Fishing at Wahatoya Lake Reservoir, Huerfano County, Colorado

• Overview

  Huerfano County, Colorado, is where Wahatoya Lake Reservoir sits. The surface lies 7,100 feet up. The water covers some 28 acres, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. Nearest town is Walsenburg, 14 miles off. For a city, Pueblo is 56 miles off. It sits well inside its county, with no border complications. Trees shelter part of the bank when the wind gets up.

• Where to Fish on Wahatoya Lake Reservoir

  Depth here is unknown, so count the lead down before committing. Look for where the old bank line still shows under the surface. Points where the flooded channel swings in are the reliable ones. Species logged across Huerfano County include cutthroat trout, black-spotted cutthroat trout, brook trout and rainbow trout. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. Fish Wahatoya Lake Reservoir to its features, not to its size.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate records put July near 68°F and January near 29°F. Whether it freezes depends on the year. It is not guaranteed from one year to the next. February into May fishes hardest as the water warms. Plan any trip to Wahatoya Lake Reservoir around it. A cold snap sets things back for several days.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing in our records says who may fish here. Parking sits half a mile out, which makes for a walk with tackle. There are picnic tables half a mile away. There are toilets half a mile off. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Parking space is the usual limit rather than the bank itself. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. Should this one be busy, Daigre Reservoir is 0.4 miles off. None of that is settled for Wahatoya Lake Reservoir in what we hold.