General Information: St. Vrain is a perfect destination for anglers, campers, birders, photographers, and just about anyone

who enjoys nature. A total of 10 ponds offer angling for rainbow trout, bass, crappie, perch, bluegill, walleye, catfish, and

more. For more information visit the park’s website: http://cpw.state.co.us/placestogo/Parks/stvrain

Location: I-25 and HWY 119 (east of Longmont)

Recreational Management: Colorado State Parks

Fishery Management: DOW; warm water angling with seasonal trout

Purchase a Fishing License: https://www.co.wildlifelicense.com/start.php

Regulations

Statewide bag/possession limits apply

(daily bag limit for trout is 4, see

regulation brochure for more

information).

Bald Eagle pond and Blue Heron

reservoir is catch and release only for

largemouth and smallmouth bass. No

bait fishing is allowed in Bald Eagle

pond.

Only 1 catfish taken from Blue Heron

Reservoir may exceed 20 inches..

St. Vrain State Park PondsFISH SURVEY AND MANAGEMENT DATA

Benjamin Swigle - Aquatic Biologist (Fort Collins/Boulder)

ben.swigle@state.co.us / 970-472-4364

Amenities

Camping sites (tent, electric, full hook-

up)

Excellent wildlife viewing

Universally accessible fishing piers and

trail system

Educational Kiosks

Modern restrooms

Picnic sites

Previous Stocking

2017*

Bluegill

Black Crappie

Channel Catfish

Hybrid Grass Carp

Largemouth Bass

Northern Pike

Rainbow Trout

Saugeye

Tiger Muskie

Yellow Perch

2016

Bluegill

Black Crappie

Channel Catfish

Hybrid Grass Carp

Largemouth Bass

Northern Pike

Rainbow Trout

Redear Sunfish

Saugeye

Tiger Muskie

*see table below for specifics

Sportfishing Notes

Rainbow Trout

•Spinners, bait (powerbait &

nightcrawlers), and flies are all

productive tools. Fishing is

typically best April-June and

during the winter.

•At times the rainbows are so

aggressive they often deep

hook themselves while

attacking bait. Anglers who

encounter a deep hooked trout

are highly encouraged to keep

these fish. Trout hooked in

this fashion will not survive.

•More than 40,000 ten inch rainbow

trout are stocked annually to

accommodate the heavy angling

pressure. Trout are primarily

stocked in Sandpiper, Mallard, and

Coot Ponds. Trout are strategically

stocked in the spring and fall when

cooler water temperatures prevail

and to increase ice fishing

opportunities.

Left: The summary of the 2017 survey for Sandpiper Pond. This pond is primarily managed for 10-inch trout which are heavily stocked in the spring and late fall (ice angling). Roughly 20,000 catchable trout are stocked annually. Besides trout, good numbers of catfish and bass (up to 21”) were present. Bluegill and crappie are present but are rather small.

Sandpiper Pond.

Left: The summary of the 2016 survey for Mallard Pond. Mallard is primarily managed for 10-inch trout; heavily stocked in the spring and late fall (ice angling). Roughly 6,000 catchable trout are stocked annually. Trout stocking at the park typically does not occur between May 15 – September 15 because of warm water temperatures.

Pelican Pond – all fish were eliminated September, 2010 (94% carp). Later flood waters breached the pond destroying the aeration system and re-introducing common carp. Predators (pike, walleye, and saugeye) have been stocked to reduce the carp, suckers, and shad. These predator populations have started to take hold and large Northern Pike can be caught.

9 membrane aeration system; installed March, 2011..

Table Below: The 2017 complete stocking by fish species for the individual ponds at St. Vrain State Park.

Bald Eagle Pond – No bait fishing, flies and lures only. Catch and release only for bass.

