Lake Solitude Fishing in Grand County, Colorado

• Overview

  Lake Solitude lies in Grand County, in Colorado. Height above sea level is 9,764 feet. At 3 acres it is the sort of place you fish for an evening rather than a day. On size it sits at the modest end of our Grand County list. Estes Park lies 13 miles from the water. Granby is 17 miles and Fraser 23 miles. The nearest edge is a long way off, so local rules apply throughout.

• Where to Fish on Lake Solitude

  Depth figures are not published for this one. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. County-wide records name black-spotted cutthroat trout, brook trout, rainbow trout and brown trout. Several of these carry legal protection or closed seasons; the rulebook comes before the rod. The near bank of Lake Solitude is often the one people ignore.

• Seasonal Patterns

  On the long-term average, July reads 51°F and January reads 17°F. Cold winters and warm summers give a wide working range. Once it clears, about late May, the fishing comes on quickly. The season between ice runs from about late May to early November. The strong weeks are the first after break-up and the last before the freeze. It sets the rhythm of the year at Lake Solitude.

• Tackle & Baits

  The access position is unclear from public sources. A campsite is mapped about half a mile away, which makes an early start easier. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Sort the permit out before you load the car. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. Lake Nanita, 0.8 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. Rules at Lake Solitude are worth checking on the day.