Deadman Lake in Pitkin County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Look for Deadman Lake in the Pitkin County part of Colorado. The water sits 10,997 feet up. Small enough that any disturbance crosses the whole surface. It is a small entry by Pitkin County standards. The town to know is Aspen, 13 miles out. The nearest city of size is Lakewood, 88 miles away. A county boundary sits nearby, which can matter for local access rules.

• Where to Fish on Deadman Lake

  No chart reached our records; the first cast is your sounding. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Reported across Pitkin County: cutthroat trout, brook trout, rainbow trout, black-spotted cutthroat trout and brown trout. Records at county level tell you what is around, not what is stocked here. Deadman Lake gives up more to patience than to distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July near 50°F and January near 12°F on the long-run figures. A full turn of seasons, with the strongest sport on either side of summer. Winter fishing happens on the ice here, with open water back around early June. Climate averages put the opening at about early June and the closing near early November. The first weeks of open water and the last are the ones to plan for. That is the shape of the year on Deadman Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. The map shows no ramp or car park nearby, so this is a walk-in water. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. A landowner's word beats anything printed elsewhere. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. If the gate is shut, Sioux Lake at 1.5 miles is the nearest alternative. Nothing on Deadman Lake should be assumed from this page alone.