Fishing at Bench Lake, Grand County, Colorado

• Overview

  Grand County, Colorado, is where Bench Lake sits. It sits at 10,190 feet above sea level. Surface area runs to about 6 acres — small enough to read in one session. 12 miles away sits Estes Park, the nearest town. The big place round here is Boulder, 30 miles distant. More in the same country: Snowdrift Lake out at 1.2 miles, Pettingell Lake lies 1.6 miles on, Ptarmigan Lake out at 1.6 miles, Lake Solitude lies 1.8 miles on and Lake Nokoni out at 1.9 miles. This one is safely inside the county line.

• Where to Fish on Bench Lake

  Depth is not on record here, which means reading the ground instead. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Reported across Grand County: black-spotted cutthroat trout, brook trout, rainbow trout and brown trout. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. Read Bench Lake for ten minutes before the first cast goes out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The seasonal spread runs 17°F to 51°F. Spring and autumn carry the fishing; summer and winter test it. Hard cover is dependable here; it goes around late May. On the long-run averages the water opens up around late May and starts locking again about early November. Reckon on open water from spring through to late autumn, with May and June the strongest. Plan around that when you fish Bench Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access status is simply unknown for this water. Overnight stays are possible half a mile away. There is a toilet block some half a mile out. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Where a permit is needed, the nearest town usually sells it. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. If the gate is shut, Snowdrift Lake at 1.2 miles is the nearest alternative. Check the current arrangement for Bench Lake.