Lower Turquoise Lake in Eagle County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  The Eagle County end of Colorado holds Lower Turquoise Lake. It lies 11,109 feet above sea level. Surface area runs to about 5 acres — small enough to read in one session. Some 7.2 miles away sits Minturn, the nearest settlement. Avon is 8.1 miles away, with Edwards at 9.7 miles. It sits well inside its county, with no border complications.

• Where to Fish on Lower Turquoise Lake

  Nothing we hold settles how deep this runs. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Eagle County records list brook trout, brown trout, rainbow trout and cutthroat trout among the fish reported. The list covers the county rather than this water alone, so treat it as a guide. The near bank of Lower Turquoise Lake is often the one people ignore.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warmest month averages 53°F, the coldest about 16°F. A full turn of seasons, with the strongest sport on either side of summer. Expect a solid lid for months and a thaw around late May. On the long-run averages the water opens up around late May and starts locking again about early November. Fishing peaks soon after break-up and again before the cold returns. The season on Lower Turquoise Lake rarely departs from it.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. Public data shows nothing built here, so treat the whole approach as informal. 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. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. The nearest alternative is Upper Turquoise Lake, 0.4 miles out. What applies at Lower Turquoise Lake may have changed since it was mapped.