Copley Lake near Crested Butte: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  Look for Copley Lake in Gunnison County, Colorado. The water sits 10,725 feet up. The water measures roughly 7 acres, so nothing here is far from anything else. Crested Butte is the closest place, 5.2 miles off. For a city, Lakewood is 122 miles off. Nearby alternatives: Meridian Lake Reservoir lies 1.2 miles on, Upper Peeler Lakes at 1.7 miles, Lower Peeler Lake lies 2.1 miles on, Lily Lake at 2.6 miles and Green Lake lies 2.9 miles on. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Copley Lake

  There is no published depth for this one, so start shallow and work out. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Gunnison County records list rainbow trout, brown trout, brook trout and cutthroat trout among the fish reported. Read it as a county summary, not a water-by-water list. Fish Copley Lake to its features, not to its size.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The range across the year is 12°F to 54°F. The year splits cleanly: hard water, then open water. Expect a solid lid for months and a thaw around mid May. On the long-run averages the water opens up around mid May and starts locking again about mid November. May into June fishes hardest, and September gives a second good stretch before the lid returns. It holds true on Copley Lake more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  We hold no note on access for this one. Nothing formal is recorded here: no ramp, no car park, no marked path. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Take the rules with you rather than trusting memory. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. Failing this one, try Meridian Lake Reservoir, 1.2 miles away. Ask locally about Copley Lake if anything is unclear.