Fishing at Kite Lake, San Juan County, Colorado

• Overview

  Out in San Juan County, Colorado, sits Kite Lake. Elevation runs to 12,123 feet. The water measures roughly 5 acres, so nothing here is far from anything else. It is high ground by Colorado standards. Telluride at 22 miles is the nearest place to stop. The big place round here is Pueblo, 163 miles distant. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Kite Lake

  The records we hold are silent on depth, so plan to find it yourself. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Reported across San Juan County: black-spotted cutthroat trout, rainbow trout and brook trout. Records at county level tell you what is around, not what is stocked here. Fish Kite Lake where the bottom changes rather than where it looks deep.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate records put July near 49°F and January near 12°F. Winter shuts things down for a spell, then spring reopens them fast. Hard cover is dependable here; it goes around early June. Climate figures give an open season running early June to early November. Fishing peaks soon after break-up and again before the cold returns. That shapes the year on Kite Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  The access position is unclear from public sources. There is a car park 140 yards from the bank. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Rules for this water may differ from the county norm. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. If the gate is shut, Vallecito Lake at 1.1 miles is the nearest alternative. Rules at Kite Lake are worth checking on the day.