Stump Lake in Rio Blanco County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Stump Lake lies in Rio Blanco County, in Colorado. The surface lies 8,327 feet up. You can fish the entire water from one spot if you pick it well. It is a small entry by Rio Blanco County standards. Meeker at 17 miles is the nearest place to stop. Boulder sits 126 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. One jurisdiction covers this water end to end.

• Where to Fish on Stump Lake

  The records we hold are silent on depth, so plan to find it yourself. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. County-wide records name flannelmouth sucker, cutthroat trout, rainbow trout and bluehead sucker. County records show the wider picture rather than this one place. Treat Stump Lake as a water to read rather than to cover.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The range across the year is 20°F to 58°F. A solid cap is the normal state through winter. Look for the thaw near early May; the fishing lifts straight after. Expect the water usable from around early May until roughly late November. Fish feed hardest at the start and the close of the open season. Stump Lake fishes to that pattern most years.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. Formal access is not mapped, so the last stretch is likely on foot. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Season dates differ by species, so read the table. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. The nearest alternative is Gilley Lake, 0.2 miles out. Check the position on Stump Lake before loading the car.