Little Crystal Lake, Colorado: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Little Crystal Lake is a Larimer County water, Colorado side. It sits in mixed forest country. The water measures roughly 3 acres, so nothing here is far from anything else. On size it sits at the modest end of our Larimer County list. Start from Estes Park, 9.3 miles down the road. Fort Collins sits 30 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. The nearest boundary is well away, so one set of rules covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Little Crystal Lake

  Nothing we hold settles how deep this runs. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Across Larimer County, recorded fish include black-spotted cutthroat trout, brook trout, white sucker and rainbow trout. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. The shape of Little Crystal Lake rewards a slow walk along one bank.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The year swings from about 19°F in February to roughly 51°F in July. The season turns properly here, and fish follow it closely. Ice is part of the season here, ending near late May. Average temperatures cross freezing around late May in spring and again near early November in autumn. Right after break-up, and again as the nights sharpen, is when to go. At Little Crystal Lake the season follows that pattern closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  We have no record of the rules that apply on this bank. There is no mapped parking or launch close by, which usually means walking in. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Ask in the nearest town if you are unsure. A polite question at the farm gate opens more banks than anything else. Failing this one, try Crystal Lake, 0.2 miles away. Ask locally about Little Crystal Lake if anything is unclear.