Vallecito Reservoir Fishing Guide, La Plata County, Colorado

• Overview

  La Plata County, Colorado, is where Vallecito Reservoir sits. The ground round it is mixed forest. Surface area runs to some 4.1 sq miles, so a boat and a plan are both worth having. With 10 miles or so of shoreline, boat anglers cover ground the bank cannot. By surface area it heads our La Plata County listings. Bayfield is the closest town at 12 miles. After that come Durango at 20 miles and Pagosa Springs at 31 miles. No border sits close enough to matter.

• Where to Fish on Vallecito Reservoir

  Nothing we hold settles how deep this runs. Look for where the old bank line still shows under the surface. Points where the flooded channel swings in are the reliable ones. County-wide records name rainbow trout, brook trout and bluehead sucker. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. Anyone new to Vallecito Reservoir should walk it once before setting up.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The seasonal spread runs 20°F to 61°F. The freeze arrives properly here and holds. The lid usually sets by midwinter and gives way around mid April. The open-water window runs from around mid April to about early December in an average year. The open run goes from the thaw to the freeze, and April through October covers most of it. Plan around that when you fish Vallecito Reservoir.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access status is simply unknown for this water. Recorded parking is half a mile off, far enough to travel light. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Local rules can differ across the county line, so check where you stand. A polite question at the farm gate opens more banks than anything else. For a change of water, Lake Eileen is 4.1 miles distant. None of that is settled for Vallecito Reservoir in what we hold.