Cooley Lake near Columbine Valley: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  Cooley Lake lies within the bounds of Arapahoe County, Colorado. It sits at 5,344 feet above sea level. The water covers some 150 acres, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. Bank access stretches around 2.4 miles in total. For a base, Columbine Valley sits 1.1 miles out. Columbine follows at 1.7 miles, then Littleton at 2.2 miles. A county line runs close by, so local bylaws can differ within a short drive.

• Where to Fish on Cooley Lake

  No depth figure appears in our records, so the bank has to tell you. Levels move with the draw rather than the rain on water like this. Built water gives depth close in, which suits a bank angler. Records held for Arapahoe County cover common carp, white sucker, walleye, green sunfish and bluegill. County records show what lives in the area; the local agency holds the water-by-water list. The shape of Cooley Lake rewards a slow walk along one bank.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 73°F at the top of summer and 31°F at the bottom of winter. Seasons here are moderate, and the fishing runs most of the year. In a normal year the cover is thin and short-lived. November and March are the quiet, comfortable months to be out. Cooley Lake fishes to that pattern most years.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. Parking sits half a mile out, which makes for a walk with tackle. Public toilets are recorded roughly 0.9 miles off. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Where a permit is needed, the nearest town usually sells it. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. Redtail Lake sits 0.8 miles off and takes the overflow. None of that is settled for Cooley Lake in what we hold.