Big Lake, Colorado: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Big Lake is a Conejos County water, in Colorado. The water sits 9,800 feet up. About 13 acres of surface, which puts the far bank inside easy sight. Nearest place of any size is Del Norte, 26 miles away. Pueblo is the closest city, 122 miles away. Within a short drive: Rock Lake at 1.7 miles, Platoro Reservoir lies 2.3 miles on, Mix Lake at 2.4 miles, Tobacco Lake lies 3 miles on and Beaver Lake at 3.1 miles. Local rules may differ a few miles either side of here.

• Where to Fish on Big Lake

  We hold no depth figure for this one. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Survey and observation records for Conejos County include white sucker, brown trout and green sunfish. The county figures include rivers and lakes alike. Big Lake gives up its fish to patience rather than distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The seasonal spread runs 15°F to 51°F. Expect a real winter and a strong spring after it. Firm cover through the cold months, then open water from late May. Average temperatures cross freezing around late May in spring and again near mid November in autumn. The middle of summer slows a little, with dawn and dusk carrying it. Big Lake fishes to that pattern most years.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. Nothing in the way of made access shows up nearby: no ramp, no car park, no path. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Read any posted signs at the access point rather than assuming. Close seasons apply to some species and not others. If the gate is shut, Rock Lake at 1.7 miles is the nearest alternative. Where Big Lake is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.