Fishing at Gagliardi Reservoir, Las Animas County, Colorado

• Overview

  Gagliardi Reservoir is one of the Las Animas County waters in Colorado. What surrounds it is farm and woodlot. It measures about 25 acres, which is a comfortable size for bank fishing. 13 miles away sits Trinidad, the nearest town. Pueblo sits 70 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. Rules here are straightforward: one county, one set of rules.

• Where to Fish on Gagliardi Reservoir

  Depth is unmeasured here, so let the shoreline guide you. Built water gives depth close in, which suits a bank angler. Standing timber shows when the level drops, and fish sit against it. Fish documented in Las Animas County include rainbow trout, white sucker, brook trout, common carp and walleye. It is the county picture; the agency list is water-specific. At Gagliardi Reservoir light and wind decide more than tackle does.

• Seasonal Patterns

  In an average year July sits at 74°F and January at 31°F. The swings are modest, so patterns change slowly. Cover comes and goes, so treat it with suspicion rather than trust. March through May is the strongest run, with October and November a second stretch. Gagliardi Reservoir runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. Formal access is not mapped, so the last stretch is likely on foot. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Bank access can be seasonal on ground like this. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. Model Reservoir, 6.8 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. Where Gagliardi Reservoir is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.