Ptarmigan Lake Fishing in Gunnison County, Colorado

• Overview

  Ptarmigan Lake is listed under Gunnison County, Colorado. Elevation runs to 12,146 feet. At roughly 10 acres, the whole thing is within casting reach of a single walk. By elevation it is in the upper part of our Colorado listings. The nearest town is Buena Vista, 14 miles away. After that come Salida at 27 miles and Leadville at 33 miles. The boundary is close enough to be worth checking before you fish.

• Where to Fish on Ptarmigan Lake

  No published figure covers depth, so learn it as you fish. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Open biodiversity records for Gunnison County list rainbow trout, brown trout and brook trout. Species recorded across the county may be limited to a few waters. Ptarmigan Lake responds to conditions more than to tactics.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate records put July near 50°F and January near 12°F. The year runs cold to warm and back, with clear transitions. The freeze runs deep into the year, with break-up near early June. Averages suggest open water from about early June through to roughly early November. The shoulder weeks of the open season are the productive ones. It holds true on Ptarmigan Lake more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  No public source sets out the position on this bank. A carry of half a mile from the nearest parking is the price of fishing here. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Read any posted signs at the access point rather than assuming. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. Spout Lake, 1.6 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. Check the position at Ptarmigan Lake before loading the car.