Today's Best Fishing Times for
Fort Collins, United States πŸ‡ΊπŸ‡Έ

Solunar
Weather
7-Day
Spots

How to use our fishing calendar

Planning your next fishing trip in Fort Collins, United States ? Today is a poor day for fishing. Our comprehensive fishing almanac combines our popular solunar tables, moon times, sunrise and sunset times, and a 7-day fishing calendar so you always know the best fishing times in your area. We analyse major and minor solunar bite times, rate each day on a five-star scale, and pair it with localized weather forecasts so you can quickly tell whether today is a good day to fish without juggling multiple tabs. Be sure to bookmark this page so you never miss a bite. view bite times...

  • Check our unique Solunar Clock for precise solunar tables and the best moon phases.
  • Use the forecast calendar section to sync bite times with major weather changes.
  • Analyze the forecasted weather conditions, such as wind, barometric pressure and rain to plan your fishing session.
  • Jump to the 7-Day Fishing Calendar for an extended fishing forecast, then explore nearby fishing spots on the interactive map.

Fort Collins, Colorado offers a diverse freshwater fishing scene, from tailwater trout in the Poudre River to warmwater action on Horsetooth Reservoir and nearby lakes. Anglers can target rainbow trout, brown trout, smallmouth bass, walleye, wiper and panfish within a short drive of downtown, with productive shore, kayak and boat-access options. The mix of rivers, reservoirs and city ponds around Fort Collins makes it a year-round fishing destination for both fly and spin anglers. read more...

Some of the best fishing spots near Fort Collins include: Horsetooth Reservoir, Cache la Poudre River, Boyd Lake, Carter Lake, Big Thompson River, Lake Loveland, Windsor Lake, Douglas Reservoir, Lon Hagler Reservoir, Dowdy Lake, etc. see full list

Sun and Moon Times

The sun will be at it's highest point at . Today we have 15:7 hours of daylight. For shallow water fishing the twilight periods are often the most productive fishing times, especially on days when a major or minor time will coincide with twilight. In low light conditions predators have better cover for their ambush and often hunt in shallow water.
  • Nautical Twilight begins:
    Sunrise:
  • Sunset:
    Nautical Twilight ends:
  • Moonrise:
  • Moonset:
  • Moon over:
  • Moon under:
  • Visibility:
    77%
  • Waxing Gibbous - 77% illuminated Waxing Gibbous
Next Full Moon in ~5 days on 29th June
  • Distance to earth:
    398,905 km
    Proximity:
    15.9 %
We can compare the current moon distance to it's minimum and maximum distance from earth and express that as proximity. A high proximity means the moon is closer to earth. At 50% it would be at it's mean distance. A high proximity causes big tides, currents and has a direct effect on increased bite times. A proximity greater than 90% indicates a super moon.
Moon Phases for Fort Collins
Full Moon
Mon, 29 Jun
New Moon
Tue, 14 Jul
Full Moon
Wed, 29 Jul

Solunar Bite Times

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Best fishing times:
  • minor Time:
    12:41 am - 02:41 am
  • major Time:
    07:56 am - 09:56 am
  • minor Time:
    03:11 pm - 05:11 pm
  • major Time:
    08:28 pm - 10:28 pm
All times are displayed in the America/Denver timezone and are automatically adjusted to daylight savings. The current timezone offset is -6 hours. Green and yellow areas indicate the best fishing times (major and minor). The center shows the current moon phase which is a Waxing Gibbous at 77% lumination. According to the Solunar Theory, today is a poor day for fishing, but you need to cross check this with the current weather forecast for a final decision. The next best fishing time will be tomorrow. The gray time indicator displays the current local time.
America/Denver β€’ Wed, 24 Jun 23:49 β€’ 40.585, -105.084
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Current Fishing Weather

Updating Weather Infos...

7 Day Fishing Weather

The weather plays an important role in fishing. Wind strenght and direction often determine where you can fish and where fish might be holding. Although high pressure is usually good for fishing, steep pressure changes often trigger feeding frenzies and are great times for fishing. Of course temperature has also a strong effect on fishing and comfort on the water. So make sure to cross check the weather forecast with the solunar fishing times to determine the best times to go fishing. The graph below shows you the 3 hourly weather progression over the next 7 days. Scroll the graph left or right to see more.
Selected Weather Station: Fort Collins, US
Temperature
Wave Height
Swell Height
Wind
Pressure
Humidity
Cloudcover
Rain Precipitation
UV Index
Retrieving Weather...

7 Day Fishing Forecast Calendar
Date Major Bite Times Minor Bite Times Sun Moon Moonphase
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Waxing Gibbous
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S: 		Full Moon moon phase
Full Moon
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Full Moon
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Full Moon
*bold times indicate best fishing times around sunrise or sunset

Fishing Overview Fort Collins

Fort Collins fishing revolves around three main systems: the Cache la Poudre River, the foothills reservoirs like Horsetooth and Carter, and a network of smaller warmwater lakes and ponds scattered through town. Each fishes differently through the year, so matching your tactics to water type and season is the key to consistent success.

