Brainard Lake Fishing in Boulder County, Colorado

• Overview

  Brainard Lake is one of the Boulder County listings for Colorado. Elevation runs to 10,351 feet. This is a pocket water of some 14 acres, and every part of it is reachable from the bank. Nederland at 8.8 miles is the nearest place to stop. Fraser lies 16 miles off, Coal Creek another 16 miles. One jurisdiction covers this water end to end.

• Where to Fish on Brainard Lake

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Survey and observation records for Boulder County include black-spotted cutthroat trout, brook trout, brown trout, bluegill and rainbow trout. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. Treat Brainard Lake as a water to read rather than to cover.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warm month here averages 55°F; the cold one sits at 22°F. Spring and autumn carry the fishing; summer and winter test it. Look for the thaw near mid May; the fishing lifts straight after. The water is typically free of ice between mid May and mid November. The shoulder weeks of the open season are the productive ones. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Brainard Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. The mapped parking is Niwot Picnic Area, half a mile away. You can camp half a mile off, which suits an early start. Facilities run to toilets half a mile from the water. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. A phone call first saves an afternoon. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. Left Hand Reservoir sits 1 mile off and takes the overflow. Check the current arrangement for Brainard Lake.