Upper Sand Creek Lake, Colorado: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Upper Sand Creek Lake lies within the bounds of Saguache County, Colorado. The water sits 11,755 feet up. The water covers some 25 acres, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. By elevation it is in the upper part of our Colorado listings. Center lies 34 miles from the water. Pueblo is the closest city, 55 miles away. No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on Upper Sand Creek Lake

  Our records hold no depth for this water. Held water runs deepest at the wall and shallows back to the inflow. Built water gives depth close in, which suits a bank angler. Species logged across Saguache County include brown trout, white sucker, brook trout, black-spotted cutthroat trout and cutthroat trout. Species recorded across the county may be limited to a few waters. Upper Sand Creek Lake responds to conditions more than to tactics.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July runs about 50°F on average, January about 15°F. The freeze arrives properly here and holds. Ice fishing carries the winter, and the water opens about late May. In an average year the thaw lands around late May and the freeze near early November. Reckon on open water from spring through to late autumn, with May and June the strongest. It sets the rhythm of the year at Upper Sand Creek Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  We hold no note on access for this one. Mapping shows no built access close by; expect to walk in from wherever you can leave the car. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Check whether a boat is allowed before you tow one. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. For a change of water, Lower Sand Creek Lake is 0.8 miles distant. Where Upper Sand Creek Lake is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.