Walton Lake Number 3 Fishing Guide, Colfax County, New Mexico

• Overview

  Look for Walton Lake Number 3 in Colfax County, New Mexico. It sits in rolling hill. Surface area runs to about 2 acres — small enough to read in one session. It is a small entry by Colfax County standards. Raton sits 9.2 miles from here and is the nearest stop. After that come Trinidad at 13 miles and Walsenburg at 48 miles. Rules can differ a short way off, since the county line is near.

• Where to Fish on Walton Lake Number 3

  The records we hold are silent on depth, so plan to find it yourself. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Colfax County records list cutthroat trout, white sucker, rainbow trout and brown trout among the fish reported. Records at county level tell you what is around, not what is stocked here. This water repays a walk before the first cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warmest month averages 62°F, the coldest about 25°F. The swings are modest, so patterns change slowly. It should never be assumed safe, whatever the month says. March through May is the strongest run, with October and November a second stretch. This water fishes to that pattern most years.

• Tackle & Baits

  No access rule appears in what we hold. There is no recorded infrastructure here; expect to find your own way in. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Rules differ from one water to the next round here. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. Walton Lake Number 2, 0.8 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. Check the position at this water before loading the car.