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Vallecito Reservoir Fishing Report

Updated Fri, Sep 4, 2026 from live gauge and weather data

San Juan high country: Vallecito holds northern pike, kokanee and trout in ponderosa forest above Durango.

3/5
Fair. Fish the windows.A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day.
Flow
47 cfs
Air / High
74 / 75 F
Wind
SW 10 mph

Sources: USGS gauge 09354500, Open-Meteo, solunar calculated for these coordinates.

Satellite view
Friday
4
September 2026

Today's Fishing Report

Generated this morning from live readings: gauge, weather model, sun and moon. A fresh report is published here every morning.

3/5Fair. Fish the windows.A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day.

Vallecito Reservoir is in transition: bait on the move and predators following. The river is running 47 cfs, steady over the week. Today brings a mixed sky, wind SW around 10 mph, rising pressure near 1009 hPa and a high of 75. Water sits around 54 F for the season (estimated). With the last quarter, the solunar majors run 5:39 AM-7:39 AM and 5:39 PM-7:39 PM: the windows to build the day around.

The plan, species by species

Rainbow troutGood

Blue-winged olives and midges on soft seams; streamers on overcast days move the better fish.

Brown troutGood

Pre-spawn aggression: this is streamer season for the fish of the year.

Tomorrow: Similar at 79 F. The solunar majors shift about 50 minutes later.Next report: Sat, Sep 5, 6:30 AMHow this report is made →

Water and weather

Live readings from Los Pinos River at La Boca.

Flow, last 30 days

USGS gauge 09354500.

53647547 cfs08/0508/1508/2509/04

Right now

Latest readings

Air temp74 F
High / Low75 / 53 F
WindSW 10-15 mph
Pressure1009.2 hPa, rising
Sky / Rain39% cloud, 3%
Sunrise / Sunset06:43 / 19:34
MoonLast Quarter, 50%
Water temp (seasonal)~54 F est.

Bite planner

Hour-by-hour bite forecast for today. Tap a bar to see why.

5 AM8 AM11 AM2 PM5 PM8 PMsunrisesunsetPRIMEPRIME

Next 7 days

Tap a day for the detailed outlook.

Fri Sep 4 · Partly cloudy, 75/53 F, wind 10 mph, rain 3%

Fair or better. A 10 mph breeze puts a working chop on the banks it hits: fish the wind-blown side.

Species guide

The species that matter on Vallecito Reservoir: seasons, structure and how to fish each one. Today's ratings live in the report above.

Rainbow trout illustration

Rainbow trout

Best: Apr-Jun, Sep-Oct

The workhorse of western rivers: riffles, seams and dry-fly eats. Blue-winged olives and midges on soft seams; streamers on overcast days move the better fish.

Brown trout illustration

Brown trout

Best: Sep-Nov

Wary, predatory and nocturnal by preference. The big ones eat streamers. Pre-spawn aggression: this is streamer season for the fish of the year.

When to come: the Vallecito Reservoir calendar

Activity by species and month, and how the water warms through the year. Tap any cell.

Species activity by month

1 = slow, 5 = peak. Current month highlighted.

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Rainbow trout
Brown trout
SlowPeak

Water temperature through the year

Typical surface temperature for this water type; today is around 54 F (estimated, not a reading).

30405060JanMarMayJulSepNovSep, ~54 F now

Angler reports

Real reports from real anglers, reviewed before publishing. The water log below tracks each day automatically.

No angler reports yet this weekBe the first: your report helps every angler who checks Vallecito Reservoir today, and we feature the best catch of the week.

Water log, last days

Auto-logged from live data
Thu, Sep 3

3/5 Fair. Fish the windows. A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day. Rainbow trout led the card at good. High of 75 F, wind to 14 mph.

Wed, Sep 2

3/5 Fair. Fish the windows. A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day. Rainbow trout led the card at good. High of 75 F, wind to 15 mph.

Tue, Sep 1

3/5 Fair. Fish the windows. A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day. Rainbow trout led the card at good. High of 74 F, wind to 12 mph.

Where roughly, what depth, what bait. Skip anything you want to keep secret.
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Before you go

License

Colorado requires a valid fishing license for adults. Buy online from the state agency; one-day options exist for visitors.

Regulations

Colorado license. Pike harvest is encouraged; trout and kokanee limits per current CPW regulations.

Access

Forest Service ramps and campgrounds around the reservoir; marinas and cabins on the shoreline.

About this water

A 2,720-acre reservoir on the Pine River at 7,650 feet, La Plata County, Colorado, in the San Juan Mountains.

Fishing Vallecito Reservoir: the full guide

A mountain reservoir

Vallecito Reservoir covers 2,700 acres at 7,650 feet in the San Juan Mountains northeast of Durango, ringed by ponderosa pine and framed by peaks. It offers an unusual Colorado mix: northern pike that reach substantial size, kokanee salmon, rainbow and brown trout, plus smallmouth bass in the warmer shallows. The setting is pure southern Colorado: forest, granite and afternoon thunderstorms.

Pike and trout

Northern pike are the surprise: introduced years ago and now abundant, they hold in the weedy bays and along the shoreline structure, taking spoons, spinnerbaits and large streamers. Colorado encourages harvest. Trout cruise the drop-offs and take trolled spoons and bait, best in spring and fall when they move shallow. Kokanee school deeper through summer for trollers.

Seasons at altitude

Ice-out in April or May starts the season with aggressive fish in shallow water. Summer stratifies the lake and pushes trout and kokanee deeper while pike stay in the weeds. Fall brings everything shallower again, and the aspens turn the shoreline gold. Ice fishing is popular in winter for pike and trout when access allows.

Durango-area logistics

Ramps and Forest Service campgrounds serve the reservoir, with marinas and cabins around the shoreline. Durango is 45 minutes southwest with full services. Afternoon thunderstorms are routine in summer at this elevation: fish mornings and watch the sky. The Pine River above the lake and the Weminuche Wilderness beyond offer stream fishing for those who want to walk.

Common questions

Are the pike big?

Yes: Vallecito produces pike of genuine size, and Colorado encourages harvest to limit their impact on other species.

When does ice-out happen?

Typically April or May depending on the year, starting the season with aggressive shallow fish.

What about the streams nearby?

The Pine River above the lake and the Weminuche Wilderness offer excellent stream fishing for anglers willing to hike.

Is fishing good at Vallecito Reservoir right now?

Check the daily report at the top of this page: it is regenerated every morning from live data. Today's read: Fair. Fish the windows. A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day.

Nearby waters

San Juan River (Navajo Dam)40 miNavajo Lake40 miSan Miguel River52 miRidgway Reservoir59 miUncompahgre River66 miHeron Lake68 mi
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