Fishing Taylor Lake in Otero County, Colorado

• Overview

  Taylor Lake sits within Otero County in Colorado. The bank is 4,124 feet above sea level. Around 59 acres of surface means several distinct areas to work. Roughly 1.1 miles of bank means you can walk to a fresh area when one goes quiet. By elevation it sits in the lower part of our Colorado listings. The closest town, La Junta, is 6.5 miles away. Then Rocky Ford, 9.2 miles, and Ordway, 15 miles. No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on Taylor Lake

  The records we hold are silent on depth, so plan to find it yourself. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. County-wide records name green sunfish, channel catfish, white sucker, bluegill and common carp. These are county-wide records, so not all of them will be in this water. On Taylor Lake that means starting tight and working out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-run averages give July about 78°F and January about 29°F. Seasons here are moderate, and the fishing runs most of the year. It is not guaranteed even in a cold spell, so check yourself. June to September is hot work, so the first and last hours are what count. Plan around that when you fish Taylor Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. Mapping shows no built access close by; expect to walk in from wherever you can leave the car. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Parking is often the real limit rather than the bank itself. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. Failing this one, try Manby Lake, 1.2 miles away. What applies at Taylor Lake may have changed since it was mapped.