Silver King Lake Fishing near Buena Vista, Colorado

• Overview

  Silver King Lake is set in Chaffee County, Colorado. This is mixed forest country. About 8 acres of surface, which puts the far bank inside easy sight. It sits higher than most water we list in Colorado. Buena Vista sits 14 miles from the bank. Leadville is 24 miles and Leadville North 24 miles. No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on Silver King Lake

  The records we hold are silent on depth, so plan to find it yourself. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Chaffee County records list brown trout, rainbow trout, black-spotted cutthroat trout and brook trout among the fish reported. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. At Silver King Lake the water rewards a slow, careful approach.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July runs about 50°F on average, January about 11°F. Fishing here follows the temperature more than the calendar. Ice fishing carries the winter, and the water opens about early June. Expect the water usable from around early June until roughly early November. Late spring and early autumn carry the year between them. It holds true on Silver King Lake more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. Public data shows nothing built here, so treat the whole approach as informal. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. A landowner's word beats anything printed elsewhere. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. Pear Lake at 1 mile is the sensible second choice. For Silver King Lake in particular, ask before you travel.