Fishing at Mormon Lake, Pitkin County, Colorado

• Overview

  You will find Mormon Lake in Pitkin County, Colorado. The water sits 11,496 feet up. Small at around 9 acres: two anglers spread out cover most of it. It is high ground by Colorado standards. For supplies, Leadville North is 12 miles out. Further out sit Leadville (13 miles) and Minturn (18 miles). Rules can differ a short way off, since the county line is near.

• Where to Fish on Mormon Lake

  No figure exists for depth, so let the water show you. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. County-wide records name cutthroat trout, brook trout, rainbow trout, black-spotted cutthroat trout and brown trout. Take it as the county picture rather than a promise for this water. Fish Mormon Lake where the bottom changes rather than where it looks deep.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Seasonal averages run from 14°F in January up to 52°F in July. A full turn of seasons, with the strongest sport on either side of summer. Once it clears, about late May, the fishing comes on quickly. Going by climate averages, expect open water from about late May until roughly early November. Just after the ice goes and just before it returns, the fishing lifts. The season on Mormon Lake follows the weather closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Our records carry no access rule either way. No car park, ramp or path is recorded within easy reach of the shore. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Rules differ from one water to the next round here. A polite question at the farm gate opens more banks than anything else. The nearest alternative is Upper Homestake Lake, 0.9 miles out. Nothing on Mormon Lake should be assumed from this page alone.