Fishing Vallecito Lake
So you want to fish at Vallecito Lake, and catch one of its monstrous fish you've heard so much about! The question is, where do you start? At first glance, it can be intimidating. Having over 125,000 acre-feet of fishing access, the possibilities are endless.
Without guidance, it can be a tricky lake, especially if it's your first time. There's nothing worse than arriving at your fishing spot, having little to no confidence in catching any fish. Or even worse, having a 100% confidence in your fishing spot, but nothing seems to bite.
We've heard this story time and again from past clients, locals, and vacation goers. In the past two years from the point we purchased Fisher Guide Service; till now, we haven't had a day on the water where we haven't caught fish with clients. Having such great success, we would like to share some of our knowledge with you, our fellow Vallecito angler.
Vallecito Lake Fishing Information
Vallecito Lake Fee
Vallecito lake requires a recreational fee permit. Pine River Irrigation District (PRID) manages recreational use surrounding the lake. Visitors can choose between a day, multi-day, or annual permit, which can be purchased from most lake-based businesses or directly from the recreation management agency.
Pricing for these permits can vary depending on the year. For current pricing, please call Pine River Irrigation district at 970-884-2558.
Fishing For Northern Pike
Northern Pike, the vicious, toothy predator, that dominates Vallecito Lake. If you're looking to catch the biggest fish possible, pike is the fish for you. Don't be surprised if you're reeling in a 15-inch trout, and a pike tries to steal your catch away.
For every pound of body weight, a northern pike gains it requires five to six pounds of food. If you've caught one before, you know how fun the fight can be, and the power they truly have. For a more a in-depth guide on how to catch northern pike and what to use check out our Northern Pike Need To Know Fishing Tips 2020
Daily Bag Limit 2020
Daily bag limit - unlimited
Possession limit - unlimited
Where to fish for Northern Pike
Some of the best pike we've caught with clients have been towards the northern end of the lake. The northern end of the lake supplies an ideal habitat for pike. Pike spend most of their life in the shallows, where they spawn on grassy beds and do a majority of their hunting.
This location supplies both of those factors. Having a slowly declining depth along with three inlets feeding in. These inlets provide a plentiful supply of oxygen and food for its pray. In blatant terms, find the food, find the fish.
Best season to fish for Northern Pike
Our most productive seasons are late spring (May 1st-June 12th) and early fall (October 1st-November 20th), although you can still catch pike all year round.
During the spring season, pike like to push up into the northern end of the lake to spawn. If you're fortunate enough to catch a pike during this time, it's most likely going to have some weight to it. Female pike will be full of eggs, supplying a sizeable girthy body, and a possibility to catch a state record.
During the fall season, pike will start fatting up for winter. The north end is still a great fishing location, but keep an eye for when the trout stocking trucks roll around. Pike love to feed on their new victims near the boat ramp.
Fishing For Walleye
Walleye are bar none the best tasting freshwater fish you can catch. Their delectable white meat makes them the diamond most anglers are trying to find. Vallecito has an abundance of walleye, but that doesn't mean they're easy to catch.
Walleye travel in schools and are typically caught in 10-40 feet of water. Because they feed in deeper depths, it can be extremely difficult when fishing from the shore. If you want to specifically fish for walleye, we highly recommend hiring a guide or bringing a boat to the lake. For a more in-depth guide on how to catch Walleye and what to use check out our Need to Know Walleye Fishing Tips.
bag limit 2020
Daily bag limit - 5
Possession limit - 5
Where to Fish for Walleye
Our guides catch most of our walleye near the islands, on the eastern side of the lake. This location can be seen directly across from the marina, on the far side of the lake. Walleye like to hang out where cover is transitioning, like an edge of a weed line, underwater structure, or rocky points.
Walleye will hold in near the edge of this transition, preparing to ambush their pray. If you are in a boat with a depth finder, look for clusters of fish. Make sure to mark these locations either on your GPS or mark buoy.
(Mark buoys are a small floatable device with a string attached to a piece of lead.)
Because walleye trave in schools, marking these locations is crucial. This provides an opportunity to loop back, and know exactly where these fish are holding. Walleye have some of the subtlest strikes, and understanding possible holding locations gives you the upper hand when setting the hook.
Best seasons to fish for Walleye
As the ice starts to melt off and early spring arrives, walleye will begin to spawn when water temps reach 40 degrees. Unlike bass or pike, walleye will not guard their eggs. As a result, you will be less effective when targeting during this time.
