Fishing at Sopris Lake, Eagle County, Colorado

• Overview

  Sopris Lake is an Eagle County water, in Colorado. The country here is pine and birch. The water measures roughly 7 acres, so nothing here is far from anything else. The nearest place of any size is Leadville North, 13 miles away. Leadville lies 14 miles off, Minturn another 15 miles. It sits well inside the county, so one set of rules covers it.

• Where to Fish on Sopris Lake

  We hold no survey for this water; read the slope of the shoreline instead. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Open biodiversity records for Eagle County list brook trout, brown trout, rainbow trout and cutthroat trout. Species recorded across the county may be limited to a few waters. At Sopris Lake light and wind decide more than tackle does.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Typical July readings run about 51°F; by January the average is down near 15°F. Winter shuts things down for a spell, then spring reopens them fast. Break-up comes around late May, and the run that follows is short and strong. On average, late May opens the water and early November closes it again. Right after break-up, and again as the nights sharpen, is when to go. Sopris Lake runs to its own calendar within the local pattern.

• Tackle & Baits

  No public source sets out the position on this bank. Nothing in the way of made access shows up nearby: no ramp, no car park, no path. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Some banks are open only from a marked point. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. The nearest alternative is Brady Lake, 0.2 miles out. For Sopris Lake, the notice at the access point is the final word.