Andrews Lake in San Juan County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Within San Juan County, Colorado, you have Andrews Lake. The bank is 10,761 feet above sea level. The water measures roughly 13 acres, so nothing here is far from anything else. The nearest town is Telluride, 16 miles away. Then Mountain Village, 16 miles, and Ouray, 21 miles. The nearest boundary is well away, so one set of rules covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Andrews Lake

  There is no published depth for this one, so start shallow and work out. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Species logged across San Juan County include black-spotted cutthroat trout, rainbow trout, brook trout and cutthroat trout. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. At Andrews Lake the first feature you find is worth twenty minutes.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warmest month averages 53°F, the coldest about 15°F. A hard winter is normal, and the thaw brings a strong few weeks. Ice is part of the season here, ending near late May. Open water usually runs from late May until about mid November. June through September is the settled part of the year, with the shoulders busier for fish. Plan any trip to Andrews Lake around it.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing on record says whether the bank is open or closed. A car park sits roughly 170 yards away. There is a recorded fishing site some 150 yards from here. Picnic facilities are recorded some half a mile out. There are toilets half a mile off. Take the rules with you rather than trusting memory. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. Little Molas Lake, 1 mile away, makes the obvious fallback. The position on Andrews Lake is worth confirming on the day.