McGinnis Lake, Colorado: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Routt County in Colorado is where McGinnis Lake sits. This is pine and birch ground. Surface area runs to about 23 acres — small enough to read in one session. Head to Gypsum, 30 miles away, for anything you forgot. Hayden lies 32 miles off, Eagle another 33 miles. The nearest boundary is well away, so one set of rules covers the water.

• Where to Fish on McGinnis Lake

  No published figure covers depth, so learn it as you fish. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Reported across Routt County: brook trout, cutthroat trout, rainbow trout, mountain whitefish and mountain sucker. The list covers the county rather than this water alone, so treat it as a guide. Treat McGinnis Lake as a water to read rather than to cover.

• Seasonal Patterns

  In an average year July sits at 53°F and January at 16°F. Winter puts a hard lid on this one. The freeze runs deep into the year, with break-up near late May. The season between ice runs from about late May to early November. May into June fishes hardest, and September gives a second good stretch before the lid returns. On McGinnis Lake that shapes the whole year.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. No made access is recorded, so a short walk in is the likely arrangement. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Read any posted signs at the access point rather than assuming. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. Failing this one, try Skinny Fish Lake, 0.6 miles away. Check the position at McGinnis Lake before loading the car.