Lake of the Clouds Fishing Guide, Jackson County, Colorado

• Overview

  Lake of the Clouds lies within the bounds of Jackson County, Colorado. The bank is 11,450 feet above sea level. About 12 acres of surface, which puts the far bank inside easy sight. It sits higher than most water we list in Colorado. Estes Park is the closest place, 20 miles off. For a city, Boulder is 43 miles off. A county line runs close by, so local bylaws can differ within a short drive.

• Where to Fish on Lake of the Clouds

  Our records hold no depth for this water. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Fish documented in Jackson County include brown trout, brook trout and rainbow trout. County records show the wider picture rather than this one place. On Lake of the Clouds the first feature you find is usually worth a session.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-run averages give July about 50°F and January about 16°F. Spring and autumn carry the fishing; summer and winter test it. Ice-out usually falls in late May, and the weeks after it fish hardest. On the long-run averages the water opens up around late May and starts locking again about early November. The weeks after the thaw and the ones before the freeze are the strongest. It holds true on Lake of the Clouds more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  We have no record of the rules that apply on this bank. Overnight stays are possible about half a mile out, where camping is mapped. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Parking is often the real limit rather than the bank itself. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. Pinnacle Pool sits 0.9 miles off and takes the overflow. Signs at Lake of the Clouds carry more weight than any list.