Fishing at Carey Lake, Jackson County, Colorado

• Overview

  Carey Lake is listed under Jackson County, Colorado. It sits in pine and birch. Surface area runs to about 5 acres — small enough to read in one session. On size it sits at the modest end of our Jackson County list. The town to know is Estes Park, 28 miles out. It is 45 miles to Fort Collins, the nearest city. There is no boundary nearby to worry about.

• Where to Fish on Carey Lake

  No depth figure has reached our records, which makes a plummet useful. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Across Jackson County, recorded fish include brown trout, brook trout, rainbow trout, Arctic grayling and black-spotted cutthroat trout. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. Fish Carey Lake where the bottom changes rather than where it looks deep.

• Seasonal Patterns

  On the long-term average, July reads 51°F and January reads 18°F. Seasons are distinct, and each one fishes differently. The open season starts with the thaw, near enough late May. Open water usually runs from late May until about early November. Late spring and early autumn carry the year between them. Carey Lake runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  No public source sets out the position on this bank. Mapping records no facilities at all near this water. 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. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. For a change of water, Island Lake is 0.3 miles distant. Treat Carey Lake as unsettled until someone local tells you otherwise.