Fishing Tourmaline Lake in Larimer County, Colorado

• Overview

  Tourmaline Lake is a Larimer County water, in Colorado. This is pine and birch ground. On water this small, stealth matters more than range. Our Larimer County list holds plenty of bigger water. For a base, Estes Park sits 9.6 miles out. The nearest city of size is Boulder, 31 miles away. Round about: Odessa Lake at 0.4 miles, Loomis Lake after 0.4 miles, Spruce Lake at 0.8 miles, Lake Helene after 0.9 miles and Two Rivers Lake at 0.9 miles. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Tourmaline Lake

  There is no published depth for this one, so start shallow and work out. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. County-wide records name black-spotted cutthroat trout, brook trout, white sucker and rainbow trout. County data is a starting point rather than a guarantee. On Tourmaline Lake a short move beats a long cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July runs about 51°F on average, January about 17°F. The year splits cleanly: hard water, then open water. Once it clears, about late May, the fishing comes on quickly. Average temperatures cross freezing around late May in spring and again near early November in autumn. The first weeks of open water and the last are the ones to plan for. Time your trip to Tourmaline Lake by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  No access rule appears in what we hold. Overnight stays are possible half a mile away. Public toilets are recorded roughly 0.9 miles off. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Sort the permit out before you load the car. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. Odessa Lake, 0.4 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. The position on Tourmaline Lake is worth confirming on the day.