Sandpiper Pond- Electrofishing Boat; 2017

2017 Sampled Species # of Fish % of SampleAverage Length (Range)

inchesAverage Weight

(lbs)

Black Crappie 3 2.65% 6.55 (5-8) 0.15

Bluegill 47 41.59% 4.16 (3-5) 0.01

Common Carp 11 9.73% 16.40 (11-20) 1.30

Gizzard Shad 33 29.20 7.86 (3-15) 0.10

Grass Carp (Sterile) 1 0.88% 28.66 11.13

Largemouth Bass 15 13.27% 6.30 (2-12) 0.25

Sauger 1 0.88% 16.57 1.31

Walleye 1 0.88% 25.28 6.81

Yellow Perch 1 0.88% 4.33 0.04

Mallard Pond- 2 Gillnet, Electrofishing Boat; 2016

2016 Sampled Species # of Fish % of SampleAverage Length (Range)

inchesAverage Weight

(lbs)

Black Crappie 19 20% 5.42 (4-6) 0.04

Bluegill 18 19% 3.94 (3-5) 0.01

Channel Catfish 3 3% 11.99 (9-15) 0.61

Common Carp 11 11% 21.80 (17-28) 3.58

Gizzard Shad 29 30% 9.44 (7-13) 0.16

Largemouth Bass 9 9% 12.24 (6-17) 0.98

Walleye 2 2% 19.41 (19-20) 2.52

White Sucker 5 5% 13.02 (12-14) 0.74

Pelican Pond- 2 Gillnets, Boat electrofishing; 2017

2017 Sampled Species # of Fish % of Sample Average Length (Range) inches Average Weight (lbs)

Black Crappie 9 5.59% 6.57 (4-8) 0.16

Bluegill 9 5.59% 5.32 (3-8) 0.17

Channel Catfish 6 3.73% 19.38 (16-25) 3.41

Common Carp 18 11.18% 23.91 (20-27) 3.99

Gizzard Shad 71 44.10% 8.31 (3-15) 0.18

Largemouth Bass 17 10.56% 9.83 (3-15) 0.87

Northern Pike 16 9.94% 28.18 (22-38) 5.34

Orange Spotted Sunfish 1 0.62% 2.52 0.01

Green Sunfish 2 1.24% 6.30 (6-7) 0.20

Walleye 10 6.21% 17.05 (11-21) 1.94

White Sucker 1 0.62% 17.32 2.62

Yellow Perch 1 0.62% 7.87 0.22

Bald Eagle Pond- Boat Electrofishing; 2017

2017 Sampled Species

# of Fish % of SampleAverage Length (Range) inches

Average Weight (lbs)

Bluegill 69 61.61% 4.57 (3-6) 0.02

Common Carp 12 10.71% 21.38 (19-24) 4.31

Gizzard Shad 11 9.82% 9.15 (6-14) 0.25

Largemouth Bass 17 15.18% 12.14 (4-17) 1.07

Walleye 2 1.79% 21.85 (21-23) 4.29

Yellow Perch 1 0.89% 4.65 0.03

Red Tail Pond is managed for bass and bluegill. A small number of catfish have also been stocked in recent history.

Red Tail Pond- 2 Gillnets; 2016

2016 Sampled Species

# of Fish% of

SampleAverage Length (Range) inches

Average Weight (lbs)

Bluegill 6 50% 4.27 (4-5) 0.03

Black Crappie 1 8% 3.70 0.01

Channel Catfish 1 8% 14.65 1.15

Largemouth Bass 2 17% 16.59 (13-20) 3.31

Rainbow Trout 2 17% 13.72 (13-14) 0.87

Coot Pond- 2 Gillnets, Boat electrofishing; 2017

2017 Sampled Species

# of Fish% of

SampleAverage Length (Range) inches

Average Weight (lbs)

