Green Lakes in Boulder County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Green Lakes falls in Boulder County, part of Colorado. This is mixed forest country. It is high ground by Colorado standards. The town to know is Nederland, 8.4 miles out. After that come Fraser at 13 miles and Coal Creek at 16 miles. Nearby alternatives: 0.4 miles away is Green Lake Number 2, Green Lake Number 1 0.6 miles off, 0.7 miles away is Albion Lake Isabelle 1.2 miles off and 1.6 miles away is Triple Lakes. No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on Green Lakes

  Depth here is unknown, so count the lead down before committing. Draw-down through summer strips the margins, so follow the water out. Standing timber shows when the level drops, and fish sit against it. Reported across Boulder County: black-spotted cutthroat trout, brook trout, brown trout, bluegill and rainbow trout. It is the county picture; the agency list is water-specific. Green Lakes responds to conditions more than to tactics.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warm month here averages 50°F; the cold one sits at 17°F. The year runs cold to warm and back, with clear transitions. Ice is part of the season here, ending near late May. Break-up sits around late May on average, with the water closing again about early November. Just after the ice goes and just before it returns, the fishing lifts. Plan any trip to Green Lakes around it.

• Tackle & Baits

  No public source sets out the position on this bank. We find no slipway, car park or made path within a short radius, so treat access as rough. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Read any posted signs at the access point rather than assuming. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. Green Lake Number 2 at 0.4 miles is the sensible second choice. None of that is settled for Green Lakes in what we hold.