Lake Hope near Mountain Village: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  Set in San Miguel County, Lake Hope is a Colorado water. The surface lies 11,811 feet up. Around 35 acres of surface means several distinct areas to work. It is among the larger waters listed here for San Miguel County. Mountain Village lies 10 miles from the water. Pueblo sits 180 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. It sits well inside its county, with no border complications.

• Where to Fish on Lake Hope

  We hold no survey for this water; read the slope of the shoreline instead. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Survey and observation records for San Miguel County include rainbow trout, black-spotted cutthroat trout and brown trout. The county list is broader than any single water. At Lake Hope the water rewards a slow, careful approach.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July near 52°F and January near 15°F on the long-run figures. A solid cap is the normal state through winter. Count on hard cover from midwinter, and open water from late May. Break-up near late May, freeze-up near mid November: that is the shape of an average year. From the thaw to midsummer the fishing improves week by week. The season on Lake Hope rarely departs from it.

• Tackle & Baits

  Ownership and access are not documented in what we hold. Nothing in the way of made access shows up nearby: no ramp, no car park, no path. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Parking is often the real limit rather than the bank itself. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. Should this one be busy, Fuller Lake is 2.3 miles off. For Lake Hope, the notice at the access point is the final word.