Fishing Seventh Lake in Rio Blanco County, Colorado

• Overview

  Rio Blanco County in Colorado is where Seventh Lake sits. The country here is rolling bush. Small at around 4 acres: two anglers spread out cover most of it. Supplies mean a trip to Meeker, 16 miles off. Then New Castle, 24 miles, and Silt, 25 miles. If this one is busy: Beaver Lake Reservoir 0.1 miles, Stump Lake the better part of 0.5 miles, Cabin Lake 0.6 miles, Shadow Lake the better part of 0.6 miles and Gilley Lake 0.7 miles. It sits well inside its county, with no border complications.

• Where to Fish on Seventh Lake

  No chart reached our records; the first cast is your sounding. The arms fish better than the open middle whenever the water is up. The old creek line under the surface is the feature worth finding. Rio Blanco County records list flannelmouth sucker, cutthroat trout, rainbow trout and bluehead sucker among the fish reported. Records at county level tell you what is around, not what is stocked here. Seventh Lake gives up more to patience than to distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 58°F at the top of summer and 20°F at the bottom of winter. The season turns properly here, and fish follow it closely. Break-up comes around early May, and the run that follows is short and strong. Break-up sits around early May on average, with the water closing again about late November. Late spring and early autumn carry the year between them. Time your trip to Seventh Lake by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access is not recorded for this water. Access is unmapped, which usually means a farm track and a walk. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Season dates differ by species, so read the table. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. Should this one be busy, Beaver Lake Reservoir is 0.1 miles off. For Seventh Lake in particular, ask before you travel.