Fishing at Columbine Lake, Grand County, Colorado

• Overview

  Columbine Lake sits within Grand County in Colorado. It sits at 11,073 feet above sea level. At 6 acres it is the sort of place you fish for an evening rather than a day. Fraser sits 8.1 miles from the bank. Nederland is 11 miles and Granby 14 miles. Close by you have: 0.7 miles out stands Lake Dorothy, Caribou Lake out at 0.9 miles, 2.1 miles out stands Upper Storm Lake, Upper Diamond Lake out at 2.2 miles and 2.7 miles out stands Storm Lake. Two sets of local rules meet not far from this water.

• Where to Fish on Columbine Lake

  Our records hold no depth for this water. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Survey and observation records for Grand County include black-spotted cutthroat trout, brook trout, rainbow trout and brown trout. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. Columbine Lake gives up more to patience than to distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  In an average year July sits at 53°F and January at 17°F. Seasons are distinct, and each one fishes differently. The freeze runs deep into the year, with break-up near mid May. Average temperatures cross freezing around mid May in spring and again near early November in autumn. Reckon on open water from spring through to late autumn, with May and June the strongest. The season on Columbine Lake rarely departs from it.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. There is no mapped parking or launch nearby, which keeps numbers down. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Rules for this water may differ from the county norm. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. Lake Dorothy, 0.7 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. Ask locally about Columbine Lake if anything is unclear.