Blue Heron Reservoir
State Park in Weld County, Colorado
Water Type:
Conditions:
Blue Heron Reservoir has excellent largemouth bass, great for walleye/saugeye, channel catfish, crappie, and redear sunfish.
Stocking Report:
Activities:
Common Species:
Blue Heron Reservoir
State Park in Weld County, Colorado
Water Type:
Conditions:
Blue Heron Reservoir has excellent largemouth bass, great for walleye/saugeye, channel catfish, crappie, and redear sunfish.
Stocking Report:
Activities:
Common Species:
About Blue Heron Reservoir
Blue Heron Reservoir is one of ten ponds located within St. Vrain State Park.
About St. Vrain State Park
St. Vrain is a nature- and people-friendly park offering 228 acres of water (not including wetlands and rivers). Come boat, walk on the trails, fish or just enjoy the natural beauty.
About Quality Waters
Colorado Parks and Wildlife is excited to announce Quality Waters, a new category of fishable waters that our talented team of fish management biologists has identified and nominated based on their fish sampling records, creel surveys, and professional biological assessments.
Activities at this Location
Boating
Fishing
Camping Nearby
Picnicking Nearby
Visit Blue Heron Reservoir in St. Vrain State Park
Park Location: I-25 and HWY 119 (east of Longmont).
Pond Location: Blue Heron Reservoir is directly South of the park entrance station.
Save Money
Use the Keep Colorado Wild Pass
The Keep Colorado Wild Pass is $29.
Other pass options:
- Affixed Vehicle Parks Pass $80
- Family Multi Vehicle Pass $120
- Individual Pass (foot and bike traffic only) $29
Boating at Blue Heron Reservoir
Hand-launched vessels that are hand or foot propelled or with electric trolling motors, along with inflatable devices with two or more chambers, are permitted on all ponds. All vessels and water users must observe all Colorado Boating Statutes and Regulations at all times.
Stay Safe on the Water
Keep your time on the water fun and safe by following some simple safety guidelines.
Life Jackets
You must wear a life jacket/personal floatation device (PFD) that is the correct size for you when engaging in water activities. Check with the park you are planning to visit to see if they offer loaner life jackets.
Boating Rules
Be prepared for your day on the water by familiarizing yourself with the guidelines and regulations for your water activity.
Learn the RulesFishing at Blue Heron Reservoir
Reservoir Acres: 82.0
Variety angling in a single park, each pond really has something different to offer. Exceptional for families and new anglers and great ice fishing. Park staff is quite incredible with a breadth of fishing knowledge. Blue Heron Pond has excellent largemouth bass, great for walleye/saugeye, channel catfish, crappie, and redear sunfish. This is the largest water on the park and trailered boats can launch.
Reservoir Features:
- A Boat Ramp (Northeast Side)
Don't Forget Your Fishing License
All anglers need a fishing license, but youth aged 15 and under fish for free. Reduced cost licenses are available for Colorado residents including: adults, youth aged 16 to 17, seniors, active duty members, first responders with disabilities, and veterans with disabilities.
Rules and Restrictions
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Catch and release.
All largemouth and smallmouth bass must be returned to the water immediately upon catch.
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Catfish restrictions.
Only one channel catfish in bag or possession may be greater than 20 inches.
Fish at this Location
The ponds are stocked several times a year with selected species.
Crappie
Crappie are a schooling fish that often congregate around vertical structures. Anglers have the most success for crappies jigging by structure in the early spring.
More About CrappieLargemouth Bass
Casting lures and plugs during dawn and dusk hours around cattails and sunken logs will give you the best chance to land one of the lunkers.
More About Largemouth BassRedear Sunfish
Rhis sunfish prefers warm, clear waters with no noticeable current and an abundance of aquatic plants. Most active in daylight.
More Redear SunfishWalleye
Anglers often fish for walleye when it is windy because the wind stirs up the bottom of a lake and makes the water turbid.
More About WalleyeSaugeye
Anglers have luck catching saugeye by trolling live bait or slowly retrieving jigs over bottom humps and points.
More About SaugeyeCatch a Record
Fishing Awards and Records
Colorado Parks and Wildlife recognizes licensed anglers who catch exceptionally large fish through three separate programs, Record by Weight, Record by Length (released only) and Master Angler. Learn more about what it takes to be a Colorado record holder!
