Fishing near Fort Collins, Colorado
Larimer County, population 169,810.
- 2 milesto nearest lake
- 8ramps nearby
Pick for troutPiscifun Carbon X ultralight spinning reel28% OFFSale $57.99 Photo of Big Thompson River: G. Lamar, CC BY 2.0
Casting near Fort Collins
Census figures put 169,810 people in the city of Fort Collins (Larimer County) in 2020. A drive of about 2 miles east reaches Prospect Pond #3 South, the nearest lake page. Biggest of the bunch: Riverbend Pond #5, at 38 acres. South Bay Ramp #1 on Horsetooth Reservoir is the closest mapped ramp, about 5 miles off.
Nearest stream with a page: the Big Thompson River, 16 miles. Gold Medal trout water is 33 miles away on the South Platte River. The trout report shows 7 listings since 2024 for waters close to town.
Census 2020 population and Gazetteer point for Fort Collins; distances are straight lines.
For the trout herePiscifun Carbon XT ultralight spinning reel25% OFFSale $59.99 Reservoirs a short drive from Fort Collins
| Lake | Distance | Acres | Elevation ft | Notes | Species listed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prospect Pond #3 South | 2 miles east | 12 | 4,888 | no motors, trout stocked | black crappie, bluegill, channel catfish |
| Riverbend Pond #6 | 2 miles northeast | 6 | 4,898 | no motors, trout stocked | black crappie, largemouth bass, yellow perch |
| Riverbend Pond #3 | 3 miles northeast | 11 | 4,909 | no motors | black crappie, common carp, largemouth bass |
| Riverbend Pond #5 | 3 miles northeast | 38 | 4,901 | no motors | black crappie, common carp, largemouth bass |
| Riverbend Pond #2 | 3 miles northeast | 9 | 4,910 | no motors, trout stocked | black crappie, largemouth bass, yellow perch |
| Riverbend Pond #1 | 3 miles northeast | 8 | 4,907 | no motors | black crappie, green sunfish, largemouth bass |
Creeks an easy drive out of Fort Collins
- Big Thompson River16 miles, 1 reach with special rules (10.7 mi); 1 public access property
- Cache la Poudre River17 miles, 4 reaches with special rules (21.8 mi); 3 public access properties
- North Fork Cache La Poudre River19 miles, 4 reaches with special rules (12.8 mi); 5 public access properties
CPW Fishing Atlas waterbodies and Boatable Waters species; CPW special-regulation and Gold Medal stream layers. Retrieved October 2026.
Fishing spots by Fort Collins on one map
- South Bay Ramp #1 on Horsetooth ReservoirHorsetooth Reservoir, 5 miles
- South Bay Ramp #2 on Horsetooth ReservoirHorsetooth Reservoir, 5 miles
- Inlet Bay Ramp on Horsetooth ReservoirHorsetooth Reservoir, 5 miles
- Satanka Bay Ramp on Horsetooth ReservoirHorsetooth Reservoir, 7 miles
- Heron Cove on Boyd LakeBoyd Lake, 7 miles
- Main Boat Ramp on Boyd LakeBoyd Lake, 8 miles
- Douglas Reservoir SWA on Douglass ReservoirDouglass Reservoir, 11 miles
- Boedecker Reservoir boat rampBoedecker Reservoir, 12 miles
Shoreline and pier access by Fort Collins
- Troutman Park Pond fishing access near Fort Collins, Larimer County 2Troutman Park Pond, 2 miles
- Troutman Park Pond fishing access near Fort Collins, Larimer CountyTroutman Park Pond, 2 miles
- Golden Meadows Pond fishing access near Fort CollinsGolden Meadows Pond, 2 miles
- Rolland Moore Pond fishing access near Fort CollinsRolland Moore Pond, 2 miles
- Prospect Pond #3 South fishing access near Fort CollinsProspect Pond #3 South, 2 miles
- Riverbend Pond #6 fishing access near Fort CollinsRiverbend Pond #6, 2 miles
CPW boat ramps and Fishing Atlas fishing locations, retrieved October 2026.
