Echo Canyon Reservoir – Southern Colorado’s Bass Lunker Hole
Warm, summer like temperatures, brought anglers out in record numbers to try their angling skills on Echo Canyon. Catfish were cooperative recently with runoff staining the water up a bit. Echo Canyon Reservoir is located is southwestern Colorado a scenic 45 minute drive north of Chama, New Mexico on highway 84 and just 4 miles south of Pagosa Springs, Colorado. As the runoff settles down in the next few weeks Largemouth should be a good bet prowling the shallows pre-spawn. The state-record largemouth bass was caught in Echo Canyon Reservoir State Wildlife Area in 1997, measuring 22.5 inches and weighing 11 pounds, six ounces. The lake is located in a mountain setting with vegetation comprised of ponderosa pine & native grasses. The Division of Wildlife built the reservoir in 1968 for fishing use by the public. Reservoir average depth is 50 ft. There is a dam at the west end. Water is maintained at full level throughout the year. Echo Canyon is stocked with Rainbow Trout, Largemouth Bass, Yellow Perch, Green Sunfish and Channel Catfish. Trout are best caught with lures, flies or natural bait such as worms; Bass, with top surface lures, crank baits with pork frogs or rubber worms. Perch are best taken with live bait; Sunfish, with worms and sometimes flies; and Catfish, with cut bait (Suckers or commercial stink baits). Access is easy, four miles from Pagosa Springs on U.S. Highway 84. Nearby Pagosa Springs is a scenic community known for “healing waters”, our natural hot springs (“Pagosah” is a Southern Ute word for “healing waters”). Pagosa is a good place to get away from it all. Explore the mystery of the only mountain home of the Anasazi at nearby Chimney Rock Ruins where these ancient farmers lived some 1,000 years ago. Other nearby places to go include hiking to Treasure Falls, prospecting on Treasure Mountain, fishing in Williams Creek and visiting the local museums. Good fly-fishing in the areas mountain streams.