Fishing in Conejos County, Colorado
Seat: Conejos. CPW Southwest Region.
- 5lake pages
- 2ramp sites
- 13stream pages
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Getting to know the water of Conejos County
Anglers in Conejos County deal with the CPW Southwest Region; local government works out of Conejos. About 3.6 square miles of water sit inside its borders, next to 1,287 square miles of land and 7,461 residents (2020).
Lake pages here: 5, adding up to 1,596 acres, with Platoro Reservoir the largest sheet of water. Kerr Lake rises to 11,382 feet, higher than any other lake here with a page. Boaters have 2 ramp sites CPW-mapped ramp sites in the county. Fishing Atlas coverage: 12 locations in the county, 3 accessible ones. The atlas notes say yes to ice fishing at 1 county lakes.
Census 2020 population and 2023 Gazetteer land and water area; CPW Fishing Atlas waterbodies, ramps and fishing locations, retrieved October 2026.
Ramps, lakes and streams of Conejos County on one map
CPW boat ramps and Fishing Atlas locations; lake pins are CPW waterbody points, stream pins the midpoint of the CPW reach. Checked October 2026.
For the trout herePiscifun Carbon XT ultralight spinning reel25% OFFSale $59.99 Ponds and reservoirs across Conejos County
| Lake | Acres | Elevation ft | Notes | Species listed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Platoro Reservoir | 751 | 9,975 | gas motors, trout stocked | brook trout, brown trout, kokanee salmon |
| La Jara Reservoir | 721 | 9,703 | ice fishing, gas motors | brook trout, cutthroat trout, rainbow trout |
| Trujillo Meadows Reservoir | 71 | trout stocked | ||
| Kerr Lake | 38 | 11,382 | gas motors | cutthroat trout |
| Mix Lake | 15 | 10,062 | no motors, trout stocked | rainbow trout |
CPW Fishing Atlas waterbody outlines (acres from the outline), elevation and boating notes; species from CPW Boatable Waters. Retrieved October 2026.
Additional still water in Conejos County
Another 8 named lakes and ponds sit in Conejos County without a page of their own.
| Water | Acres | Elevation ft | Nearest town |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cove Lake Reservoir | 477 | Antonito | |
| Terrace Reservoir | 138 | Capulin | |
| Big Lake near Capulin, Conejos County, 69 acres | 69 | Capulin | |
| Twin Lakes | 65 | Antonito | |
| Cave Lake Reservoir | 64 | Antonito | |
| Big Lake near Capulin, Conejos County, 12 acres | 12 | Capulin | |
| Rock Lake, Conejos County | 7 | Capulin | |
| Spectacle Lake | 2 | Capulin |
CPW Fishing Atlas waterbodies, retrieved October 2026.
Creeks and forks across Conejos County
- Conejos Riverriver, 3 reaches with special rules (24.1 mi); 2 public access properties
- Bear Creek, Conejos Countystream, 1 reach with special rules (3.4 mi)
- Cascade Creekstream, 1 reach with special rules (3.5 mi)
- Cat Creekstream, 1 reach with special rules (13.1 mi)
- Elk Creek, Conejos Countystream, 1 public access property
- Jim Creekstream, 1 reach with special rules (6.3 mi)
- La Jara Creekstream, 1 public access property
- Osier Creekstream, 1 reach with special rules (4.2 mi)
- Rio de los Pinosstream, 1 reach with special rules (1.6 mi)
- Sheep Creek, Conejos Countystream, 1 reach with special rules (5.5 mi)
- Torsido Creekstream, 1 reach with special rules (6.7 mi)
- Treasure Creekstream, 1 reach with special rules (4.7 mi); 1 public access property
- Wolf Creekstream, 1 reach with special rules (6.1 mi)
Trout water in Conejos County
Across Conejos County, 13 streams have regulated reaches and 0 are Gold Medal water.
See the Gold Medal waters page for the statewide list.
- Lake Fork1 reach with special rules (5.3 mi), near Capulin
- South Fork Cat Creek1 reach with special rules (3.4 mi), near Capulin
CPW special-regulation, Gold Medal and Quality Waters stream layers (miles from CPW line geometry); USGS gauges. Retrieved October 2026.
Storage gauges across Conejos County
Co. Division of Water Resources storage telemetry for La Jara Reservoir (station LAJRESCO), recorded October 25, 2026; retrieved October 25, 2026. Provisional data from CDSS.
Co. Division of Water Resources storage telemetry for Platoro Reservoir (station PLARESCO), recorded October 25, 2026; retrieved October 25, 2026. Provisional data from CDSS.
Co. Division of Water Resources storage telemetry for Terrace Reservoir In Conejos County (station TERRESCO), recorded October 25, 2026; retrieved October 25, 2026. Provisional data from CDSS.
Co. Division of Water Resources storage telemetry for Trujillo Meadows Reservoir Near Cumbres Pass (station TRURESCO), recorded October 25, 2026; retrieved October 25, 2026. Provisional data from CDSS.