However, in post-spawn fishing for walleye can be extremely productive. At Vallecito Lake, females will heavily feed towards late spring falling in May to early June.
When the hot summer comes around (mid June-July), walleye will migrate to deeper water, finding their optimal water temp. During this season, it can be one of the most unproductive times to catch walleye. One way around this is to fish on a full moon during night time.
There is a three day period as the full moon begins, one day before, day of, and the day after. Walleye will hunt under the moonlight and has truly been our guide service's most productive time throughout the year.
As summer comes to a close and fall begins, walleye start to become active again. Walleye will move into tight schools traveling across the lake. This is when marking clusters of fish becomes crucial.
Imagine it as panning for gold. Once you find those few flakes, keep sifting, as the numbers will be countless. The ideal fall months range from late August to November.
Fishing For Trout
Trout, the fish most people visit Colorado to catch. Our guide service catches trout all season long, but there is still an optimal season when targeting these fish. Vallecito lake has three main species of trout, Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout, and Cutbow trout.
To learn more about what to use when fishing for trout check out our Vallecito Lake Vacation Guide, and look in the fishing section.
Bag limit 2020
Daily bag limit - 4
Possession Limit - 8
Where to fish for Trout
Trout can be caught throughout the lake, but our favorite locations to fish are near the river inlets. River inlets provide a rich supply of oxygen and food supply. If you really want to catch these fish, keep an eye out on the stocking reports.
Trout will hang out in the same vicinity where they've been stocked. This period will last for 2-3 days.
Best seasons to fish for Trout
Trout like cooler water temperatures, making mid-June to July a difficult time to fish. Our favorite time to fish for trout is during late spring (April-early May) and early fall (October). During late fall, brown trout will begin to spawn. While rainbow trout and cut bows will start to spawn during early apring.
We recommend going to the inlets during this time, as it can be very productive.
Fishing For Smallmouth Bass
Pound for pound smallmouth bass will have one of the best fights you can find on the lake. Not only are they fun to catch, if you time the season right, but Vallecito can also produce large numbers of bass. If you have any children, this is the fish for you! To learn more about what to use when fishing for Smallmouth Bass, check out our Vallecito Lake Vacation Guide within the fishing section.
Bag limit 2020
Daily bag limit - unlimited
Possession limit - unlimited
Where to fish for Smallmouth Bass
When fishing for smallmouth bass, you need to keep in mind they like to hide underneath structure. If you're fishing from the shore, the marina can be a great place to start. Bass like to hide under the doc system and trust us if you catch one, there is probably 6 more in the same spot.
There are some public fishing locations where you can fish right on the doc. Make sure to ask an employee where you can and can not fish. This is the courteous thing to do and makes sure you don't get in trouble.
If you have a boat, our favorite location to fish is on the east side of the lake near the islands. This location is directly across from the marina located on the other side of the lake.
Best seasons to fish for Smallmouth Bass
Months June and July are the most optimal time to fish for smallmouth bass. Smallmouth like warmer water, and as mid-summer becomes full swing, they will move to the shallows. Not only can you site fish these fish, but most of the time, there will be large schools clustered in one spot.
If you're fortunate enough to find these schools of fish, prepare to work out your arm as the numbers can reach into 40-60 caught!
Fishing For Kokanee Salmon
Fishing for kokanee has been tough for the past few years. In 2015 many of these fish escaped through the spillway when the flood gates were opened. Although these fish have been hard to catch, we still have been able to land a few.
We don't have any recommendations for catching these, as we would like to see the population grow.
If you really want to catch kokanee, we recommend going during the snagging season (Snagging Season Nov. 15-Dec. 31). Spawning kokanee will die shortly after they lay their eggs. Keeping these fish will not affect population growth, which our guide service strongly supports.
Bag limit
(Snagging Season Nov. 15-Dec. 31)
Daily bag limit - 10
Possession Limit - 10
Conclusion
No matter how old you are, Vallecito lake has a fishing experience for you. We hope our insight helps you catch that fish of your lifetime. Next time you catch a fish at Vallecito, tag us on Instagram or Facebook. We love to see the joy that fishing brings to people's lives, and just plainly love seeing pictures of fish!
If you plan on vacationing at Vallecito, check out our Vallecito Vacation Guide. This will provide you with local insight on camping locations, food options, cabins, and RV spots!