Ruby Lake Fishing Guide, San Juan County, Colorado

• Overview

  Ruby Lake is set in San Juan County, Colorado. It sits in mixed forest country. Small at around 9 acres: two anglers spread out cover most of it. It sits higher than most water we list in Colorado. Durango lies 24 miles from the water. For a city, Pueblo is 173 miles off. Being near a boundary, it pays to know which side you are fishing.

• Where to Fish on Ruby Lake

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Reported across San Juan County: black-spotted cutthroat trout, rainbow trout and brook trout. Those are county-wide records, so not every one of them will be in this water. Ruby Lake gives up more to patience than to distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 53°F at the top of summer and 17°F at the bottom of winter. The year runs cold to warm and back, with clear transitions. Look for the thaw near late May; the fishing lifts straight after. Going by climate averages, expect open water from about late May until roughly mid November. The open run goes from the thaw to the freeze, and April through October covers most of it. It holds true on Ruby Lake more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  We hold no note on access for this one. Nothing is mapped in the way of a ramp or car park within a short radius. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Where access is informal, keep it that way by behaving. A polite question at the farm gate opens more banks than anything else. The nearest alternative is Pear Lake, 0.7 miles out. Treat Ruby Lake as unsettled until someone local tells you otherwise.