Upper Slate Lake, Colorado: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  In Colorado, Upper Slate Lake falls inside Summit County. The setting is pine and birch. The water covers some 27 acres, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. 9.1 miles away sits Vail, the nearest town. Boulder sits 56 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. Being near a boundary, it pays to know which side you are fishing.

• Where to Fish on Upper Slate Lake

  Depth here is unknown, so count the lead down before committing. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Summit County records list brook trout, rainbow trout, brown trout and black-spotted cutthroat trout among the fish reported. At least one recorded species is protected in parts of its range; read the local rules before targeting anything. Fish Upper Slate Lake to its features, not to its size.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 50°F at the top of summer and 15°F at the bottom of winter. The season turns properly here, and fish follow it closely. Winter locks it down, and early June brings it back. Climate figures give an open season running early June to early November. Early summer and early autumn carry the open-water season. On Upper Slate Lake that shapes the whole year.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. No launch point is recorded nearby, so this is a bank water unless you carry a boat in. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. A phone call first saves an afternoon. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. The nearest alternative is Slate Lake, 1.1 miles out. Check the current arrangement for Upper Slate Lake.