Swanson Lake Fishing in Montrose County, Colorado

• Overview

  Montrose County in Colorado is where Swanson Lake sits. Everything around it is pine and birch. About 11 acres of surface, which puts the far bank inside easy sight. Montrose lies 25 miles from the water. Colorado Springs sits 146 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Swanson Lake

  Depth is unmeasured here, so let the shoreline guide you. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Montrose County records list rainbow trout, flannelmouth sucker, brown trout and white sucker among the fish reported. Those are county-wide records, so not every one of them will be in this water. On Swanson Lake that means starting tight and working out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The range across the year is 15°F to 61°F. Four clear seasons, with a proper winter at one end. The lid usually goes in mid April, which opens the strongest weeks of the year. Break-up sits around mid April on average, with the water closing again about late November. Early summer and early autumn carry the open-water season. Plan any trip to Swanson Lake around it.

• Tackle & Baits

  We hold no note on access for this one. No built facilities appear in mapping around this water. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. State or provincial rules still apply whatever the bank status. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. Fitzpatrick Reservoir, 0.8 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. Nothing on Swanson Lake should be assumed from this page alone.