Emerald Lake Fishing near Crested Butte, Colorado

• Overview

  Emerald Lake belongs to Gunnison County, Colorado. Country round the bank runs to pine and birch. Surface area runs to about 13 acres — small enough to read in one session. Crested Butte sits 10 miles from here and is the nearest stop. The nearest city of size is Lakewood, 115 miles away. One jurisdiction covers this water end to end.

• Where to Fish on Emerald Lake

  Depth is not on record here, so the bank has to tell you. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Fish documented in Gunnison County include rainbow trout, brown trout and brook trout. Records at county level tell you what is around, not what is stocked here. On Emerald Lake a short move beats a long cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The range across the year is 11°F to 51°F. The year runs cold to warm and back, with clear transitions. Winter fishing happens on the ice here, with open water back around early June. The water is typically free of ice between early June and early November. The strongest runs come at either end of the open season. On Emerald Lake that shapes the whole year.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. There is recorded parking some half a mile off. A campsite lies half a mile away for anyone staying over. There are picnic tables 160 yards away. Toilets show in mapping about half a mile away. A landowner's word beats anything printed elsewhere. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. Elko Lake at 0.6 miles is the sensible second choice. Treat Emerald Lake as unsettled until someone local tells you otherwise.