Freeland Reservoir Number 4 Fishing Guide, Huerfano County, Colorado

• Overview

  In Colorado, Freeland Reservoir Number 4 falls inside Huerfano County. The country here is mixed forest. A splashy cast here empties the swim; a quiet one owns it. On size it sits at the modest end of our Huerfano County list. Supplies mean a trip to Colorado City, 19 miles off. Walsenburg follows at 26 miles, then Florence at 38 miles. Rules here are straightforward: one county, one set of rules.

• Where to Fish on Freeland Reservoir Number 4

  Depth figures are not published for this one. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. County-wide records name cutthroat trout, black-spotted cutthroat trout, brook trout and rainbow trout. County data is a starting point rather than a guarantee. On this water the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate records put July near 62°F and January near 24°F. The middle months are generous; the ends are demanding. Ice-out usually falls in early April, and the weeks after it fish hardest. Break-up near early April, freeze-up near early December: that is the shape of an average year. The middle of summer slows a little, with dawn and dusk carrying it. Time your trip to this water by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. There is no mapped parking or launch nearby, which keeps numbers down. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Season dates differ by species, so read the table. Close seasons apply to some species and not others. The nearest alternative is McKinley Reservoir, 9.1 miles out. The position on this water is worth confirming on the day.