Dollar Lake, Colorado: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Set in La Plata County, Colorado, this is Dollar Lake. The bank is 11,637 feet above sea level. It covers about 5 acres, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. Our La Plata County list holds plenty of bigger water. Bayfield sits 24 miles from here and is the nearest stop. After that come Durango at 30 miles and Pagosa Springs at 32 miles. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Dollar Lake

  Depth went unrecorded, which puts the reading back on you. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. La Plata County records list rainbow trout, brook trout, bluehead sucker and black-spotted cutthroat trout among the fish reported. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. Dollar Lake repays a walk before the first cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The range across the year is 16°F to 52°F. Winter puts a hard lid on this one. The lid arrives early and lasts until roughly late May. The open-water window runs from around late May to about mid November in an average year. The first weeks of open water and the last are the ones to plan for. On Dollar Lake the same rules apply, with local timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. Access is unmapped, which usually means a farm track and a walk. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Sort the permit out before you load the car. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. For a change of water, Emerald Lake is 0.8 miles distant. For Dollar Lake in particular, ask before you travel.