Griffith Lake Fishing near Vail, Colorado

• Overview

  Out in Summit County, Colorado, sits Griffith Lake. Beyond the shoreline you have mixed forest. Vail lies 11 miles from the water. The nearest city of size is Boulder, 59 miles away. Also worth knowing: Eaglesmere Lakes at 0.8 miles, Cat Lake after 0.9 miles, Tipperary Lake at 1.1 miles, Mirror Lake after 1.2 miles and Upper Cataract Lake at 1.2 miles. No border sits close enough to matter.

• Where to Fish on Griffith Lake

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Survey and observation records for Summit County include brook trout, rainbow trout and brown trout. Several of these carry legal protection or closed seasons; the rulebook comes before the rod. On Griffith Lake a short move beats a long cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The year swings from about 16°F in January to roughly 51°F in July. A full turn of seasons, with the strongest sport on either side of summer. Count on hard cover from midwinter, and open water from late May. In an average year the thaw lands around late May and the freeze near early November. Early summer and early autumn carry the open-water season. It holds true on Griffith Lake more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  We have no record of the rules that apply on this bank. No made access is recorded, so a short walk in is the likely arrangement. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Rules for this water may differ from the county norm. Night access is frequently treated as a separate matter. The nearest alternative is Eaglesmere Lakes, 0.8 miles out. Ask locally about Griffith Lake if anything is unclear.