Vaughan Lake Fishing Guide, Routt County, Colorado

• Overview

  Vaughan Lake sits in Routt County, out in Colorado. It stands 9,406 feet above sea level. It measures about 33 acres, which is a comfortable size for bank fishing. On our Routt County list it sits near the top for size. Nearest place of any size is Hayden, 25 miles away. Beyond it, Craig at 31 miles and Steamboat Springs at 33 miles. No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on Vaughan Lake

  No chart reached our records; the first cast is your sounding. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Survey and observation records for Routt County include brook trout, cutthroat trout, rainbow trout, mountain whitefish and mountain sucker. County records show what lives in the area; the local agency holds the water-by-water list. Vaughan Lake gives up more to patience than to distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-run averages give July about 54°F and February about 19°F. Cold winters and warm summers give a wide working range. Ice fishing carries the winter, and the water opens about mid May. Ice usually gives way near mid May, and forms again about mid November. Late spring and early autumn carry the year between them. Vaughan Lake runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  We have no record of the rules that apply on this bank. You can leave the car about half a mile from the water. You can camp half a mile off, which suits an early start. There are toilets mapped about half a mile away. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Local rules can differ across the county line, so check where you stand. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. West Lost Lake sits 4.1 miles off and takes the overflow. None of that is settled for Vaughan Lake in what we hold.