Fishing at Dry Lake, Ouray County, Colorado

• Overview

  Ouray County in Colorado is where Dry Lake sits. The land about it is pine and birch. At roughly 4 acres, the whole thing is within casting reach of a single walk. Ouray is the closest place, 9.7 miles off. The nearest city of size is Colorado Springs, 168 miles away. You are close to a county edge here; who manages the access can change within a short drive.

• Where to Fish on Dry Lake

  Depth is not on record here, which means reading the ground instead. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. County-wide records name rainbow trout, brown trout, black-spotted cutthroat trout, white sucker and bluehead sucker. The county list is broader than any single water. Dry Lake responds to conditions more than to tactics.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July near 64°F and January near 22°F on the long-run figures. A full turn of seasons, with the strongest sport on either side of summer. The open season starts with the thaw, near enough early April. Break-up sits around early April on average, with the water closing again about early December. September and October fish steadily right up to the freeze. Anyone fishing Dry Lake regularly works to that calendar.

• Tackle & Baits

  The access position is unclear from public sources. You will be walking about half a mile from the nearest car park. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Check locally before you travel, because a wasted drive is a long one. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. West Lake sits 0.8 miles off and takes the overflow. Treat access at Dry Lake as something to verify.