Fishing Box Canyon Lake in Eagle County, Colorado

• Overview

  Box Canyon Lake is one of the Eagle County waters in Colorado. The bank is 9,619 feet above sea level. The whole thing is a single swim; walk it in a minute. On size it sits at the modest end of our Eagle County list. Edwards lies 13 miles from the water. The big place round here is Boulder, 68 miles distant. No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on Box Canyon Lake

  Depth here is unknown, so count the lead down before committing. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Eagle County records list brook trout, brown trout and rainbow trout among the fish reported. County records show what lives in the area; the local agency holds the water-by-water list. Treat Box Canyon Lake as a water to read rather than to cover.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The seasonal spread runs 17°F to 58°F. Hard water is a season in its own right here. Expect a solid lid for months and a thaw around early May. Climate averages put the opening at about early May and the closing near late November. Fishing peaks soon after break-up and again before the cold returns. Anyone fishing Box Canyon Lake regularly works to that calendar.

• Tackle & Baits

  No access rule appears in what we hold. No made access appears within a short radius, so plan to park on a verge and walk. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Take the rules with you rather than trusting memory. Close seasons apply to some species and not others. The nearest alternative is Lost Lake, 0.9 miles out. Where Box Canyon Lake is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.