Little Molas Lake Fishing near Telluride, Colorado

• Overview

  This water sits in San Juan County, Colorado. This is lake country bush ground. Small at around 10 acres: two anglers spread out cover most of it. Nearest town is Telluride, 15 miles off. The nearest city of size is Pueblo, 172 miles away. Not far off: Andrews Lake the better part of 1 mile, Molas Lake just 1.4 miles, Crater Lake the better part of 4.7 miles, Silver Lake just 6.5 miles and Arrow Lake the better part of 6.5 miles. This one is safely inside the county line.

• Where to Fish on Little Molas Lake

  There is no published depth for this one, so start shallow and work out. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Fish documented in San Juan County include black-spotted cutthroat trout, rainbow trout, brook trout and cutthroat trout. The county figures include rivers and lakes alike. Read Little Molas Lake before you fish it and the day goes better.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate normals give 53°F for July and 15°F for January. The freeze arrives properly here and holds. Hard water holds through the cold months, breaking up near late May. Break-up sits around late May on average, with the water closing again about mid November. June through September is the settled part of the year, with the shoulders busier for fish. Little Molas Lake runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. You can park half a mile away and walk in from there. Overnight stays are possible about half a mile out, where camping is mapped. There are toilets mapped about half a mile away. Where a permit is needed, the nearest town usually sells it. A polite question at the farm gate opens more banks than anything else. The nearest alternative is Andrews Lake, 1 mile out. Nothing on Little Molas Lake should be assumed from this page alone.