Long Lake in Grand County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  This water sits in Grand County, Colorado. The water sits 9,931 feet up. Small at around 6 acres: two anglers spread out cover most of it. For supplies, Granby is 13 miles out. It is 25 miles to Boulder, the nearest city. Near neighbours include: Crawford Lake sits 0.4 miles out, Round Lake at about 1.4 miles, Stone Lake sits 1.7 miles out, Gourd Lake at about 2.1 miles and Upper Lake sits 2.1 miles out. It sits well inside the county, so one set of rules covers it.

• Where to Fish on Long Lake

  Depth figures are not published for this one. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Records held for Grand County cover black-spotted cutthroat trout, brook trout, rainbow trout, brown trout and cutthroat trout. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. On Long Lake that means starting tight and working out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  In an average year July sits at 53°F and January at 17°F. Winter puts a hard lid on this one. Ice fishing carries the winter, and the water opens about mid May. The water is typically free of ice between mid May and early November. The shoulder weeks of the open season are the productive ones. It holds true on Long Lake more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. Access points are not mapped for this water, which suits people who like quiet. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Where the road in crosses private land, ask first. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. Crawford Lake sits 0.4 miles off and takes the overflow. For Long Lake, the notice at the access point is the final word.