Prairie Land Reservoir Number 1 Fishing near Rocky Ford, Colorado

• Overview

  Within Otero County, Colorado, you have Prairie Land Reservoir Number 1. Elevation runs to 4,367 feet. It runs to roughly 99 acres — big enough to hold fish away from the bank, small enough to learn. It is low-lying compared with other Colorado water we list. You are 12 miles from Rocky Ford. La Junta is 17 miles away, with Fowler at 19 miles. The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Prairie Land Reservoir Number 1

  Depth went unrecorded, which puts the reading back on you. Rip-rap along the wall holds fish that the open bank never does. Standing timber shows when the level drops, and fish sit against it. County-wide records name green sunfish, channel catfish and white sucker. Records at county level tell you what is around, not what is stocked here. Fish this water where the bottom changes rather than where it looks deep.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Seasonal averages run from 30°F in January up to 78°F in July. Conditions shift steadily rather than sharply. Cover comes and goes, so treat it with suspicion rather than trust. April and May are the settled weeks, with October close behind. Plan any trip to this water around it.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access is not recorded for this water. Mapping flags this water as intermittent: it can be dry for part of the year, so check before travelling. Public mapping records no formal access here, so plan for a walk and soft ground. Rules for this water may differ from the county norm. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. Swink Reservoir Number 5 sits 3.9 miles off and takes the overflow. None of that is settled for this water in what we hold.