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La Plata County 15 mi
Photo: Ahodges7, CC BY-SA 3.0 
Animas River 15 mi
Photo: USEPA Environmental-Protection-Agency, Public domain 
Navajo Reservoir 30 mi
Photo: Jeffrey Beall, CC BY 4.0 
Dolores River 47 mi
Photo: Jeffrey Beall, CC BY 4.0
Colorado lakes and reservoirs
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Lemon Reservoir Fishing
A 641-acre Colorado reservoir in La Plata County at 8,129 feet.
Pick for brown troutPiscifun Carbon X ultralight spinning reel28% OFFSale $57.99 Photo of Vallecito Lake: Jeffrey Beall, CC BY 4.0
La Plata County
Getting to know Lemon Reservoir
Its mapped shoreline gives Lemon Reservoir close to 641 acres, all charted in La Plata County. At around 8,129 feet, it is high-country water. CPW files it under San Juan National Forest. The closest town on the Census list is Bayfield, some 12 miles away. It belongs to the CPW Southwest Region.
Its fish on the CPW roster: brown trout, kokanee salmon, rainbow trout and splake. CPW sets the boating rule as Non-motorized. The Fishing Atlas rates access as easy and fishing pressure as low. Through the ice season: ice fishing listed as yes.
641acres
8,129feet elevation
0boat ramps
4species listed
CPW Fishing Atlas 2025 layers (waterbody outline, Boatable Waters, fishing locations), Census places, retrieved October 25, 2026.
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Which fish Lemon Reservoir holds
These Lemon Reservoir species rest on CPW listings and records, not a full net survey.
CPW Boatable Waters species field, CPW state records and stocking report, retrieved October 25, 2026.
Access
Ramps CPW maps at Lemon Reservoir
There is no mapped ramp on Lemon Reservoir; see the list of close ones.
Fishing access points at Lemon Reservoir
- Lemon Reservoir fishing access near Bayfieldeasy access, stocked: sub-catchables, 8,129 ft
Backup boat ramps near Lemon Reservoir
- Vallecito Reservoir boat rampVallecito Reservoir, 6 miles east
- Haviland Lake SWAHaviland Lake, 12 miles northwest
- Pastorius Reservoir SWAPastorius Reservoir, 16 miles southwest
CPW boat ramp and Fishing Atlas fishing location layers, retrieved October 25, 2026.
Water supply
How full Lemon Reservoir is
| USGS gauge | Latest reading | Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|
| Lemon Reservoir Near Durango Co | 8,137.20 ft lake elevation | Oct 27 8:15 pm |
US Geological Survey provisional data, retrieved Oct 27, 2026 8:33 pm ET. Provisional readings can be revised.
Water rights, not anglers, set the level at Lemon Reservoir.
Limits
Fish legal to carry home from Lemon Reservoir
| Species | Bag and possession | 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 |
| Smallmouth bass | No bag or possession limit | 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 | No bag or possession limit | 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 |
The drainage column of the limits chart puts Lemon Reservoir west of the Continental Divide. Waters stay open day and night all year in Colorado; the chart rows set the bag at Lemon Reservoir.
Statewide bag and possession chart, 2026 Colorado Fishing brochure (CPW, season March 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027), p. 10, retrieved October 25, 2026.
Compare
Lemon Reservoir beside its neighbors
| Lake | Distance | Acres | Elevation ft | Boat ramps | On the trout report |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lemon Reservoir | 641 | 8,129 | 0 | ||
| Vallecito Reservoir | 7 miles east | 2,472 | 7,669 | 1 | yes |
| Henderson Lake | 8 miles northwest | 12 | 9,948 | 0 | yes |
| Haviland Lake | 12 miles northwest | 65 | 8,110 | 1 | yes |
| Emerald Lake Little | 15 miles northeast | 15 | 10,014 | 0 | |
| Emerald Lake, Hinsdale County | 16 miles northeast | 282 | 10,038 | 0 |
CPW Fishing Atlas, ramp layer and stocking report, retrieved October 25, 2026.
Nearby
Around Lemon Reservoir on the map
Reservoirs and ponds near Lemon Reservoir
- Vallecito Reservoir7 miles east
- Henderson Lake8 miles northwest
- Haviland Lake12 miles northwest
- Emerald Lake Little15 miles northeast
- Emerald Lake, Hinsdale County16 miles northeast
Stores that stock up Lemon Reservoir trips
- San Juan Anglersfly shop, Durango, 15 miles
- Duranglersfly shop, La Plata, 15 miles
- San Juan Anglerfly shop, Durango, 15 miles
- Anasazi Angler Incfly shop, Hesperus, 29 miles
Hiring a guide for Lemon Reservoir
- Duranglers, Inc.fishing guide, Durango
- Fish and Fungi LLCfishing guide, Ignacio
- Fisher Guide Servicefishing guide, Bayfield
- Cole Glenn Fly Fishing LLCfly fishing guide, Durango
- Durango Fly Fishing LLC.fly fishing guide, Durango, (970) 799-5246
- Heads Up Fly Fishing LLCfly fishing guide, Ignacio, (970) 984-8433
Nearest towns to Lemon Reservoir
- Bayfield12 miles
- Durango15 miles
- Mancos35 miles
Lemon Reservoir on the county pages
- La Plata Countyseat: Durango
Piscifun
Piscifun gear to pack for Lemon Reservoir
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In photos
Photo views of fishing water near Lemon Reservoir
Photo: Ahodges7, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: USEPA Environmental-Protection-Agency, Public domain
.jpg){kind=link}
Photo: Jeffrey Beall, CC BY 4.0
Photo: Jeffrey Beall, CC BY 4.0
Answers
Colorado anglers ask this about Lemon Reservoir
In what part of the state is Lemon Reservoir?
La Plata County, CPW Southwest Region, about 12 miles from Bayfield.
Is Lemon Reservoir a big reservoir?
About 641 acres, at about 8,129 feet.
Can a trailered boat get onto Lemon Reservoir from a mapped ramp?
Not mapped; carry in or use a nearby ramp.
Are trout part of the fishery at Lemon Reservoir?
Expect brown trout, kokanee salmon, rainbow trout and splake.
What bag limit does the CPW chart set at Lemon Reservoir?
Trout, arctic char, grayling, salmon and whitefish (not kokanee): Daily bag 4, possession 8, in aggregate.
Is a CPW license required to fish Lemon Reservoir?
Colorado sells no separate trout stamp; a CPW fishing license covers trout ($44.87 for adult residents, $124.01 for nonresidents), and anglers 16 and older need one.
Has CPW listed Lemon Reservoir for stocking recently?
No listing on the CPW trout report since 2024.
Which store on the list is nearest Lemon Reservoir?
San Juan Anglers, about 15 miles away.
Who reports the water level at Lemon Reservoir?
Above: the USGS gauge.
Is Lemon Reservoir an ice fishing spot?
Its winter entry reads ice fishing listed as yes; drill test holes first.
Put Lemon Reservoir on this season's list
License prices and the full limits chart are on one page.