Bear Lake Fishing Guide, Chaffee County, Colorado

• Overview

  Set in Chaffee County, Bear Lake is a Colorado water. Beyond the shoreline you have lake country bush. At roughly 16 acres, the whole thing is within casting reach of a single walk. By elevation it is in the upper part of our Colorado listings. Buena Vista lies 11 miles from the water. The nearest city of size is Colorado Springs, 81 miles away. No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on Bear Lake

  Nothing we hold settles how deep this runs. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Species logged across Chaffee County include brown trout, rainbow trout, black-spotted cutthroat trout, brook trout and california golden trout. At least one recorded species is protected in parts of its range; read the local rules before targeting anything. At Bear Lake the first feature you find is worth twenty minutes.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate normals give 50°F for July and 14°F for January. Expect a real winter and a strong spring after it. Hard cover is dependable here; it goes around early June. On the long-run averages the water opens up around early June and starts locking again about early November. The middle of summer slows a little, with dawn and dusk carrying it. Time your trip to Bear Lake by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. Nothing built is recorded close to the bank here. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Parking is often the real limit rather than the bank itself. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. Failing this one, try Lake Rebecca, 0.7 miles away. Check the current arrangement for Bear Lake.