Pear Lake in San Juan County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Pear Lake is one of the San Juan County waters in Colorado. The land about it is lake country bush. The water measures roughly 8 acres, so nothing here is far from anything else. By elevation it is in the upper part of our Colorado listings. Nearest place of any size is Durango, 24 miles away. Pueblo is the closest city, 173 miles away. Rules can differ a short way off, since the county line is near.

• Where to Fish on Pear Lake

  There is no published depth for this one, so start shallow and work out. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Reported across San Juan County: black-spotted cutthroat trout, rainbow trout, brook trout, cutthroat trout and white sucker. The list covers the county rather than this water alone, so treat it as a guide. On Pear Lake the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort.

• Seasonal Patterns

  On the long-term average, July reads 54°F and January reads 18°F. Four clear seasons, with a proper winter at one end. The lid arrives early and lasts until roughly mid May. Break-up sits around mid May on average, with the water closing again about mid November. June through September is the settled part of the year, with the shoulders busier for fish. Pear Lake fishes to that pattern most years.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. Public mapping records no formal access here, so plan for a walk and soft ground. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Where the road in crosses private land, ask first. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. Emerald Lake at 0.4 miles is the sensible second choice. Check the position at Pear Lake before loading the car.