Twin Lake in Jackson County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Colorado holds Twin Lake, in Jackson County. The setting is lake country bush. Head to Steamboat Springs, 25 miles away, for anything you forgot. After that come Hayden at 40 miles and Saratoga at 45 miles. Others close at hand: Ute Lake lies 0.7 miles on, Blue Lake roughly 0.9 miles, Peggy Lake lies 1.4 miles on, Gilpin Lake roughly 3 miles and Gold Creek Lake lies 3.9 miles on. The boundary is close enough to be worth checking before you fish.

• Where to Fish on Twin Lake

  No figure exists for depth, so let the water show you. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Jackson County records list brown trout, brook trout, rainbow trout and Arctic grayling among the fish reported. These are county-wide records, so not all of them will be in this water. On Twin Lake the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The seasonal spread runs 18°F to 52°F. Fishing here follows the temperature more than the calendar. Break-up comes around late May, and the run that follows is short and strong. The open-water window runs from around late May to about early November in an average year. The open run goes from the thaw to the freeze, and April through October covers most of it. Expect Twin Lake to follow that timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing we hold confirms whether access is permitted. Access points are not mapped for this water, which suits people who like quiet. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Look for a notice board at the entrance. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. For a change of water, Ute Lake is 0.7 miles distant. Ask locally about Twin Lake if anything is unclear.