Fishing Survey
Blue Heron Reservoir, 2023, 15 minutes boat electrofishing
| Species | Total Catch | Mean | Length (inches) Maximum | Minimum |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black Bullhead | 1 | 8.94 | 8.94 | 8.94 |
| Black Crappie | 29 | 8.31 | 5.28 | 12.24 |
| Bluegill | 150 | 6.99 | 4.02 | 9.76 |
| Channel Catfish | 5 | 17.05 | 9.45 | 30.63 |
| Gizzard Shad | 53 | 14.38 | 12.80 | 15.79 |
| Largemouth Bass | 23 | 11.33 | 8.46 | 16.85 |
| Redear Sunfish | 1 | 8.19 | 8.19 | 8.19 |
| Saugeye | 18 | 16.42 | 11.97 | 26.14 |
| Green Sunfish | 6 | 5.06 | 4.45 | 6.06 |
| Walleye | 106 | 13.59 | 7.56 | 24.54 |
| White Bass | 6 | 9.63 | 7.09 | 12.32 |
| Yellow Perch | 6 | 9.71 | 9.21 | 10.08 |
Mandatory Boat Inspections for ANS Before Coming to St. Vrain
To boat on the reservoir, an aquatic nuisance species (ANS) stamp, current boat registration and a pre-launch boat inspection is required.
Vessels and other floating devices that are both hand-launched and human-powered are exempt from mandatory ANS inspections.
Inspection Locations
There are no ANS inspections for boats at St. Vrain State Park. Please remember to have your boat inspected ahead of time.
The closest ANS inspection locations are at Boulder Reservoir, Barr Lake State Park, Boyd Lake State Park and Stanley Lake. See the list linked below for inspection locations.
Eurasian watermilfoil
Eurasian watermilfoil has been detected in the reservoir at St. Vrain.
It is an aquatic noxious weed that forms dense mats which restrict swimming, fishing, and boating.
Aquatic Nuisance Species
How to Clean Your Hand Launch Vessels and Fishing Gear
Invasive species of plants and wildlife harm Colorado's land and water, negatively impacting the state’s economy, recreation, property values and public health. Invasive wildlife spread by hitchhiking on watercraft, trailers, vehicles, tires, boots, waders, equipment, gear, firewood and even dogs!
Angling — How to Clear Your Gear Video
Angling — Prevent the Spread of Aquatic Invasive Species
After cleaning their gear, anglers should then perform one of the following options to disinfect their gear before going into the next body of water or moving to a new stretch of river.
Option 1
- Disinfect waders and gear with quaternary ammonia cleaner (QAC).
- After cleaning, submerge gear in a tub filled with a solution of 6oz QAC/gallon of water for at least 10 minutes. Follow all precautionary label instructions!
- Rinse water must be from a clean source to avoid re-infection.
- Dispose of the chemical bath properly away from any waters.
Option 2
- Heat treat your gear by soaking or spraying for 10 minutes with 140o Fahrenheit water.
Option 3
- Dry your waders and equipment completely for a minimum of 10 days between use.
Option 4
- Freeze your waders and boots overnight between use.
Clean
- Keep your distance from storm drains and new bodies of water while cleaning all equipment.
- Remove all visible plant material, animals, and mud from the hull, trailer and all compartments including footwells and storage areas.
- Clean all other equipment that was used including paddles, dry storage bags, leashes, anchors and lifejackets.
Dr
- Ensure that all water has been drained from your inflatable watercraft.
- Carry your kayak, canoe, or paddleboard to a dry location to drain and dry. Tilt and lift your watercraft to empty any water that has pooled inside the interior compartments.
- If your inflatable watercraft has a two-layer (bladder/shell) construction or a floor that allows water inside the shell, be sure to drain all the areas where water could be trapped.
Dry
- Sponge or towel any water that remains on the watercraft following your draining process.
- Find a place where the kayak, canoe or paddleboard can continue to dry completely.
- Leave your watercraft inflated until it is completely dry. When fully dry, place the air valve down when deflating to prevent water from getting inside.
Boating and Fishing Regulations
.jpg?itok=3j7f2foI "Manual de Navegación.")
Manual de Navegación (En Español)
El folleto de Manual de Navegación en línea es la versión más actualizada.
Descargue el FolletoColorado Fishing Brochure
The online Fishing brochure is the most up-to-date version.
Download the BrochurePesca en Colorado (En Español)
El folleto de Pesca en línea es la versión más actualizada.
Descargue el FolletoLand and Water Regulations Brochure
Have a question about regulations? Check the brochure.
Download the Brochure
Be a Pain in the ANS!
If you use water, aquatic nuisance species (ANS) can affect you. For example, Zebra and quagga mussels clog up the infrastructure that delivers water to our homes. Keeping invasive species under control is a matter of public health.