Kroenke Lake Fishing in Chaffee County, Colorado

• Overview

  Kroenke Lake sits in Chaffee County, out in Colorado. It sits at 11,529 feet above sea level. Surface area runs to about 9 acres — small enough to read in one session. It is high ground by Colorado standards. You are 11 miles from Buena Vista. Leadville lies 27 miles off, Leadville North another 27 miles. There is no boundary nearby to worry about.

• Where to Fish on Kroenke Lake

  No depth figure appears in our records, so the bank has to tell you. Draw-down through summer strips the margins, so follow the water out. The arms fish better than the open middle whenever the water is up. Chaffee County records list brown trout, rainbow trout, black-spotted cutthroat trout and brook trout among the fish reported. At least one recorded species is protected in parts of its range; read the local rules before targeting anything. Kroenke Lake fishes better once you know its edges.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warmest month averages 50°F, the coldest about 11°F. Winter puts a hard lid on this one. Break-up comes around early June, and the run that follows is short and strong. The open-water window runs from around early June to about early November in an average year. The open run goes from the thaw to the freeze, and April through October covers most of it. Plan around that when you fish Kroenke Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. Nothing formal is recorded here: no ramp, no car park, no marked path. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Where access is informal, keep it that way by behaving. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. Should this one be busy, Lake Rebecca is 2.6 miles off. Check the position at Kroenke Lake before loading the car.