Fishing Ignacio Lake in La Plata County, Colorado

• Overview

  In Colorado, Ignacio Lake belongs to La Plata County. Land around it is mixed forest. This is a pocket water of some 20 acres, and every part of it is reachable from the bank. Supplies mean a trip to Durango, 22 miles off. Mountain Village is 24 miles and Telluride 24 miles. The line between counties passes nearby, which can change who manages the water.

• Where to Fish on Ignacio Lake

  We hold no depth figure for this one. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Reported across La Plata County: rainbow trout, brook trout, bluehead sucker and black-spotted cutthroat trout. Protected fish appear in the records for this area, so treat the list as information, not an invitation. On Ignacio Lake that means starting tight and working out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 60°F at the top of summer and 22°F at the bottom of winter. Four clear seasons, with a proper winter at one end. Break-up comes around mid April, and the run that follows is short and strong. Average temperatures cross freezing around mid April in spring and again near early December in autumn. The first weeks of open water and the last are the ones to plan for. Plan around that when you fish Ignacio Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Our records carry no access rule either way. Mapping shows an empty shoreline: no ramp, no jetty, no marked entry. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. A phone call first saves an afternoon. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. If the gate is shut, Papoose Lake at 0.2 miles is the nearest alternative. Rules at Ignacio Lake are worth checking on the day.