Fishing at McDonald Reservoir, Huerfano County, Colorado

• Overview

  McDonald Reservoir belongs to Huerfano County, Colorado. It lies 7,684 feet above sea level. Supplies mean a trip to Walsenburg, 17 miles off. Further out sit Trinidad (34 miles) and Colorado City (35 miles). Others within reach: 1.5 miles away is Marker Lake, Mexican Lake a touch under 2.2 miles, 2.3 miles away is Butte Reservoir, Hayes Reservoir a touch under 2.4 miles and 2.6 miles away is La Veta Town Reservoir. The nearest boundary is a fair way off.

• Where to Fish on McDonald Reservoir

  We hold no survey for this water; read the slope of the shoreline instead. Built water gives depth close in, which suits a bank angler. Rip-rap along the wall holds fish that the open bank never does. Fish documented in Huerfano County include cutthroat trout, black-spotted cutthroat trout and brook trout. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. On McDonald Reservoir the first feature you find is usually worth a session.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages move between 26°F in January and 64°F in July. Seasons here are moderate, and the fishing runs most of the year. Some winters give nothing at all, so plan for open water. February into May fishes hardest as the water warms. The season on McDonald Reservoir rarely departs from it.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing in our records says who may fish here. No launch point is recorded nearby, so this is a bank water unless you carry a boat in. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Season dates differ by species, so read the table. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. If the gate is shut, Marker Lake at 1.5 miles is the nearest alternative. None of that is settled for McDonald Reservoir in what we hold.