Wiper
Photo: Nick Loveland, CC0

Bluegill, Colorado — Bluegill
Photo: USFWS Mountain Prairie, Public domain

Answers

Planning notes for Left Hand Reservoir in Q and A form

Which Colorado town makes the handiest base for Left Hand Reservoir?

It lies in Boulder County, CPW Northeast Region, about 3 miles from Ward.

How much surface does Left Hand Reservoir spread across when full?

The outline measures about 97 acres, at about 10,650 feet.

How many CPW ramps reach the water at Left Hand Reservoir?

No boat ramp appears for it.

Which species does CPW list for Left Hand Reservoir?

Its fish are not listed by CPW.

How many trout can I keep at Left Hand Reservoir?

Trout, arctic char, grayling, salmon and whitefish (not kokanee): Daily bag 4, possession 8, in aggregate.

How much is a one-day license for Left Hand Reservoir?

Everyone 16 and older needs a CPW fishing license: $44.87 a year for adult residents, $124.01 for nonresidents, or $18.07 for a resident one-day license.

How often does CPW stock Left Hand Reservoir?

It is not on the 2024 to 2026 catchable trout report.

Where do anglers at Left Hand Reservoir get supplies?

Devil's Thumb Fly Fishing Center, 14 miles out.

What does CPW say about ice at Left Hand Reservoir?

ice fishing listed as no, per CPW; conditions change daily.

Plan a Colorado day at Left Hand Reservoir

Fees, stamps and special rules sit on the license page.

Colorado license and limits All Colorado lakes