Slide Lake Fishing Guide, Rio Blanco County, Colorado

• Overview

  Slide Lake is set in Rio Blanco County, Colorado. It sits at 8,658 feet above sea level. This is a pocket water of some 4 acres, and every part of it is reachable from the bank. Head to Meeker, 27 miles away, for anything you forgot. Then New Castle, 28 miles, and Glenwood Springs, 29 miles. It sits well inside the county, so one set of rules covers it.

• Where to Fish on Slide Lake

  Depth went unrecorded, which puts the reading back on you. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Rio Blanco County records list flannelmouth sucker, cutthroat trout, rainbow trout and bluehead sucker among the fish reported. County records show what lives in the area; the local agency holds the water-by-water list. Work Slide Lake in sections rather than trying to cover it.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warmest month averages 54°F, the coldest about 16°F. A full turn of seasons, with the strongest sport on either side of summer. Expect a solid lid for months and a thaw around late May. In an average year the thaw lands around late May and the freeze near mid November. Early summer and early autumn carry the open-water season. At Slide Lake the season follows that pattern closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access is not recorded for this water. No made access is recorded, so a short walk in is the likely arrangement. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Look for a notice board at the entrance. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. Should this one be busy, Pine Isle Lake is 1.7 miles off. For Slide Lake in particular, ask before you travel.