Horsethief Lake Fishing Guide, Gunnison County, Colorado

• Overview

  Horsethief Lake is listed under Gunnison County, Colorado. The surface lies 11,257 feet up. It covers about 4 acres, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. Most waters listed here for Gunnison County are larger. Head to Crested Butte, 18 miles away, for anything you forgot. Then Aspen, 22 miles, and Snowmass Village, 27 miles. One jurisdiction covers this water end to end.

• Where to Fish on Horsethief Lake

  No depth figure appears in our records, so the bank has to tell you. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Survey and observation records for Gunnison County include rainbow trout, brown trout, brook trout and cutthroat trout. It is the county picture; the agency list is water-specific. Work Horsethief Lake in sections rather than trying to cover it.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The range across the year is 11°F to 53°F. Spring and autumn carry the fishing; summer and winter test it. Hard cover is dependable here; it goes around late May. Break-up sits around late May on average, with the water closing again about early November. Fish feed hardest at the start and the close of the open season. Expect Horsethief Lake to follow that timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. Nothing built is recorded close to the bank here. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. State or provincial rules still apply whatever the bank status. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. Mysterious Lake at 2.9 miles is the sensible second choice. Nothing on Horsethief Lake should be assumed from this page alone.