Fishing Bighorn Lake in Grand County, Colorado

• Overview

  Within Grand County, Colorado, you have Bighorn Lake. The water sits 11,132 feet up. Estes Park is the closest place, 16 miles off. Granby is 24 miles away, with Lyons at 32 miles. Others close at hand: Lake Irene roughly 0.6 miles, Poudre Lake 0.6 miles away, Pinnacle Pool roughly 3.2 miles, Timber Lake 3.4 miles away and Love Lake roughly 3.8 miles. A county line runs close by, so local bylaws can differ within a short drive.

• Where to Fish on Bighorn Lake

  No figure exists for depth, so let the water show you. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Across Grand County, recorded fish include black-spotted cutthroat trout, brook trout and rainbow trout. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. The shape of Bighorn Lake rewards a slow walk along one bank.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-run averages give July about 50°F and January about 17°F. A full turn of seasons, with the strongest sport on either side of summer. Hard water holds through the cold months, breaking up near late May. The lid tends to go about late May and return around early November. Right after break-up, and again as the nights sharpen, is when to go. Expect Bighorn Lake to follow that timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access is not recorded for this water. A marked angling spot sits within half a mile. There are picnic tables recorded roughly half a mile off. Toilets are half a mile away, which matters on a long session. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Check locally before you travel, because a wasted drive is a long one. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. Lake Irene at 0.6 miles is the sensible second choice. Ask locally about Bighorn Lake if anything is unclear.