Horseshoe Lake Fishing Guide, Garfield County, Colorado

• Overview

  Garfield County in Colorado is where Horseshoe Lake sits. The ground round it is mixed forest. It covers about 10 acres, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. Glenwood Springs is the closest place, 24 miles off. The nearest city of size is Boulder, 112 miles away. One jurisdiction covers this water end to end.

• Where to Fish on Horseshoe Lake

  Depth is unmeasured here, so let the shoreline guide you. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Records held for Garfield County cover cutthroat trout, rainbow trout, brown trout and bluegill. Those are county-wide records, so not every one of them will be in this water. On Horseshoe Lake the obvious spot is not always the productive one.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July near 54°F and January near 16°F on the long-run figures. Hard water is a season in its own right here. Ice is part of the season here, ending near mid May. Climate averages put the opening at about mid May and the closing near mid November. The middle of summer slows a little, with dawn and dusk carrying it. That is the shape of the year on Horseshoe Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. Mapping shows an empty shoreline: no ramp, no jetty, no marked entry. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Ask in the nearest town if you are unsure. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. Marvine Lakes sits 3.1 miles off and takes the overflow. Nothing here settles the position at Horseshoe Lake for certain.