Gabriel Lake in Las Animas County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Look for Gabriel Lake in the Las Animas County part of Colorado. Elevation runs to 6,237 feet. It is pond-in-a-field scale, with the far bank a short lob away. On size it sits at the modest end of our Las Animas County list. Walsenburg at 15 miles is the nearest place to stop. The nearest city of size is Pueblo, 55 miles away. You are close to a county edge here; who manages the access can change within a short drive.

• Where to Fish on Gabriel Lake

  Depth here is unknown, so count the lead down before committing. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Fish documented in Las Animas County include rainbow trout, white sucker and brook trout. County records show the wider picture rather than this one place. On Gabriel Lake that means starting tight and working out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The seasonal spread runs 32°F to 71°F. The year turns gently, without extremes at either end. Hard water here is never dependable, so check for yourself before stepping out. Late winter often fishes better here than midsummer does. Plan around that when you fish Gabriel Lake. The first warm days of the year bring fish shallow quickly.

• Tackle & Baits

  No public source sets out the position on this bank. Nothing built is recorded close to the bank here. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Local rules can differ across the county line, so check where you stand. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. Should this one be busy, Poma Reservoir is 0.8 miles off. Ask locally about Gabriel Lake if anything is unclear.