Fuchs Reservoir in Rio Grande County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  You will find Fuchs Reservoir in Rio Grande County, Colorado. Everything around it is mixed forest. Surface area runs to about 14 acres — small enough to read in one session. The closest town, Del Norte, is 17 miles distant. Monte Vista lies 21 miles off, Center another 30 miles. This one is safely inside the county line. Nothing here demands specialist tackle.

• Where to Fish on Fuchs Reservoir

  Our records carry no depth, so judge it from the bank. Draw-down through summer strips the margins, so follow the water out. Inflow corners move water, and moving water gathers fish. Records held for Rio Grande County cover white sucker, brown trout, rainbow trout, tench and common carp. It is the county picture; the agency list is water-specific. Fish Fuchs Reservoir to its features, not to its size.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-term averages put July at about 51°F and January near 15°F. A hard winter is normal, and the thaw brings a strong few weeks. Firm cover through the cold months, then open water from late May. Expect the water usable from around late May until roughly mid November. The strong weeks are the first after break-up and the last before the freeze. The season on Fuchs Reservoir follows the weather closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. Parking sits half a mile out, which makes for a walk with tackle. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Local rules can differ across the county line, so check where you stand. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. Summitville Tailings Pond, 5 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. For Fuchs Reservoir, the notice at the access point is the final word.