Fishing at Cherokee Lake, Mineral County, Colorado

• Overview

  Set in Mineral County, Cherokee Lake is a Colorado water. The ground round it is rolling bush. On water this small, stealth matters more than range. Our Mineral County list holds plenty of bigger water. Pagosa Springs at 26 miles is the nearest place to stop. Bayfield lies 38 miles off, Ouray another 40 miles. The nearest boundary is well away, so one set of rules covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Cherokee Lake

  No depth figure appears in our records, so the bank has to tell you. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Fish documented in Mineral County include brook trout, black-spotted cutthroat trout, brown trout, rainbow trout and cutthroat trout. Protected fish appear in the records for this area, so treat the list as information, not an invitation. On Cherokee Lake that means starting tight and working out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 51°F at the top of summer and 14°F at the bottom of winter. Winter shuts the surface down for months. Winter locks it down, and late May brings it back. Average temperatures cross freezing around late May in spring and again near mid November in autumn. Reckon on open water from spring through to late autumn, with May and June the strongest. Expect Cherokee Lake to follow that timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  Ownership and access are not documented in what we hold. There is no recorded infrastructure here; expect to find your own way in. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Look for a notice board at the entrance. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. The nearest alternative is Trout Lake, 1.6 miles out. Confirm access to Cherokee Lake locally before you travel.