Big Reservoir Fishing Guide, Las Animas County, Colorado

• Overview

  This water sits in Las Animas County, Colorado. This is open valley ground. This is a tiny water, and one quiet approach covers all of it. Our Las Animas County list holds plenty of bigger water. Rocky Ford lies 31 miles from the water. Then La Junta, 33 miles, and Fowler, 34 miles. Close by you have: Prink Reservoir at 4.3 miles, Newby Reservoir out at 4.9 miles, Rourke Reservoir at 5.4 miles, Smith Pond out at 6.9 miles and Kennedy Ponds at 8 miles. Two sets of local rules meet not far from this water.

• Where to Fish on Big Reservoir

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Records held for Las Animas County cover rainbow trout, white sucker, brook trout, common carp and walleye. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. Anyone new to Big Reservoir should walk it once before setting up.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 76°F at the top of summer and 32°F at the bottom of winter. The swings are modest, so patterns change slowly. It should never be assumed safe, whatever the month says. June to September is hot work, so the first and last hours are what count. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Big Reservoir.

• Tackle & Baits

  No access rule appears in what we hold. Nothing formal is recorded here: no ramp, no car park, no marked path. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Read any posted signs at the access point rather than assuming. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. Prink Reservoir sits 4.3 miles off and takes the overflow. Where Big Reservoir is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.