Fishing at Hotel Lake, Delta County, Colorado

• Overview

  Within Delta County, Colorado, you have Hotel Lake. Height above sea level is 10,226 feet. It measures about 37 acres, which is a comfortable size for bank fishing. A shoreline of some 1.4 miles keeps the choices simple. Few waters listed in Delta County are bigger. Cedaredge at 10 miles is the nearest place to stop. The nearest city of size is Boulder, 158 miles away. The boundary is close enough to be worth checking before you fish.

• Where to Fish on Hotel Lake

  We hold no depth figure for this one. Draw-down through summer strips the margins, so follow the water out. Rip-rap along the wall holds fish that the open bank never does. Delta County records list rainbow trout, white sucker and flannelmouth sucker among the fish reported. County data is a starting point rather than a guarantee. On Hotel Lake the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort.

• Seasonal Patterns

  In an average year July sits at 56°F and January at 17°F. Spring and autumn carry the fishing; summer and winter test it. Count on hard cover from midwinter, and open water from mid May. Break-up near mid May, freeze-up near mid November: that is the shape of an average year. The middle of summer slows a little, with dawn and dusk carrying it. It holds true on Hotel Lake more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  No public source sets out the position on this bank. The closest car park is half a mile away, so pack accordingly. There are picnic tables half a mile away. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Where access is informal, keep it that way by behaving. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. The nearest alternative is Alexander Lake, 0.4 miles out. What applies at Hotel Lake may have changed since it was mapped.