Fishing Lower Tule Lake in Arapahoe County, Colorado

• Overview

  Lower Tule Lake stands in Arapahoe County, Colorado. The surroundings are rolling hill. It covers about 13 acres, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. Start from Columbine Valley, 1.1 miles down the road. After that come Littleton at 1.5 miles and Columbine at 2.2 miles. Two sets of local rules meet not far from this water.

• Where to Fish on Lower Tule Lake

  Depth here is unknown, so count the lead down before committing. Built water gives depth close in, which suits a bank angler. A reservoir gives you a hard edge, a shelf, and not much else. Survey and observation records for Arapahoe County include common carp, white sucker, walleye, green sunfish and bluegill. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. The shape of Lower Tule Lake rewards a slow walk along one bank.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate normals give 73°F for July and 31°F for January. In milder years the surface never sets. In a normal year the cover is thin and short-lived. Autumn steadies things again once the heat lets go. At Lower Tule Lake the season follows that pattern closely. Autumn cools the shallows first, so work deeper as it goes on.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. A made slipway is half a mile from here, which settles the boat question. A marina sits half a mile off, so fuel and a proper ramp are close. There is a car park half a mile from the bank. A pier 110 yards from here gives a platform over deeper water. Where access is informal, keep it that way by behaving. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. Upper Tule Lake sits 0.3 miles off and takes the overflow. Confirm access to Lower Tule Lake locally before you travel.