Fishing at Tabor Lake, Jefferson County, Colorado

• Overview

  Tabor Lake lies in Jefferson County, in Colorado. It sits in mixed woodland country. Roughly 25 acres: a morning covers one end, an afternoon the other. Applewood sits 2 miles from here and is the nearest stop. The big place round here is Arvada, 3.1 miles distant. You are close to a county edge here; who manages the access can change within a short drive.

• Where to Fish on Tabor Lake

  Depth remains unrecorded, so treat the first session as a survey. Rip-rap along the wall holds fish that the open bank never does. Inflow corners move water, and moving water gathers fish. Survey and observation records for Jefferson County include rainbow trout, brown trout and common carp. County data is a starting point rather than a guarantee. On Tabor Lake the obvious spot is not always the productive one.

• Seasonal Patterns

  On the long-term average, July reads 72°F and January reads 31°F. The swings are modest, so patterns change slowly. It should never be assumed safe, whatever the month says. Late winter often fishes better here than midsummer does. The season on Tabor Lake rarely departs from it.

• Tackle & Baits

  No public source sets out the position on this bank. A parking area is marked roughly half a mile out. There is a jetty half a mile off, worth knowing on a busy day. Public toilets are recorded roughly half a mile off. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Take the rules with you rather than trusting memory. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. West Lake, 0.3 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. The position on Tabor Lake is worth confirming on the day.