Fishing Castilleja Lake in La Plata County, Colorado

• Overview

  Castilleja Lake is set in La Plata County, Colorado. Everything around it is pine and birch. At 10 acres it is the sort of place you fish for an evening rather than a day. It is high ground by Colorado standards. Bayfield sits 24 miles from here and is the nearest stop. For a city, Pueblo is 169 miles off. This one is safely inside the county line.

• Where to Fish on Castilleja Lake

  There is no published depth for this one, so start shallow and work out. Look for where the old bank line still shows under the surface. Built water gives depth close in, which suits a bank angler. Across La Plata County, recorded fish include rainbow trout, brook trout, bluehead sucker and black-spotted cutthroat trout. At least one recorded species is protected in parts of its range; read the local rules before targeting anything. On Castilleja Lake the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Seasonal averages run from 15°F in January up to 53°F in July. Cold winters and warm summers give a wide working range. Ice fishing carries the winter, and the water opens about late May. From about late May to around mid November, expect open water on the long-run figures. The strong weeks are the first after break-up and the last before the freeze. Castilleja Lake runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing in our records says who may fish here. Nothing formal is recorded here: no ramp, no car park, no marked path. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Ask in the nearest town if you are unsure. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. Should this one be busy, Lillie Lake is 1.1 miles off. Nothing on Castilleja Lake should be assumed from this page alone.