Highland Mary Lakes Fishing near Telluride, Colorado

• Overview

  Highland Mary Lakes is a San Juan County water, Colorado side. Elevation runs to 12,126 feet. Compared with other Colorado water on our list, it sits high. The nearest town is Telluride, 18 miles away. Pueblo is the closest city, 165 miles away. Alternatives close at hand: 2.6 miles away is Silver Lake, Kite Lake after 4.3 miles, 4.7 miles away is Crystal Lake, Vallecito Lake after 4.8 miles and 4.8 miles away is Vestal Lake. Rules here are straightforward: one county, one set of rules.

• Where to Fish on Highland Mary Lakes

  Depth is not on record here, so the bank has to tell you. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Species logged across San Juan County include black-spotted cutthroat trout, rainbow trout, brook trout and cutthroat trout. The county figures include rivers and lakes alike. Read Highland Mary Lakes for ten minutes before the first cast goes out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages move between 11°F in January and 50°F in July. The year splits cleanly: hard water, then open water. Ice is part of the season here, ending near early June. Average temperatures cross freezing around early June in spring and again near early November in autumn. Early summer and early autumn carry the open-water season. It sets the rhythm of the year at Highland Mary Lakes.

• Tackle & Baits

  We hold no note on access for this one. There is no mapped parking or launch close by, which usually means walking in. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Sort the permit out before you load the car. Close seasons apply to some species and not others. For a change of water, Silver Lake is 2.6 miles distant. Where Highland Mary Lakes is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.