Hunkydory Lake Fishing near Salida, Colorado

• Overview

  Look for Hunkydory Lake in the Chaffee County part of Colorado. The surface lies 11,844 feet up. About 3 acres of surface, which puts the far bank inside easy sight. It is one of the smaller waters we list in Chaffee County. Nearest town is Salida, 17 miles off. Colorado Springs is the closest city, 81 miles away. Being near a boundary, it pays to know which side you are fishing.

• Where to Fish on Hunkydory Lake

  We hold no survey for this water; read the slope of the shoreline instead. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Open biodiversity records for Chaffee County list brown trout, rainbow trout, black-spotted cutthroat trout and brook trout. At least one recorded species is protected in parts of its range; read the local rules before targeting anything. On Hunkydory Lake a short move beats a long cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July to average close to 49°F, with January the cold end at about 12°F. The year splits cleanly: hard water, then open water. Winter fishing happens on the ice here, with open water back around early June. In an average year the thaw lands around early June and the freeze near early November. The open run goes from the thaw to the freeze, and April through October covers most of it. That is the shape of the year on Hunkydory Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  We have no record of the rules that apply on this bank. Mapping records no facilities at all near this water. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Local rules can differ across the county line, so check where you stand. A polite question at the farm gate opens more banks than anything else. Should this one be busy, North Fork Reservoir is 1.4 miles off. Signs at Hunkydory Lake carry more weight than any list.