Boat access in Conejos County
- Coller SWA on Trujillo Meadows ReservoirTrujillo Meadows Reservoir, boat ramp, universal-water ramp, CDOW
- Trujillo Meadows SWA on La Jara ReservoirLa Jara Reservoir, boat ramp, universal-water ramp, condition good, CDOW
Bank access mapped in Conejos County (12)
- Conejos River, Rio Grande National ForestConejos River #3, medium access, stocked: sub-catchables, 9,025 ft
- Conejos River, Rio Grande National Forest – Aspen Glad CampgroundConejos River #2, medium access, stocked: sub-catchables, 8,508 ft
- Conejos River, Rio Grande National Forest 2Conejos River #2, medium access, stocked: sub-catchables, 8,374 ft
- Elk Creek fishing access near CapulinElk Creek, medium access, stocked: sub-catchables, 8,685 ft
- Kerr Lake fishing access near GerrardKerr Lake, medium access, stocked: sub-catchables, 11,382 ft
- La Jara CreekLa Jara Creek #2, medium access, 8,239 ft
- La Jara Reservoir fishing access near CapulinLa Jara Reservoir, medium access, 9,703 ft
- Mix Lake fishing access near South ForkMix Lake, easy access, stocked: catchable trout, 10,062 ft
- Platoro Reservoir fishing access near South ForkPlatoro Reservoir, easy access, stocked: catchable trout and sub-catchables, 9,975 ft
- Spectacle Lake fishing access near CapulinSpectacle Lake, accessible fishing area
- Trujillo Meadows Reservoir fishing access near Conejos, Conejos CountyTrujillo Meadows Reservoir, accessible fishing area
- Trujillo Meadows Reservoir fishing access near Conejos, Trujillo Meadows SWATrujillo Meadows Reservoir, fishing access
CPW boat ramp and Fishing Atlas fishing location layers (ndismaps.nrel.colostate.edu), retrieved October 2026.
What CPW stocks in Conejos County, and the records
The CPW stocking report lists 3 waters in Conejos County, 11 weekly listings since 2024.
Trout report listings for Conejos County
| Water | Listings | By year | Latest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Platoro Reservoir | 4 | 2026: 4 | Aug. 14, 2026 |
| Trujillo Meadows Reservoir | 5 | 2026: 3, 2025: 2 | July 24, 2026 |
| Mix Lake | 2 | 2026: 1, 2025: 1 | June 26, 2026 |
State records from Conejos County
| Species | Record | Water | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Native Cutthroat Trout | 22.25 in | Ruybalid Lake | 2026 |
CPW Fish Stocking Report (catchable trout, about 10 inches; each listing is a week the water appeared on the report, 2024 to October 2026); CPW publishes no numbers or sizes per water. Retrieved October 2026. State records from the 2026 Colorado Fishing brochure (CPW, season March 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027).
Tackle a drive from Conejos County
- PJ's Fine Bamboo Rodsbait and tackle shop, Pagosa Springs, 56 miles
- Let IT Flybait and tackle shop, Pagosa Springs, 57 miles
Special regulations in Conejos County
Colorado waters stay open year round; in Conejos County the east slope limits apply except where a special regulation steps in.
| Species | Limit | Season |
|---|---|---|
| Trout, arctic char, grayling, salmon and whitefish (not kokanee) | Daily bag 4, possession 8, in aggregate | Open all year, day and night, unless a special regulation says otherwise |
| Brook trout 8 inches or less (bonus) | Daily bag 10, possession 10 | Open all year, day and night, unless a special regulation says otherwise |
| Kokanee salmon | Daily bag 10, possession 10 | Open all year, day and night, unless a special regulation says otherwise |
| Walleye, saugeye and sauger | Daily bag 5, possession 5, in aggregate | Open all year, day and night, unless a special regulation says otherwise |
| Largemouth, smallmouth and spotted bass | Daily bag 5, possession 5, in aggregate | Open all year, day and night, unless a special regulation says otherwise |
| White bass, striped bass and wiper | Daily bag 10, possession 10, in aggregate | Open all year, day and night, unless a special regulation says otherwise |
| Channel, flathead and blue catfish | Daily bag 10, possession 10, in aggregate | Open all year, day and night, unless a special regulation says otherwise |
| White and black crappie | Daily bag 20, possession 20, in aggregate | Open all year, day and night, unless a special regulation says otherwise |
| Bluegill and other sunfish | Daily bag 20, possession 20, in aggregate | Open all year, day and night, unless a special regulation says otherwise |
| Yellow perch | Daily bag 20, possession 20 | Open all year, day and night, unless a special regulation says otherwise |
| Tiger muskie | Daily bag 1, possession 1; at least 36 inches long | Open all year, day and night, unless a special regulation says otherwise |
| Northern pike and bullhead | No bag or possession limit | Open all year, day and night, unless a special regulation says otherwise |
Conejos County exceptions to the statewide chart (20)
| Water and section | Rules | Brochure |
|---|---|---|
| From the headwaters downstream to the confluence with the Conejos River: | Artificial flies and lures only. Bag and possession limit for trout is 2. | p. 11 |
| Big Lake | Artificial flies and lures only. Cutthroat must be returned to water immediately. | p. 12 |
| Cascade Creek | Artificial flies and lures only. Cutthroat must be returned to water immediately. | p. 14 |
| Cat Creek | Artificial flies and lures only. Cutthroat must be returned to water immediately. | p. 14 |
