Goose Lake, Colorado: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  You will find Goose Lake in Mineral County, Colorado. The ground around here is pine and birch. It measures about 32 acres, which is a comfortable size for bank fishing. It sits higher than most water we list in Colorado. The closest town, Pagosa Springs, is 23 miles away. Del Norte is 34 miles and Bayfield 43 miles. It sits well inside the county, so one set of rules covers it.

• Where to Fish on Goose Lake

  Nothing we hold settles how deep this runs. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Public occurrence data for Mineral County names brook trout, black-spotted cutthroat trout, brown trout and rainbow trout. At least one recorded species is protected in parts of its range; read the local rules before targeting anything. On Goose Lake the obvious spot is not always the productive one.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The year swings from about 13°F in January to roughly 50°F in July. Winter shuts things down for a spell, then spring reopens them fast. Once it clears, about early June, the fishing comes on quickly. Break-up near early June, freeze-up near early November: that is the shape of an average year. The strongest runs come at either end of the open season. At Goose Lake the season follows that pattern closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  No public source sets out the position on this bank. No launch point is recorded nearby, so this is a bank water unless you carry a boat in. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Where the road in crosses private land, ask first. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. The nearest alternative is Little Goose Lake, 1.1 miles out. Check the position at Goose Lake before loading the car.