Piney Lake, Colorado: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  In Colorado, Piney Lake belongs to Eagle County. Rolling bush runs right down to the water. Surface area is around 34 acres, which gives you real water without needing a boat. Size puts it in the front rank of our Eagle County list. Some 5.7 miles away sits Vail, the nearest settlement. Boulder sits 63 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Piney Lake

  No published figure covers depth, so learn it as you fish. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Reported across Eagle County: brook trout, brown trout and rainbow trout. The county list is broader than any single water. The shape of Piney Lake decides where the fish sit.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Average temperature peaks around 53°F in July and bottoms out near 17°F in January. Four clear seasons, with a proper winter at one end. Hard cover is dependable here; it goes around mid May. Going by climate averages, expect open water from about mid May until roughly mid November. Late spring and early autumn carry the year between them. At Piney Lake the season follows that pattern closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  No public source sets out the position on this bank. The nearest mapped parking is half a mile away, so the last stretch is on foot. Mapping shows a campsite some half a mile from the water. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Rules for this water may differ from the county norm. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. Lost Lake, 0.6 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. Check the position at Piney Lake before loading the car.