On the Cache la Poudre River, trout fishing is best from late spring through fall once flows stabilize after runoff. In early summer, focus on slower inside seams, back-eddies and pocket water with nymph rigs and small jigs. Stonefly, mayfly and caddis imitations in size 14–18, or 1/16–1/8 oz marabou jigs under a float, are reliable. As water clears and drops mid-summer, switch to lighter tippet, smaller flies and downsized hardware like 1/8 oz spinners and 2–3" minnow plastics. Evening hatches can be strong; dry-dropper rigs shine in the canyon, while in-town stretches reward stealth and precise casts to shady undercuts and bridge pilings.

When cold weather hits, Poudre trout slide into deeper wintering holes. Concentrate on slower pools below riffles, work nymphs or small jig presentations tight to the bottom, and move frequently until you contact fish. Even in winter, brief mid-day warmups can trigger short, intense feeding windows, especially in the canyon where sun hits the water.

Horsetooth Reservoir on the west edge of Fort Collins is a multi-species powerhouse. Spring finds smallmouth bass staging along rocky points and steep banks; use suspending jerkbaits, tubes and Ned rigs fished slowly in 8–20 feet. As water warms, bass spread onto chunk rock and bluff walls; keep your boat or kayak parallel to shore and comb the structure with finesse plastics. Low-light periods are prime for walleye along riprapped shores and roadbedsβ€”try crankbaits, swimbaits or live-bait style jigs dragged slowly just off bottom.

Summer at Horsetooth is about fishing around pleasure-boat traffic. Target early morning and late evening; fish deeper humps and submerged rock with dropshots and football jigs for smallmouth bass, and bottom-bouncers or live-bait style jigs for walleye. Night fishing with slowly retrieved crankbaits or swimbaits along shoreline breaks can produce some of the biggest fish in the reservoir. In fall, follow bait pushes into coves and major points, and speed up your presentations as fish feed heavily ahead of winter.

Within and around Fort Collins, smaller waters like City Park Lake, Prospect Ponds, Riverbend Ponds and various HOA and irrigation lakes provide consistent warmwater fishing from shore or small craft. Spring and early summer are prime for largemouth bass, crappie, bluegill and channel catfish. Focus on shallow, warming bays with vegetation, wood and rock. Weightless plastics, small spinnerbaits and 1/16–1/8 oz jigs produce bass and panfish; slip-float rigs with worms or cut bait work well for catfish and carp.

During the heat of summer, shift to early and late windows and fish shade lines, docks and deeper edges. In fall, work windblown banks where baitfish stack up, and don’t overlook simple presentations like small swimbaits or inline spinners for mixed-bag action. Through winter, local ponds with safe ice can offer panfish and occasional trout; tiny tungsten jigs tipped with waxworms or plastics in 6–15 feet are standard.

Across the Fort Collins area, travel light, stay mobile and match your approach to water clarity and pressure. Downsized, natural presentations and careful boat or bank positioning dramatically improve catch rates on these popular Northern Colorado fisheries.

The Best Fishing Spots around Fort Collins

Horsetooth Reservoir

Minutes west of Fort Collins, Horsetooth Reservoir is a Front Range favorite with rocky coves and deep basins that hold smallmouth bass, walleye, and stocked rainbow trout, plus carp and catfish; spring brings active walleye along points and riprap, summer shines for smallmouth on structure, and fall cool-downs spark trout action, while multiple ramps and long stretches of accessible shoreline make it easy to fish by boat or from shore.

Cache la Poudre River

Flowing through Fort Collins and its canyon, the Cache la Poudre River offers classic pocket-water and runs with wild and stocked brown and rainbow trout, plus the occasional cutthroat higher up; expect solid dry-dropper fishing in summer, productive nymphing in shoulder seasons, and clear, cold water conditions that reward stealthy approaches and careful reading of riffles and seams.

Boyd Lake

In Loveland just south of Fort Collins, Boyd Lake is known for strong populations of walleye, wiper, and white bass, with trout and channel catfish rounding out the mix; spring and early summer trolling or jigging for walleye is a staple, while summer wind-driven baitfish pushes ignite wiper and white bass near points and the main basin, and ample ramps and beaches support both boat and shore anglers.

Carter Lake

Tucked west of Berthoud, Carter Lake’s steep shorelines and clear water produce quality walleye, smallmouth and largemouth bass, and stocked rainbow trout; target rocky structure and drop-offs as water warms, work low-light periods for walleye, and take advantage of multiple boat ramps and shoreline pull-offs that let anglers cover both deep and shallow structure effectively.

