Where to Go Tarryall Reservoir
Current Reports
Open 9 am to 6 pm Daily
Report Date: 10/19/2026
The boat ramp is open for the season
Current Conditions
Tarryall Reservoir is holding stable water levels with good clarity across the main body, though seasonal changes are drawing trout and northern pike closer to the shallow flats, inlet structures, and rocky points. Water temperatures are cooling into the comfortable feeding zone, prompting fish to actively forage throughout the day. Bank anglers and float tube fishers will find plenty of targets patrolling the shorelines, though a cautious approach remains necessary in the clearer bays.
Weather:
Short Term -
The reservoir area features clear, sunny skies today with an afternoon high climbing near 87 degrees Fahrenheit. Light morning winds will shift out of the southwest at 6 to 11 mph, bringing occasional open plains gusts as high as 21 mph before settling into a mostly clear evening low around 55 degrees Fahrenheit. The Independence Day holiday weekend introduces a 30 to 50 percent chance of sudden afternoon showers and thunderstorms.
Long Term -
A monsoonal pattern stabilizes over the region heading into next week, bringing a consistent 30 percent to high chance of afternoon showers and thunderstorms from Monday through next Thursday. Morning sun will push daily high temperatures between 88 and 89 degrees Fahrenheit before afternoon cloud cover develops. These regular rain cycles are critical for maintaining stream inflows and keeping water temperatures optimal across the high plains basin.
Hatches:
Midges hatch reliably during the calm morning hours, providing steady target opportunities in the protected northern coves. Callibaetis mayflies are showing up on warmer afternoons, occasionally triggering surface rising along the weed lines. Subsurface activity remains the primary food driver, with scuds, aquatic worms, and damselfly nymphs providing high-calorie meals as vegetation shifts.
Tactics:
Success at Tarryall requires adapting to both trout and pike behavior in changing conditions. For trout, suspended nymph rigs utilizing small indicators fished above the weed lines with scud or midge pupae patterns work exceptionally well, as do long leaders tapering to 4X or 5X fluorocarbon. For anglers targeting pike, stripping large white, black, or olive streamers on intermediate sinking lines along the rocky drop offs or near the dam structure triggers aggressive reaction strikes.
Tips:
Pay close attention to wind shifts, as wave action pushing against windward shorelines dislodges aquatic insects and activates schools of feeding fish. Approach the bank cautiously and cast at an angle to avoid spooking trout feeding right in the shallows. Keep a watchful eye on the horizon for fast moving monsoonal clouds, as the open terrain offers little shelter from sudden lightning storms or high winds.
NOW BOOKING STILLWATER TRIPS FOR 2026! EITHER BY SHORE OR BY BOAT, WE HAVE YOU COVERED.
Recommended Fly Patterns
Dry Fly Patterns
- Parachute Adams, sizes #16-20
- Elk Hair Caddis, sizes #14-16
- Hippy Stompers, size #14 - 16
- Parachute Adams, size #10-16
- Foam Beetle, sizes #14-18
Nymph Patterns
- Balanced Leech, Black/Wine sizes #10-12
- Ice Cream Cone Chironomid, Red or Black, sizes #16-20
- Mayers Mini leach, olive, sizes #12-14
- Balanced leach, bruised, sizes #10-12
- Poxyback Callibaetis, size #16
Streamer Patterns
- Wooly Bugger, Olive or Black, sizes #6-10
- Baby Gonga, Black or Tan, sizes #6-8
- Slump Buster, Olive or Natural Tan, sizes #6-8
Anglers Covey Bug Of The MOnth:
in This is an area we specialize and are permitted to guide, so give us a shout if you have any questions or if you are interested in allowing one of our Orvis-Endorsed guides showing you how to conquer Tarryall Reservoir.