Fishing Pearl Lake in Routt County, Colorado

• Overview

  In Colorado, Pearl Lake falls inside Routt County. It sits in lake country bush. With some 161 acres of water, there is room for a boat but no need of one. About 2.7 miles of bank, so nothing stays unexplored for long. On our Routt County list it sits near the top for size. The nearest place of any size is Steamboat Springs, 21 miles away. Hayden follows at 28 miles, then Craig at 39 miles. No boundary runs near, so the county rules hold throughout.

• Where to Fish on Pearl Lake

  Depth is not on record here, which means reading the ground instead. Held water runs deepest at the wall and shallows back to the inflow. Standing timber shows when the level drops, and fish sit against it. Open biodiversity records for Routt County list brook trout, cutthroat trout and rainbow trout. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. Work Pearl Lake in sections rather than trying to cover it.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July is the warm end of the year here, averaging about 57°F, while January sits near 18°F. Winter shuts the surface down for months. Winter locks it down, and early May brings it back. Going by climate averages, expect open water from about early May until roughly mid November. The strong weeks are the first after break-up and the last before the freeze. Pearl Lake fishes to that pattern most years.

• Tackle & Baits

  We hold no note on access for this one. A boat ramp sits about half a mile from the water. A parking area is marked roughly half a mile out. Facilities run to toilets half a mile from the water. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Check locally before you travel, because a wasted drive is a long one. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. The nearest alternative is Steamboat Lake, 3.2 miles out. Check the position on Pearl Lake before loading the car.