McDonald Reservoir Fishing in Las Animas County, Colorado

• Overview

  McDonald Reservoir falls in Las Animas County, part of Colorado. Everything around it is open valley. Surface area runs to about 8 acres — small enough to read in one session. Trinidad lies 19 miles from the water. Walsenburg is 28 miles away, with Raton at 31 miles. If this one is busy: Mitotes Lake roughly 9 miles, Russell Reservoir 11 miles off, North Lake roughly 11 miles, Monument Lake 12 miles off and South Lake roughly 12 miles. The nearest edge is a long way off, so local rules apply throughout.

• Where to Fish on McDonald Reservoir

  Depth remains unrecorded, so treat the first session as a survey. A reservoir gives you a hard edge, a shelf, and not much else. Look for where the old bank line still shows under the surface. Survey and observation records for Las Animas County include rainbow trout, white sucker, brook trout, common carp and walleye. The county figures include rivers and lakes alike. At McDonald Reservoir light and wind decide more than tackle does.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Typical July readings run about 64°F; by January the average is down near 28°F. Ice comes and goes from one year to the next. In milder years the edges alone go, and the middle never sets. Autumn steadies things again once the heat lets go. That is the shape of the year on McDonald Reservoir.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. Mapping shows no built access close by; expect to walk in from wherever you can leave the car. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Parking space is the usual limit rather than the bank itself. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. Mitotes Lake sits 9 miles off and takes the overflow. None of that is settled for McDonald Reservoir in what we hold.