Hosea Reservoir Fishing Guide, Dolores County, Colorado

• Overview

  Hosea Reservoir lies within the bounds of Dolores County, Colorado. It sits at 8,268 feet above sea level. It is pond-in-a-field scale, with the far bank a short lob away. 25 miles away sits Cortez, the nearest town. It is 211 miles to Albuquerque, the nearest city. The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Hosea Reservoir

  Depth is not on record here, so the bank has to tell you. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Records held for Dolores County cover black-spotted cutthroat trout, rainbow trout and brook trout. The county figures include rivers and lakes alike. Read Hosea Reservoir before you fish it and the day goes better.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July is the warm end of the year here, averaging about 64°F, while January sits near 23°F. A hard winter is normal, and the thaw brings a strong few weeks. Hard water holds through the cold months, breaking up near early April. Averages suggest open water from about early April through to roughly early December. The strongest runs come at either end of the open season. It sets the rhythm of the year at Hosea Reservoir.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. No built facilities appear in mapping around this water. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Take the rules with you rather than trusting memory. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. For a change of water, Long Park Reservoir is 1.2 miles distant. Nothing here settles the position at Hosea Reservoir for certain.