Red Feather Lake in Larimer County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  You will find Red Feather Lake in Larimer County, Colorado. The bank is 8,337 feet above sea level. At roughly 10 acres, the whole thing is within casting reach of a single walk. Laporte at 26 miles is the nearest place to stop. Beyond it, Estes Park at 29 miles and Fort Collins at 30 miles. Rules here are straightforward: one county, one set of rules.

• Where to Fish on Red Feather Lake

  No figure exists for depth, so let the water show you. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Larimer County records list black-spotted cutthroat trout, brook trout, white sucker and rainbow trout among the fish reported. County data is a starting point rather than a guarantee. Red Feather Lake responds to conditions more than to tactics.

• Seasonal Patterns

  On the long-term average, July reads 57°F and February reads 24°F. The season turns properly here, and fish follow it closely. Look for the thaw near early May; the fishing lifts straight after. Ice clears near early May and comes back about late November in a typical year. The open run goes from the thaw to the freeze, and April through October covers most of it. Red Feather Lake runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. There is a car park half a mile from the bank. A jetty or pier is mapped about 120 yards from here. There is a campsite half a mile from the water. Toilets show in mapping about half a mile away. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Bank access can be seasonal on ground like this. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. Failing this one, try Lake Ramona, 0.2 miles away. Signs at Red Feather Lake carry more weight than any list.