Fishing Adams Lake in Garfield County, Colorado

• Overview

  Within Garfield County, Colorado, you have Adams Lake. The ground around here is rolling bush. Roughly 30 acres: a morning covers one end, an afternoon the other. New Castle is the closest place, 13 miles off. For a city, Boulder is 115 miles off. Also on the doorstep: Bugle Lake the better part of 3.1 miles, Moss Lake at 3.2 miles, Fivemile Lake the better part of 3.9 miles, Bison Lake at 3.9 miles and Jet Lake the better part of 3.9 miles. It sits well inside its county, with no border complications.

• Where to Fish on Adams Lake

  Depth is not on record here, so the bank has to tell you. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Open biodiversity records for Garfield County list cutthroat trout, rainbow trout, brown trout, bluegill and brook trout. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. The shape of Adams Lake decides where the fish sit.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate records put July near 53°F and January near 14°F. Expect a real winter and a strong spring after it. Break-up comes around late May, and the run that follows is short and strong. Break-up sits around late May on average, with the water closing again about early November. From the thaw to midsummer the fishing improves week by week. The season on Adams Lake rarely departs from it.

• Tackle & Baits

  Ownership and access are not documented in what we hold. A camping area sits within 150 yards of here. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Sort the permit out before you load the car. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. If the gate is shut, Bugle Lake at 3.1 miles is the nearest alternative. Rules at Adams Lake are worth checking on the day.