Fishing at Echo Lake, Garfield County, Colorado

• Overview

  Colorado holds Echo Lake, in Garfield County. Height above sea level is 6,673 feet. This is a pocket water of some 11 acres, and every part of it is reachable from the bank. 22 miles away sits Loma, the nearest town. The nearest city of size is Provo, 168 miles away. Close by you have: Ruby Lee Reservoir roughly 10 miles, Mack Mesa Lake 17 miles, Highline Lake roughly 18 miles, Mack Mesa Reservoir 19 miles and Baxter Reservoir roughly 21 miles. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Echo Lake

  Our records carry no depth, so judge it from the bank. Points where the flooded channel swings in are the reliable ones. Levels move with the draw rather than the rain on water like this. Across Garfield County, recorded fish include cutthroat trout, rainbow trout, brown trout and bluegill. County records show the wider picture rather than this one place. The shape of Echo Lake decides where the fish sit.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July is the warm end of the year here, averaging about 68°F, while January sits near 25°F. Fishing here follows the temperature more than the calendar. The lid usually sets by midwinter and gives way around early April. Expect the water usable from around early April until roughly mid December. May into June fishes hardest, and September gives a second good stretch before the lid returns. It sets the rhythm of the year at Echo Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. Mapping shows no built access close by; expect to walk in from wherever you can leave the car. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. A phone call first saves an afternoon. Close seasons apply to some species and not others. The nearest alternative is Ruby Lee Reservoir, 10 miles out. Treat Echo Lake as unsettled until someone local tells you otherwise.