Black Crappie 2 2.56% 7.56 (7-8) 0.25

Bluegill 25 32.05% 5.55 (3-7) 0.16

Common Carp 19 24.36% 18.65 (16-24) 2.17

Gizzard Shad 4 5.13% 15.81 (15.7-15.9) 0.89

Largemouth Bass 10 12.82% 11.71 (9-16) 0.87

Rainbow Trout 2 2.56% 11.42 (11-12) 0.52

Walleye 10 12.82% 15.51 (12-17) 1.21

White Crappie 1 1.28% 7.64 0.27

Yellow Perch 5 6.41% 6.46 (6-7) 0.13

Pintail Pond- 1 Gillnet; 2015

2015 Sampled Species

# of Fish% of

SampleAverage Length (Range) inches

Average Weight (lbs)

Black Crappie 7 9% 6.40 (6-7) 0.14

Channel Catfish 6 8% 14.32 (8-21) 1.66

Common Carp 1 1% 19.29 3.22

Gizzard Shad 54 70% 4.90 (5-14) 0.03

Northern Pike 5 6% 20.02 (18-21) 1.94

White Sucker 4 5% 13.04 (12-14) 0.88

Bald Eagle Pond is managed as a trophy largemouth bass fishery. All bass must be returned to the water immediately. Bait fishing is not permitted in this pond. To help bass growth rates, this pond also receives thousands of bluegill. Anglers may keep species other than bass (general regulations apply), provided such fish are caught using artificial flies or lures.

Coot Pond has quality bass and receives trout during the spring and fall. Saugeye and walleye were stocked for the first time in June 2010 and during each subsequent year. Good number of channel catfish are in Coot Pond as well, providing for a diverse fishing opportunity. Rainbow trout are stocked seasonally into Coot with ice fishing being quite good.

Pintail Pond: Northern pike have beenstocked in Pintail to consume overabundantcarp, shad, and stunted bluegill.

PondBlack

CrappieBluegill

Channel Catfish

Grass Carp (Sterile)

Largemouth Bass

Rainbow Trout

Walleye /Saugeye

Yellow Perch

Northern Pike

Tiger Muskie

Bald Eagle X X XBlue Heron X X X X XCoot X X X XMallard X XPelican X X X X X X XPintail X X XRed Tail X X XSandpiper X X

Blue Heron – Now Open! Wakeless boating will be allowed. Previously stocked with black crappie, redear sunfish, channel catfish, saugeye, and largemouth bass.

Left: The summary of the 2017 survey for Blue Heron Reservoir (4 gillnets and boat electrofishing). Management will focus on angling for bass, crappie, and walleye. Crappie populations have not taken hold due to competition with prolific gizzard shad. However, this base level of bait fish provides walleye and largemouth bass with good resources to sustain healthy populations that provide good fishing opportunity.

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10000

Fishing Pressure (#Anglers By Pond: April-Aug 2014)

Blue Heron2017 Survey

Totalcatch

% total catch

Length (in)

Weight (lbs)

Species mean min max mean min max

Black Bullhead 10 4.13% 10.63 9.25 11.38 0.75 0.45 1.19

Black Crappie 4 1.65% 7.16 6.77 7.32 0.18 0.16 0.20

Bluegill 44 18.18% 4.91 1.50 7.52 0.08 0.00 0.34

Channel Catfish 13 5.37% 21.62 16.57 24.41 3.92 1.28 5.89

Common Carp 12 4.96% 22.45 18.82 26.30 4.79 2.58 8.47

Gizzard Shad 65 26.86% 12.11 11.10 14.02 0.11 0.03 0.84

LM Bass 38 15.70% 10.91 3.62 15.39 0.69 0.02 2.01

Rainbow Trout 1 0.41% 10.71 10.71 10.71 0.31 0.31 0.31

SM Bass 2 0.83% 17.56 16.97 18.15 3.45 2.84 4.07

Green Sunfish 10 4.13% 4.61 3.07 7.40 0.09 0.01 0.34

Walleye 36 14.88% 14.53 7.72 18.19 1.05 0.11 2.01

Yellow Perch 7 2.89% 6.23 5.47 6.85 0.10 0.07 0.13