| From the lower bridge at town of Platoro downstream to the confluence with the South Fork of the Conejos River: | Artificial flies and lures only. Bag, possession and min. size for trout is 2, 16 inches long. | p. 15 |
| From Menkhaven Resort downstream to the upper boundary of Aspen Glade Campground: | Artificial flies only. Bag, possession and min. size for trout is 2, 16 inches long. | p. 15 |
| From the headwaters including Big Lake, downstream to and including Rock Lake and its outlet: | Artificial flies and lures only. Cutthroat must be returned to water immediately. | p. 17 |
| Jim Creek | Artificial flies and lures only. Cutthroat must be returned to water immediately. | p. 26 |
| From the headwaters downstream to Bridal Veil Falls: | Artificial flies and lures only. Cutthroat must be returned to water immediately. | p. 29 |
| From Oso Diversion Dam downstream to the state line: | No bag or possession limit for channel catfish, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, northern pike, walleye, green sunfish, bluegill, bullhead, yellow perch or crappie. | p. 29 |
| Osier Creek | Artificial flies and lures only. Cutthroat must be returned to water immediately. | p. 30 |
| Rhodes Gulch | Artificial flies and lures only. Cutthroat must be returned to water immediately. | p. 32 |
| From the headwaters downstream to San Juan Wilderness boundary: | Artificial flies and lures only. Cutthroat must be returned to water immediately. | p. 32 |
| From Blanco Diversion Dam downstream to the confluence with the San Juan River: | No bag or possession limit for channel catfish, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, northern pike, walleye, green sunfish, bluegill, bullhead, yellow perch or crappie. | p. 32 |
| From the headwaters downstream to the waterfall at the South San Juan Wilderness boundary: | Artificial flies and lures only. Cutthroat must be returned to water immediately. | p. 32 |
| page 18 Map: | Artificial flies and lures only. Cutthroat must be returned to water immediately. | p. 33 |
| Rough Canyon | Artificial flies and lures only. Cutthroat must be returned to water immediately. | p. 33 |
| From the headwaters downstream to the Conejos River: | Artificial flies and lures only. Bag and possession limit for trout is 2. | p. 35 |
| Torsido Creek | Artificial flies and lures only. Cutthroat must be returned to water immediately. | p. 38 |
| Wolf Creek | Artificial flies and lures only. Cutthroat must be returned to water immediately. | p. 39 |
Special regulations as printed in the 2026 Colorado Fishing brochure (CPW, season March 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027), pp. 11 to 39, checked against CPW Chapter W-1 (as approved 13 November 2025); retrieved October 2026.
Bait counters and fly shops in Conejos County
Guide services located in Conejos County
- Conejos River Anglers, LLCfishing guide, Antonito
Yellow Pages listings and chain store locators; DORA Office of Outfitters Registration roster (active business registrations with a fishing word in the name, placed by business city). Retrieved October 2026.
Around Conejos County on the map
Past the Conejos County line
- Rio Grande County24 miles northwest
- Alamosa County33 miles northeast
- Costilla County41 miles east
- Archuleta County48 miles west
Piscifun gear to pack for Conejos County
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A photo lineup of the fish at Conejos County
Photo: USFWS Mountain Prairie, Public domain
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Photo: Daniel Mayer (Mav), CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: BenitoJuarez98, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: USFWS Mountain Prairie, Public domain
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Hunting in Conejos County
Public hunting land, seasons and processors for Conejos County are on State Hunting Spots, our sister site.
Colorado anglers ask this about Conejos County
What boat launching is there in Conejos County?
The CPW ramp layer shows 2 ramp sites, all listed above.
Which Conejos County lake should a first-timer try?
Platoro Reservoir, about 751 acres by its CPW outline.
Can I fish a Gold Medal reach in Conejos County?
No Gold Medal miles are mapped in the county.
Is night fishing legal on Conejos County water?
Statewide rules keep water open year round; only special regulations close a water.
Does any Conejos County storefront carry fishing tackle?
No shop is listed inside the county; the closest is PJ's Fine Bamboo Rods, 56 miles away.
Do any outfitters on the state roster work from Conejos County?
DORA lists 1 guide business based here.
Under which CPW region does Conejos County fall?
CPW Southwest Region.
Which community serves as seat for Conejos County?
Conejos.
Is a second-rod stamp worth buying for Conejos County?
Anglers 16 and over carry a CPW fishing license: $44.87 a year for adult residents, $124.01 for nonresidents, $12.96 for resident seniors. A single day of fishing costs $18.07 with residency and $21.90 without. The second-rod stamp costs $14.24 for anyone fishing two lines.
Are there flies-and-lures waters in Conejos County?
The brochure prints 20 special regulation entries for the county, starting with From the headwaters downstream to the confluence with the Conejos River:; all are in the regulations table above.
Which Conejos County lake is stocked most often?
Yes; 3 Conejos County waters appeared on the catchable trout report since 2024, 11 times in all.
Plan a day in Conejos County
Every lake page lists species, ramps and limits.