Stocking report listings near Fort Collins
| Water | Listings | By year | Latest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prospect Pond #3 South | 3 | 2026: 1, 2024: 2 | Oct. 9, 2026 |
| Riverbend Pond #2 | 3 | 2026: 1, 2024: 2 | Oct. 9, 2026 |
| Riverbend Pond #6 | 1 | 2026: 1 | March 27, 2026 |
CPW Fish Stocking Report (catchable trout, about 10 inches; each listing is a week the water appeared on the report, 2024 to October 2026); CPW publishes no numbers or sizes per water. Retrieved October 2026.
Runoff near Fort Collins, live
| USGS gauge | Latest reading | Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|
| Cache La Poudre River At Fort Collins, Co | 224 cfs, 2.08 ft gage height | Oct 26 6:15 pm |
| Cache La Poudre Riv Ab Boxelder Crk Nr Timnath, Co | 249 cfs, 3.11 ft gage height | Oct 26 6:00 pm |
| Big Thompson River At Loveland, Co. | 5 cfs, 0.62 ft gage height | Oct 26 5:30 pm |
US Geological Survey provisional data, retrieved Oct 26, 2026 6:32 pm ET. Provisional readings can be revised.
Gearing up in Fort Collins
Tackle counters on the way to Fort Collins
- Marina Polingmarina, Fort Collins, under a mile
- St Peter's Fly Shop, 2008 East Harmony Roadfly shop, Fort Collins, 2 miles
- St Peter's Fly Shop, 202 Remington Stfly shop, Fort Collins, 3 miles
- Jax Outdoor Gearbait and tackle shop, Fort Collins, 4 miles
- Bettys Bait and Tacklebait and tackle shop, Fort Collins, 5 miles
- BugLife Fly Fishingfly shop, Wolf Creek, 5 miles
- Inlet Bay Marinamarina, Fort Collins, 5 miles
- Peak Fishingbait and tackle shop, Loveland, 6 miles
Fishing outfitters by Fort Collins
- Natural Drift Anglers LLCfishing guide, Fort Collins
- Northern Colorado Fishing Outfitters LLCfishing guide, Fort Collins
Yellow Pages listings and chain store locators; DORA outfitter roster (business city or county). Retrieved October 2026.
What a Fort Collins angler may legally keep
A Colorado license year costs $44.87 for a resident adult and $124.01 for a visitor; seniors living in the state pay $12.96. Out-of-state day trippers pay $21.90; Colorado residents pay $18.07 per day. Adding a second line takes the $14.24 second-rod stamp. Waters near Fort Collins fall in the east slope part of the limits chart.
| Species | Limit | 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 |
Statewide limits chart, 2026 Colorado Fishing brochure (CPW, season March 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027), p. 10. Lake and stream pages list special regulations.
Within a short drive of Fort Collins
Where to stay for a Fort Collins trip
- Timnath5 miles
- Loveland9 miles
- Windsor9 miles
- Wellington11 miles
- Severance12 miles
Which county pages list Fort Collins
- Larimer CountyCPW Northeast Region
Piscifun reels and grips for Fort Collins
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A camera tour of the water by Fort Collins
Photo: USDAgov, Public domain
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Photo: G. Lamar, CC BY 2.0
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Photo: Lvaughn7, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: KimonBerlin, CC BY-SA 2.0
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Leaving Fort Collins with a rod: what people ask
What reservoir is nearest Fort Collins?
Prospect Pond #3 South, 2 miles east.
How far is the closest boat ramp from Fort Collins?
South Bay Ramp #1 on Horsetooth Reservoir is 5 miles out.
Do lakes near Fort Collins have walk-up bank access?
Troutman Park Pond fishing access near Fort Collins, Larimer County 2, roughly 2 miles; easy access, stocked: warmwater, 5,062 ft.
Which store near Fort Collins sells worms, lures or flies?
Nearest listing: Marina Poling (under a mile).
Does Fort Collins have Gold Medal trout nearby?
The South Platte River, 33 miles away, with 24.1 Gold Medal miles.
Which Colorado county surrounds Fort Collins?
Larimer County.
Where do Fort Collins anglers ice fish?
The CPW notes do not list ice fishing for these lakes.
Can I fish at night near Fort Collins?
There is no statewide closed season; special regulations can close a water.
Can Fort Collins visitors buy a license for just one day?
Expect $21.90 a day or $41.04 for five days, $124.01 for the year.
Where are trout planted near Fort Collins?
Yes; nearby waters appear 7 times on the CPW catchable trout report since 2024, most recently Prospect Pond #3 South on Oct. 9, 2026.