Elko Lake, Colorado: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Elko Lake is a Gunnison County water, in Colorado. Height above sea level is 10,597 feet. The water measures roughly 3 acres, so nothing here is far from anything else. Most waters listed here for Gunnison County are larger. For a base, Crested Butte sits 11 miles out. The nearest city of size is Lakewood, 116 miles away. No boundary runs near, so the county rules hold throughout.

• Where to Fish on Elko Lake

  Depth figures are not published for this one. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Records held for Gunnison County cover rainbow trout, brown trout, brook trout and cutthroat trout. These are county-wide records, so not all of them will be in this water. Elko Lake responds to conditions more than to tactics.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Typical July readings run about 51°F; by January the average is down near 11°F. The middle months are generous; the ends are demanding. The lid usually sets by midwinter and gives way around early June. On the long-run averages the water opens up around early June and starts locking again about early November. Fish feed hardest at the start and the close of the open season. Expect Elko Lake to follow that timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. There is a campsite half a mile from the water. There are picnic tables recorded roughly half a mile off. Facilities run to toilets half a mile from the water. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. State or provincial rules still apply whatever the bank status. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. The nearest alternative is Emerald Lake, 0.6 miles out. For Elko Lake in particular, ask before you travel.