The upper section and headwaters of the Rio de Los Pinos is one of the more scenic fishing opportunities in the Conejos area.  One of the many hike in spots for anglers in the Conejos valley, this one is fun because you can see where you are going for most of it right from the start as opposed to hiking into the unknown for miles to then find the fishing.  Here, you start at the reservoir and fish the inlet and work your way upstream as you go.  I didn’t make it much more than a mile or so upstream as I was mainly there to explore, but there are several miles to fish up to the headwaters and I’ve been told the more you hike, the better the fishing.

The river is scenic and the area feels wild.  I’m uncertain if Bigfoot exists, but I feel like if he did, this would be where he would hang.  It was just a raw wilderness through the valley and was a great adventure for the half day I spent there.  While you’re in the area, it’s not a bad idea to fish the lake as well.  There were some sizeable browns cruising the banks and despite my best efforts, I was unable to tempt them with dry flies or streamers.  With more effort and time I think an unweighted nymph would have done wonders.

There is ample camping nearby and plenty of fishing and miles of hiking to enjoy.  You could spend a couple days here fishing above and below the lake as well as the lake itself and have a great time.  Keep it on your radar for your next fishing trip down south!