[jeremybox1982]

Hello,
I'm fairly new to CO fishing. I've mostly fished in NW Colorado on the Yampa. I have a family member that has recently acquired some property in the La Veta/Cuchara area and was wondering about fishing the Cuchara River. From what I've been told, there's alot of private waters on this river and can be hard to find access points. Does anyone have any helpful hints about how to fish this river successfully without having to pay a guide? Thanks!

 

[herefishy]

It's lovely country and I have wished for some access, too. Maybe where the Monument Lake is? But that is on the other side of a pass, so it may not even have anything to do with Cuchara R. Flows through some ranch land, maybe I'll just walk up to the door and ask.

 

[herefishy]

Cuchara

The Purgatoire is pretty, too, and goes through some public land down toward Trinidad. Last time I fished it it was full of little browns, so maybe they grew up?

 

[lightningbug]

Three things

First of all, it's the Cucharas River, not Cuchara, a common misusage. I fished it a little as a teenager because I grew up there and had access to many of the private sections, which it all is except in the town of LaVeta and 16 miles south in the national forest outside of the town of Cucharas. Second of all, it's more a creek than a river, i.e. not very big in either flow or size of the fish. I fished another little creek there, the Wahatoya, which also is totally private and even smaller but had tons of fish. I gave up both when we discovered Cucharas Reservoir east of LaVeta which held fish averaging over 18 inches. It is now public and mostly a put and take lake I think. Thirdly, they have had almost no snow the last 5 years so I doubt any of the streams are doing well. The LaVeta town lake could also be good at times but mainly for stockers plus a few holdovers. Good luck. Post a report on how you do down there. It is a beautiful place, just not much water there.