Fishing at San Isabel Lake, Custer County, Colorado

• Overview

  In Colorado, San Isabel Lake belongs to Custer County. Country round the bank runs to rolling bush. This is a pocket water of some 6 acres, and every part of it is reachable from the bank. Most waters listed here for Custer County are larger. Center lies 33 miles from the water. After that come Cañon City at 34 miles and Lincoln Park at 34 miles. Being near a boundary, it pays to know which side you are fishing.

• Where to Fish on San Isabel Lake

  The records we hold are silent on depth, so plan to find it yourself. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Records held for Custer County cover rainbow trout, brook trout, brown trout and black-spotted cutthroat trout. Those are county-wide records, so not every one of them will be in this water. Anyone new to San Isabel Lake should walk it once before setting up.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July near 50°F and January near 14°F on the long-run figures. The middle months are generous; the ends are demanding. Ice-out usually falls in late May, and the weeks after it fish hardest. The season between ice runs from about late May to early November. The shoulder weeks of the open season are the productive ones. It holds true on San Isabel Lake more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public sources are silent on who controls the bank. Access points are not mapped for this water, which suits people who like quiet. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Local rules can differ across the county line, so check where you stand. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. Rito Alto Lake, 1.2 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. For San Isabel Lake, the notice at the access point is the final word.