Forebay Lake in La Plata County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Look for Forebay Lake in La Plata County, Colorado. The bank gives way to rolling bush. At roughly 2 acres, the whole thing is within casting reach of a single walk. It is a small entry by La Plata County standards. Durango sits 18 miles from here and is the nearest stop. Further out sit Bayfield (23 miles) and Mountain Village (28 miles). There is no boundary nearby to worry about.

• Where to Fish on Forebay Lake

  Nothing we hold settles how deep this runs. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. La Plata County records list rainbow trout, brook trout, bluehead sucker and black-spotted cutthroat trout among the fish reported. Several of these carry legal protection or closed seasons; the rulebook comes before the rod. On Forebay Lake the obvious spot is not always the productive one.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-run averages give July about 60°F and January about 22°F. Cold locks it up for a good stretch each year. The freeze runs deep into the year, with break-up near mid April. Expect the water usable from around mid April until roughly early December. Right after break-up, and again as the nights sharpen, is when to go. Forebay Lake fishes to that pattern most years.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing in our records says who may fish here. You will be walking about 0.9 miles from the nearest car park. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Rules for this water may differ from the county norm. Close seasons apply to some species and not others. Should this one be busy, Haviland Lake is 1.2 miles off. The position on Forebay Lake is worth confirming on the day.