Fishing at Machin Lake, Mineral County, Colorado

• Overview

  Look for Machin Lake in Mineral County, Colorado. The surface lies 12,493 feet up. At roughly 20 acres, the whole thing is within casting reach of a single walk. Compared with other Colorado water on our list, it sits high. Nearest town is Del Norte, 32 miles off. The nearest city of size is Pueblo, 124 miles away. The nearest boundary is a fair way off.

• Where to Fish on Machin Lake

  Our records carry no depth, so judge it from the bank. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Reported across Mineral County: brook trout, black-spotted cutthroat trout and brown trout. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. On Machin Lake the first feature you find is usually worth a session.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warmest month averages 49°F, the coldest about 12°F. Expect a real winter and a strong spring after it. Expect a solid lid for months and a thaw around early June. Climate figures give an open season running early June to early November. The open run goes from the thaw to the freeze, and April through October covers most of it. That shapes the year on Machin Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. Nothing is listed nearby for parking or launching a boat. 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. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. Failing this one, try Benito Lake, 1.9 miles away. Treat Machin Lake as unsettled until someone local tells you otherwise.