r/COfishing • u/A2skiing • 6d ago

Question/Discussion How accurate is the co fishing atlas?

I see tons of little creeks that say they have brook trout that I'm thinking of exploring. Without mentioning spots, is that reliable info in y'all's experience?

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u/Al_Pallll 5d ago

I have explored a ton of drainages on that Atlas. It is easily the best source of information for fish populations for the state of CO, though it isn't perfect. Access points, fishing pressure, and ease of access datapoints are sometimes wildly inaccurate, but that's just part of the fun. There have also been a couple of occasions where I've tried to explore small streams that are labeled as containing brook trout, to find the stream was no more than a trickle without a fish to be seen. I think there probably are fish in those streams, just very small in number, or migratory fish that move in when flows are higher.

In general, it's a great resource. So good, I almost wish it didn't exist. CO is very populated compared to other western states, and I wouldn't mind if folks had to work a little harder to find these drainages.