Fishing at Hale Ponds, Yuma County, Colorado

• Overview

  This water sits in Yuma County, Colorado. Beyond the shoreline you have rolling hill. The water measures roughly 6 acres, so nothing here is far from anything else. Start from Saint Francis, 16 miles down the road. Further out sit Burlington (26 miles) and Goodland (27 miles). What else is close: Corder Lake 1.2 miles, Wray Watershed District Reservoir Number 6 at 31 miles, Olive Lake 31 miles, Stalker Lake at 33 miles and Rock Creek Lake 35 miles. One jurisdiction covers this water end to end.

• Where to Fish on Hale Ponds

  Nothing in our records gives a depth for this one. Standing timber shows when the level drops, and fish sit against it. The old creek line under the surface is the feature worth finding. Species logged across Yuma County include plains darter, white sucker, orangethroat darter and green sunfish. Read it as a county summary, not a water-by-water list. On Hale Ponds the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 76°F at the top of summer and 26°F at the bottom of winter. The swings are modest, so patterns change slowly. Cover comes and goes, so treat it with suspicion rather than trust. Autumn steadies things again once the heat lets go. Hale Ponds runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. The water borders South Republican Management Area, so expect the reserve rules to apply. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Look for a notice board at the entrance. Close seasons apply to some species and not others. Failing this one, try Corder Lake, 1.2 miles away. Check the position on Hale Ponds before loading the car.