Fishing Island Lake in San Miguel County, Colorado

• Overview

  In Colorado, Island Lake belongs to San Miguel County. It lies 12,405 feet above sea level. It covers about 7 acres, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. It sits higher than most water we list in Colorado. Start from Telluride, 8.2 miles down the road. The nearest city of size is Colorado Springs, 176 miles away. A county boundary sits nearby, which can matter for local access rules.

• Where to Fish on Island Lake

  Depth is not on record here, which means reading the ground instead. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Public occurrence data for San Miguel County names rainbow trout, black-spotted cutthroat trout, brown trout and brook trout. County records show what lives in the area; the local agency holds the water-by-water list. Island Lake repays a walk before the first cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 50°F at the top of summer and 13°F at the bottom of winter. Winter shuts the surface down for months. The open season starts with the thaw, near enough early June. The water is typically free of ice between early June and early November. Just after the ice goes and just before it returns, the fishing lifts. Plan around that when you fish Island Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  The access position is unclear from public sources. Mapping is blank for access, so scout the approach before committing the car. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. State or provincial rules still apply whatever the bank status. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. Ice Lake sits 0.5 miles off and takes the overflow. Ask locally about Island Lake if anything is unclear.