Costo Lake in Gunnison County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Set in Gunnison County, Costo Lake is a Colorado water. The bank is 10,007 feet above sea level. About 5 acres of surface, which puts the far bank inside easy sight. The closest town, Crested Butte, is 13 miles away. Gunnison follows at 20 miles, then Paonia at 24 miles. Nearby, in order: Sheep Lake the better part of 3.5 miles, Lily Lake at 6.8 miles, Dollar Lake the better part of 7.3 miles, Lost Lake at 7.7 miles and Lost Lake Slough the better part of 8 miles. The nearest boundary is a fair way off.

• Where to Fish on Costo Lake

  There is no published depth for this one, so start shallow and work out. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Gunnison County records list rainbow trout, brown trout and brook trout among the fish reported. Records at county level tell you what is around, not what is stocked here. Fish Costo Lake to its features, not to its size.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Seasonal averages run from 14°F in January up to 54°F in July. A full turn of seasons, with the strongest sport on either side of summer. After mid May the shallows warm and the fish move up. Break-up sits around mid May on average, with the water closing again about mid November. The strong weeks are the first after break-up and the last before the freeze. It holds true on Costo Lake more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. You can camp half a mile off, which suits an early start. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Parking space is the usual limit rather than the bank itself. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. Sheep Lake, 3.5 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. Check the position at Costo Lake before loading the car.