Blue Lake in Boulder County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Blue Lake lies in Boulder County, in Colorado. The bank is 11,178 feet above sea level. Surface area runs to about 3 acres — small enough to read in one session. It is one of the smaller waters we list in Boulder County. For a base, Estes Park sits 9.5 miles out. Boulder sits 26 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. One jurisdiction covers this water end to end.

• Where to Fish on Blue Lake

  Depth remains unrecorded, so treat the first session as a survey. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. County-wide records name black-spotted cutthroat trout, brook trout, brown trout, bluegill and rainbow trout. It is the county picture; the agency list is water-specific. Blue Lake gives up more to patience than to distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  On the long-term average, July reads 52°F and February reads 19°F. Winter puts a hard lid on this one. Hard cover is dependable here; it goes around late May. The water is typically free of ice between late May and early November. From the thaw to midsummer the fishing improves week by week. The season on Blue Lake follows the weather closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access is not recorded for this water. Mapping records no facilities at all near this water. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Ask in the nearest town if you are unsure. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. If the gate is shut, Black Lake at 0.6 miles is the nearest alternative. For Blue Lake, the notice at the access point is the final word.