Twin Lakes in San Juan County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Twin Lakes is a San Juan County water, in Colorado. It stands 11,804 feet above sea level. At roughly 16 acres, the whole thing is within casting reach of a single walk. Compared with other Colorado water on our list, it sits high. The town to know is Telluride, 28 miles out. It is 161 miles to Pueblo, the nearest city. This one is safely inside the county line.

• Where to Fish on Twin Lakes

  Depth remains unrecorded, so treat the first session as a survey. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Open biodiversity records for San Juan County list black-spotted cutthroat trout, rainbow trout, brook trout, cutthroat trout and white sucker. The list covers the county rather than this water alone, so treat it as a guide. On Twin Lakes the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Average temperature peaks around 50°F in July and bottoms out near 13°F in January. Hard water is a season in its own right here. The open season starts with the thaw, near enough early June. Climate figures give an open season running early June to early November. The strongest runs come at either end of the open season. That shapes the year on Twin Lakes.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. There is no recorded infrastructure here; expect to find your own way in. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Ask in the nearest town if you are unsure. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. The nearest alternative is Ute Lake, 1.1 miles out. Where Twin Lakes is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.