Devils Lake in Hinsdale County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Devils Lake is a Hinsdale County water, in Colorado. The country round it is mixed forest from end to end. Roughly 46 acres: a morning covers one end, an afternoon the other. It is high ground by Colorado standards. The closest town, Ouray, is 26 miles away. It is 139 miles to Colorado Springs, the nearest city. The nearest boundary is a fair way off.

• Where to Fish on Devils Lake

  Depth is not on record here, so the bank has to tell you. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. County-wide records name brook trout, rainbow trout and brown trout. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. At Devils Lake the first feature you find is worth twenty minutes.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-term averages put July at about 51°F and January near 11°F. Winter puts a hard lid on this one. The lid usually sets by midwinter and gives way around early June. Break-up sits around early June on average, with the water closing again about early November. The open run goes from the thaw to the freeze, and April through October covers most of it. Expect Devils Lake to follow that timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  The access position is unclear from public sources. Nothing built is recorded close to the bank here. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Look for a notice board at the entrance. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. Should this one be busy, Powderhorn Lakes is 2.1 miles off. Confirm access to Devils Lake locally before you travel.