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

• Overview

  Gunnison County, Colorado, is where Dollar Lake sits. Beyond the shoreline you have lake country bush. This is a pocket water of some 6 acres, and every part of it is reachable from the bank. Crested Butte at 12 miles is the nearest place to stop. Further out sit Paonia (21 miles) and Gunnison (26 miles). The nearest boundary is a fair way off.

• Where to Fish on Dollar Lake

  Nothing in our records gives a depth for this one. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Species logged across Gunnison County include rainbow trout, brown trout, brook trout and cutthroat trout. Records at county level tell you what is around, not what is stocked here. Anyone new to Dollar Lake should walk it once before setting up.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Seasonal averages run from 14°F in January up to 56°F in July. Winter puts a hard lid on this one. Hard water holds through the cold months, breaking up near mid May. Break-up near mid May, freeze-up near mid November: that is the shape of an average year. The middle of summer slows a little, with dawn and dusk carrying it. That is the shape of the year on Dollar Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. The nearest mapped parking is 0.9 miles away, so the last stretch is on foot. Overnight stays are possible 0.9 miles away. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Where the road in crosses private land, ask first. Close seasons apply to some species and not others. Should this one be busy, Lost Lake is 0.6 miles off. Signs at Dollar Lake carry more weight than any list.