Big Thompson River

East of Estes Park and through Loveland, the Big Thompson River offers easily accessed runs, pools, and pocket water with strong brown and rainbow trout fishing; expect productive nymphing in cooler months, stonefly and caddis activity in late spring, and technical dry-fly opportunities in summer’s clear flows, especially in the canyon pullouts along US-34.

Lake Loveland

Bordering downtown Loveland, Lake Loveland is a convenient urban fishery with walleye, largemouth and smallmouth bass, stocked rainbow trout, crappie, and channel catfish; anglers work the public shoreline parks, points, and riprap for spring walleye, summer panfish and bass around structure, and cool-season trout cruising near accessible banks.

Windsor Lake

At the heart of Windsor, Windsor Lake offers family-friendly access and a mix of walleye, wiper, trout, perch, crappie, and catfish; shoreline anglers do well around the pier and points during evening feeding windows, while small craft can roam wind lines and drop-offs where predators pin bait, making it a versatile option close to Fort Collins.

Douglas Reservoir

Northwest of Fort Collins, Douglas Reservoir is a windswept prairie impoundment that produces walleye, wiper, trout, and the occasional bass, with productive trolling passes across the main basin in spring and early summer and shore opportunities on windward banks when baitfish push shallow.

Lon Hagler Reservoir

Just west of Loveland, Lon Hagler Reservoir is a compact warmwater destination known for largemouth bass, crappie, bluegill, channel catfish, and seasonal trout; fish weed edges and submerged timber for panfish and bass through summer, work dusk and dawn for cruising catfish, and cover shoreline points or kickboat along drop-offs for steady action.

Dowdy Lake

In the Red Feather Lakes area northwest of Fort Collins, scenic Dowdy Lake offers easy access to stocked rainbow trout (with browns mixed in) from canoes, float tubes, or numerous bank spots; it fishes well with spoons and spinners in spring, settles into steady summer bite windows at dawn and dusk, and is a favorite for simple family-friendly trout fishing in a forest setting.

Interactive Fishing Map for the greater Fort Collins area

Beaches and Bays are ideal places for land-based fishing. If the beach is shallow and the water is clear then twilight times are usually the best times, especially when they coincide with a major or minor fishing time. Often the points on either side of a beach are the best spots. Or if the beach is large then look for irregularities in the breaking waves, indicating sandbanks and holes. We found 2 beaches and bays in this area.

Eltuck Bay - 7.39435744363km , Inlet Bay - 9.06797578171km

We found a total of 40 potential fishing spots nearby Fort Collins. Below you can find them organized on a map. Points, Headlands, Reefs, Islands, Channels, etc can all be productive fishing spots. As these are user submitted spots, there might be some errors in the exact location. You also need to cross check local fishing regulations. Some of the spots might be in or around marine reserves or other locations that cannot be fished. If you click on a location marker it will bring up some details and a quick link to google search, satellite maps and fishing times. Tip: Click/Tap on a new area to load more fishing spots.

North Fork Michigan River - 2.92543166725km , B-22 Dam - 3.41759218597km , Terry Lake Dam - 3.60742654653km , Lindenmeier Lake - 3.9540484513km , Lindenmeirs Dam - 3.97042652738km , Long Pond Dam - 4.72248690612km , Sherwood Dam - 5.11802083879km , Dixon Creek - 5.2520796019km , College Number 3 Dam - 5.51631397343km , Cooper Slough - 6.17218838462km , Dixon Canyon Dam - 6.38309474076km , Soldier Canyon Dam - 6.62673571199km , Claymore Dam - 6.71582269378km , Orchard Cove - 7.31988586543km , Eltuck Bay - 7.39435744363km , Satanka Dike Dam - 7.3992350172km , Dixon Dam - 7.44454283899km , Quarry Cove - 7.47234973212km , Soldier Canyon Cove - 7.49919928231km , Horsetooth Dam - 7.50357911445km , Annex Number 8 Dam - 7.68670661128km , Satanka Cove - 7.75156464373km , Elder Dam - 7.78559270723km , Spring Canyon Dam - 7.80223421512km , Dixon Cove - 7.82664091898km , Water Supply Number 3 Dam - 8.02653695532km , Water Supply Number 4 Dam - 8.02653695532km , Kluver Dam - 8.1184887108km , Windsor Number 8 Dam - 8.41249411954km , North Poudre Number 10 Dam - 8.54008205213km , Gray Number 3 Dam - 8.72244967802km , Mail Creek - 8.77905650322km , Rocky Ridge Dam - 8.95284183409km , South Gray Dam - 8.96686872114km , Inlet Bay - 9.06797578171km , North Gray Dam - 9.07154968532km , North Poudre Number 17 Dam - 9.14152417199km , Watson Lake Dam - 9.33082889499km , Curtis Lake Dam - 9.44903699928km , Kitchell Dam - 9.69300751108km

Harbours and Marinas Beaches Bays Wharfs Points,Reefs,etc
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