Fishing at Long Lake, Routt County, Colorado

• Overview

  Long Lake lies in Routt County, in Colorado. It stands 9,879 feet above sea level. The water covers some 34 acres, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. A shoreline of some 1.3 miles keeps the choices simple. It ranks high for size among our Routt County listings. Steamboat Springs sits 7.6 miles from here and is the nearest stop. It is 81 miles to Boulder, the nearest city. It sits well inside its county, with no border complications.

• Where to Fish on Long Lake

  We hold no survey for this water; read the slope of the shoreline instead. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Routt County records list brook trout, cutthroat trout, rainbow trout and mountain whitefish among the fish reported. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. On Long Lake the first feature you find is usually worth a session.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July near 54°F and January near 18°F on the long-run figures. The year runs cold to warm and back, with clear transitions. The lid usually sets by midwinter and gives way around mid May. The open-water window runs from around mid May to about mid November in an average year. From the thaw to midsummer the fishing improves week by week. Plan any trip to Long Lake around it.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing we hold confirms whether access is permitted. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. No launch point is recorded nearby, so this is a bank water unless you carry a boat in. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Take the rules with you rather than trusting memory. Close seasons apply to some species and not others. The nearest alternative is Fish Creek Reservoir, 1.6 miles out. Where Long Lake is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.