Fishing at Spence Reservoir, Archuleta County, Colorado

• Overview

  Set in Archuleta County, Spence Reservoir is a Colorado water. The bank is 7,858 feet above sea level. With some 28 acres of water, there is room for a boat but no need of one. The town to know is Pagosa Springs, 13 miles out. Beyond it, Dulce at 15 miles and Navajo at 16 miles. Nearest other option: Buckles Lake just 3.5 miles, Harris Lake roughly 4.1 miles, Crescent Lake just 7.2 miles, Opal Lake roughly 8.3 miles and Echo Canyon Reservoir just 9.9 miles. There is no boundary nearby to worry about.

• Where to Fish on Spence Reservoir

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. Held water runs deepest at the wall and shallows back to the inflow. The old creek line under the surface is the feature worth finding. County-wide records name brook trout, rainbow trout and black-spotted cutthroat trout. Those are county-wide records, so not every one of them will be in this water. Spence Reservoir fishes better once you know its edges.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Typical July readings run about 62°F; by January the average is down near 21°F. The season turns properly here, and fish follow it closely. Ice fishing carries the winter, and the water opens about mid April. Averages place the thaw at mid April and the freeze at early December. The strongest runs come at either end of the open season. Spence Reservoir fishes to that pattern most years.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public sources are silent on who controls the bank. There is no recorded infrastructure here; expect to find your own way in. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Bank access can be seasonal on ground like this. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. Failing this one, try Buckles Lake, 3.5 miles away. Nothing here settles the position at Spence Reservoir for certain.