Cottonwood Lake Number Four in Delta County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Look for Cottonwood Lake Number Four in Delta County, Colorado. The setting is pine and birch. The water covers some 38 acres, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. Roughly 1.0 miles of bank means you can walk to a fresh area when one goes quiet. It is among the larger waters listed here for Delta County. Cedaredge sits 12 miles from here and is the nearest stop. Orchard City lies 17 miles off, Palisade another 22 miles. It sits well inside the county, so one set of rules covers it.

• Where to Fish on Cottonwood Lake Number Four

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. Rip-rap along the wall holds fish that the open bank never does. The old creek line under the surface is the feature worth finding. Open biodiversity records for Delta County list rainbow trout, white sucker and flannelmouth sucker. The list covers the county rather than this water alone, so treat it as a guide. Cottonwood Lake Number Four gives up more to patience than to distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July runs about 56°F on average, January about 17°F. Cold winters and warm summers give a wide working range. Ice fishing carries the winter, and the water opens about mid May. Averages place the thaw at mid May and the freeze at mid November. The first weeks of open water and the last are the ones to plan for. On Cottonwood Lake Number Four the same rules apply, with local timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. Mapping shows no built access close by; expect to walk in from wherever you can leave the car. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Parking is often the real limit rather than the bank itself. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. Failing this one, try Lily Lake, 0.4 miles away. Signs at Cottonwood Lake Number Four carry more weight than any list.