Manby Lake Fishing Guide, Otero County, Colorado

• Overview

  Manby Lake is one of the Otero County waters in Colorado. The land about it is open valley. About 13 acres of surface, which puts the far bank inside easy sight. It is low-lying compared with other Colorado water we list. Supplies mean a trip to La Junta, 6 miles off. Rocky Ford follows at 8.1 miles, then Ordway at 14 miles. It sits well inside its county, with no border complications.

• Where to Fish on Manby Lake

  No figure exists for depth, so let the water show you. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. County-wide records name green sunfish, channel catfish, white sucker, bluegill and common carp. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. Read Manby Lake before you fish it and the day goes better.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July to average close to 78°F, with January the cold end at about 29°F. The freeze here is occasional rather than annual. It should never be assumed safe, whatever the month says. February into May fishes hardest as the water warms. Manby Lake runs to its own calendar within the local pattern.

• Tackle & Baits

  We have no record of the rules that apply on this bank. Public data shows nothing built here, so treat the whole approach as informal. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Look for a notice board at the entrance. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. If the gate is shut, Taylor Lake at 1.2 miles is the nearest alternative. What applies at Manby Lake may have changed since it was mapped.