Alta Lake Fishing in Conejos County, Colorado

• Overview

  Within Conejos County, Colorado, you have Alta Lake. Elevation runs to 7,897 feet. It covers about 13 acres, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. The nearest place of any size is Alamosa, 31 miles away. Pueblo sits 114 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. Two sets of local rules meet not far from this water.

• Where to Fish on Alta Lake

  Depth is unmeasured here, so let the shoreline guide you. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. County-wide records name white sucker, brown trout, green sunfish and black-spotted cutthroat trout. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. Fish Alta Lake to its features, not to its size.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 65°F in July and bottom out at 19°F in January. The year splits cleanly: hard water, then open water. Firm cover through the cold months, then open water from early April. Open water usually runs from early April until about early December. Spring is short and heavy here; autumn is longer and steadier. On Alta Lake the same rules apply, with local timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public sources are silent on who controls the bank. No made access appears within a short radius, so plan to park on a verge and walk. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Check whether a boat is allowed before you tow one. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. Alta Lake Reservoir sits 1.4 miles off and takes the overflow. Check the current arrangement for Alta Lake.