Local residents looking for a place for recreational fishing now have Rueter-Hess Reservoir — near Parker and Castle Pines — as an option for the first-ever time, Douglas County says.

Catch-and-release fishing at the reservoir will be open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, and Mondays, starting Aug. 4 and running through October.

“To maintain the vitality of the fish, a limited number of fishing opportunities will be available each day the reservoir is open,” the county said in a news release.

Reservations are required and were to open online at 9 a.m. Aug. 2.

Each day that fishing is open, 25 adult anglers with valid state fishing licenses will be allowed to fish. Those younger than 16, who are not required by the state to have a license, are not required to register but may still fish, the news release says.

You can fish from the shore or a paddleboard, kayak or canoe.

There is no cost to fish at the reservoir, but the county asks that you reserve your spot ahead of time. Those planning to drive into the reservoir need a daytime parking pass, which costs $10 per vehicle.

You can register for fishing and a parking pass at the same time at douglas.co.us/rueter-hess-recreation/reservations-rueter-hess.

The reservoir has been stocked with walleye, yellow perch, largemouth bass, wiper (striped hybrid bass), channel catfish, black crappie and blue gill. Only artificial lures and flies, and barbless single hooks, are allowed, and bait is not allowed. Tackle boxes and licenses will be checked, the news release says.

There is “no discussion at this time” on whether non-catch-and-release fishing will be offered at the reservoir in the future, said Wendy Holmes, county spokesperson.

Other water activities

The reservoir remains open for non-motorized water activities including paddleboarding, canoeing and kayaking from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays into late October. Motorized or belly boats are not allowed.

(Swimming is also not allowed, Holmes said, noting that the reservoir is primarily a drinking-water source.)

Access to the reservoir is free. Again, those who want to drive and park at the reservoir need a one-day parking pass for $10 per vehicle.

New oversight of recreation

Douglas County’s elected leaders recently approved an agreement to take charge of recreation at Rueter-Hess Reservoir, in a move that the county said would allow for more access.

The change means more time for paddleboarding, canoeing and kayaking starting with this year’s water recreation season at the reservoir, now already underway.

Opportunities to enjoy the reservoir area were to expand based on the agreement by the county and the municipalities that sit near the water, providing more staff and a streamlined financial structure for overseeing recreation.

The reservoir is a drinking-water storage facility owned and operated by the Parker Water and Sanitation District, the entity that provides drinking water to much of Parker and some nearby areas.

The county website describes the reservoir as a place for “history buffs, day hikers, dog walkers, water-sport enthusiasts, and local anthropologists alike.”

Getting there

The reservoir area sits off Hess Road just west of Heirloom Parkway, generally between the City of Castle Pines and the Town of Parker.

It’s accessible about 4 miles east of the interchange of Interstate 25 and Castle Pines Parkway, which becomes Hess Road, or about 4 miles west of the intersection of Parker Road and Hess Road.

Construction to add a new pipeline near the reservoir is ongoing, so you may see construction traffic at the entrance, the news release says.

For more information, see the county’s website tinyurl.com/BeforeYouGoRueterHess.