Azure Lake Fishing Guide, Grand County, Colorado

• Overview

  The Grand County end of Colorado holds Azure Lake. The water sits 11,916 feet up. At 13 acres it is the sort of place you fish for an evening rather than a day. It sits higher than most water we list in Colorado. Estes Park sits 13 miles from the bank. The nearest city of size is Boulder, 36 miles away. No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on Azure Lake

  Nothing we hold settles how deep this runs. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Survey and observation records for Grand County include black-spotted cutthroat trout, brook trout, rainbow trout, brown trout and cutthroat trout. Several of these carry legal protection or closed seasons; the rulebook comes before the rod. Azure Lake fishes better once you know its edges.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between January at about 17°F and July at about 50°F, the water has a wide range to work through. Winter shuts the surface down for months. Firm cover through the cold months, then open water from late May. Going by climate averages, expect open water from about late May until roughly early November. May into June fishes hardest, and September gives a second good stretch before the lid returns. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Azure Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing on record says whether the bank is open or closed. Public data shows nothing built here, so treat the whole approach as informal. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Take the rules with you rather than trusting memory. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. Inkwell Lake sits 0.4 miles off and takes the overflow. Confirm before you fish Azure Lake.