Fishing at Platoro Reservoir, Conejos County, Colorado

• Overview

  Platoro Reservoir sits in Conejos County, out in Colorado. Elevation runs to 10,020 feet. This is sizeable water at about 423 acres, and a boat opens up most of it. The outline measures near 9.2 miles, so local knowledge counts. Size puts it in the front rank of our Conejos County list. The closest town, Pagosa Springs, is 25 miles away. The nearest city of size is Pueblo, 124 miles away. The county line runs close by, so rules can change within a short drive.

• Where to Fish on Platoro Reservoir

  We hold no depth figure for this one. Built water gives depth close in, which suits a bank angler. Inflow corners move water, and moving water gathers fish. Survey and observation records for Conejos County include white sucker, brown trout, green sunfish and black-spotted cutthroat trout. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. Fish Platoro Reservoir where the bottom changes rather than where it looks deep.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages move between 15°F in January and 52°F in July. Winter closes the water for a while, and the reopening is worth catching. Winter locks it down, and late May brings it back. The lid tends to go about late May and return around mid November. The weeks after the thaw and the ones before the freeze are the strongest. The season on Platoro Reservoir follows the weather closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. Overnight stays are possible about half a mile out, where camping is mapped. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Where access is informal, keep it that way by behaving. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. Should this one be busy, Mix Lake is 1.4 miles off. Treat Platoro Reservoir as unsettled until someone local tells you otherwise.