Lake Erie, Colorado: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Lake Erie is a Larimer County water, Colorado side. It lies 8,586 feet above sea level. Small at around 20 acres: two anglers spread out cover most of it. Laporte sits 29 miles from here and is the nearest stop. Further out sit Estes Park (31 miles) and Fort Collins (33 miles). This one is safely inside the county line. Ground round the water is mixed, open in parts and thick in others.

• Where to Fish on Lake Erie

  There is no published depth for this one, so start shallow and work out. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Survey and observation records for Larimer County include black-spotted cutthroat trout, brook trout, white sucker, rainbow trout and brown trout. Take it as the county picture rather than a promise for this water. The shape of Lake Erie rewards a slow walk along one bank.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-run averages give July about 57°F and February about 24°F. A solid cap is the normal state through winter. Count the season from break-up, usually early May. Going by climate averages, expect open water from about early May until roughly late November. Reckon on open water from spring through to late autumn, with May and June the strongest. Anyone fishing Lake Erie regularly works to that calendar.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. Nothing is listed nearby for parking or launching a boat. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Gates get locked out of season on water like this. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. The nearest alternative is Shagwa Lake, 1.6 miles out. Ask locally about Lake Erie if anything is unclear.