Fishing at Section 7 Reservoir, San Miguel County, Colorado

• Overview

  Within San Miguel County, Colorado, you have Section 7 Reservoir. Elevation runs to 8,340 feet. It is pond-in-a-field scale, with the far bank a short lob away. Mountain Village sits 22 miles from here and is the nearest stop. It is 185 miles to Colorado Springs, the nearest city. The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Section 7 Reservoir

  Without a survey to go on, judge depth from how the bank falls away. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Survey and observation records for San Miguel County include rainbow trout, black-spotted cutthroat trout and brown trout. Records at county level tell you what is around, not what is stocked here. Anyone new to this water should walk it once before setting up.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Average temperature peaks around 64°F in July and bottoms out near 23°F in January. A solid cap is the normal state through winter. Count the season from break-up, usually early April. The lid tends to go about early April and return around early December. The strongest runs come at either end of the open season. Plan around that when you fish this water.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public sources are silent on who controls the bank. 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. Look for a notice board at the entrance. Night access is frequently treated as a separate matter. Smith Reservoir sits 0.6 miles off and takes the overflow. For this water in particular, ask before you travel.