Resolutions come easily this time of year, and like most fishermen I know, I resolve to spend more time on the water in the coming year.

"Yeah, maybe so," some wise guy said. "But suppose you could fish just once a month in Colorado. Where would you go each month?"

Hmm. An interesting question. And one not easily answered.

Colorado, after all, offers a wealth of possibilities, amid a variety of factors that include seasonal weather patterns - and for this year, possibly more than most, economic uncertainties.

From mountain streams to the warm-water reservoirs on the lowlands, for fish ranging from native cutthroat trout to imported species that include artificially produced specimens known as Frankenstein's fish in some quarters, as wipers in others, the possibilities are almost endless.

Factor in personal preferences for tackle and technique (mine is fly fishing, but I'm tolerant of others), and the choices become all the more difficult. To make things even more interesting, let's say a given lake or portion of a river can be chosen only once.

No one said it would be easy, but from the perspective of a Front Range angler, here's a fishing calendar for the new year:

* January: It's time for ice fishing, but where? Since we can go there only once a year, Elevenmile Reservoir would nudge out Antero and the North Park lakes. Look for good trout fishing through the ice, some of the best action of the year.

* February: Cabin fever becomes unbearable; it's time for some stream fishing. The choice here is the Arkansas River below Pueblo Dam. A bit warmer than other tailwaters, this stretch features some of the earlier blue- wing-olive hatches as a complement to the midges.

* March: In a time of transition, the Roaring Fork River near Carbondale can provide some surprisingly good prerunoff nymphing for trout. If trout are not in the mood, whitefish can save the day and fill up the home smoker.

* April: Open water is appearing on many lakes. Though the Arkansas River around Salida, with its blue-wing-olive hatches and possibly early caddis, is tough to pass up, tradition calls for fishing Spinney Mountain Reservoir when it opens for the season.

* May: Way too many choices here, but warm-water fishing is heating up. Nee Gronde Reservoir south of Eads offers plentiful saugeyes, wipers and catfish. Memorial Day might be the time.

* June: Callibaetis mayflies have started hatching on the North and South Park reservoirs, but the one-time rule still applies. The choice here is the Gunnison River through the Gorge, where the annual stonefly hatch can be downright spectacular and the setting alone can be worth the trip.

* July: It's summertime, though just barely in the high country. Get out the topo maps; a trek to an Alpine lake is in order. All of the state's mountain ranges offer their share of these above-timberline gems. The Sangre de Cristos hold some personal favorites.

* August: We're missing green drakes on the Frying Pan River and Trico mayflies on the several stretches of the South Platte, but Pueblo Reservoir offers some heavyweight action for wipers, feeding near the surface on young-of-the-year shad. Better get there early, though. With the heavy recreational boating traffic of summer, wiper activity often ends shortly after sunrise. Bass remain active, however, and knowing anglers still can get some walleyes.

* September: It's hard to go wrong on virtually any river. The Rio Grande and Conejos in southern Colorado would be excellent choices, but the nod here goes to the White River in the northwest. Hopper/dropper rigs are the way to go early, and brown trout will become more aggressive later in the month.

* October: With brown trout on the move, it's finally time to get to the Delaney lakes in North Park. Check the regulations and handle the browns with care.

* November: The Mount Elbert Forebay above Twin Lakes has some decent-sized mackinaw that still might be close to shore. At any rate, the Forebay typically has open water when other lakes have frozen.

* December: If ice fishing's your thing, head to Antero, but tread lightly. The choice here is a South Platte tailwater, in either Cheesman or Elevenmile canyons. Midges remain active through the winter, and on a warm day such as today, trout might be rising.

Since I've already resolved to fish a bit more, maybe I'll jump the gun a little and head up that way today.