Fishing at North Lake, Las Animas County, Colorado

• Overview

  Colorado holds North Lake, in Las Animas County. It stands 8,576 feet above sea level. Surface area is around 61 acres, which gives you real water without needing a boat. The town to know is Trinidad, 30 miles out. The nearest city of size is Pueblo, 74 miles away. Rules here are straightforward: one county, one set of rules.

• Where to Fish on North Lake

  Depth figures are not published for this one. Levels move with the draw rather than the rain on water like this. Draw-down through summer strips the margins, so follow the water out. Survey and observation records for Las Animas County include rainbow trout, white sucker and brook trout. Take it as the county picture rather than a promise for this water. On North Lake the obvious spot is not always the productive one.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate normals give 60°F for July and 25°F for January. The freeze arrives properly here and holds. 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 weeks after the thaw and the ones before the freeze are the strongest. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to North Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. There is a slipway on the shore, half a mile from the water we list. You will be walking about half a mile from the nearest car park. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Check locally before you travel, because a wasted drive is a long one. Night access is frequently treated as a separate matter. The nearest alternative is Monument Lake, 1.9 miles out. Ask locally about North Lake if anything is unclear.