Benton Lake Fishing in Routt County, Colorado

• Overview

  You will find Benton Lake in Routt County, Colorado. It lies 10,371 feet above sea level. The water measures roughly 5 acres, so nothing here is far from anything else. For supplies, Gypsum is 25 miles out. Beyond it, Eagle at 26 miles and Edwards at 33 miles. In the same area: Sunnyside Lakes within 0.5 miles, Harper Reservoir about 1.6 miles, Gardner Park Reservoir within 3 miles, Rams Horn Lake about 3.4 miles and Wood Lake within 3.4 miles. No boundary runs near, so the county rules hold throughout.

• Where to Fish on Benton Lake

  No figure exists for depth, so let the water show you. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Across Routt County, recorded fish include brook trout, cutthroat trout and rainbow trout. It is the county picture; the agency list is water-specific. At Benton Lake the water rewards a slow, careful approach.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-term averages put July at about 53°F and January near 17°F. The year splits cleanly: hard water, then open water. Break-up comes around late May, and the run that follows is short and strong. The lid tends to go about late May and return around mid November. Spring is short and heavy here; autumn is longer and steadier. Benton Lake runs to its own calendar within the local pattern.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. Mapping records no facilities at all near this water. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Parking space is the usual limit rather than the bank itself. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. For a change of water, Sunnyside Lakes is 0.5 miles distant. Check the position at Benton Lake before loading the car.