Fishing Wheeler Lake in Lake County, Colorado

• Overview

  Wheeler Lake is a Lake County water, in Colorado. The country round it is pine and birch from end to end. At roughly 19 acres, the whole thing is within casting reach of a single walk. On our Lake County list it sits near the top for size. You are 9.1 miles from Breckenridge. The nearest city of size is Lakewood, 60 miles away. Local rules may differ a few miles either side of here.

• Where to Fish on Wheeler Lake

  Depth is unmeasured here, so let the shoreline guide you. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Survey and observation records for Lake County include rainbow trout, brook trout and brown trout. Several of these carry legal protection or closed seasons; the rulebook comes before the rod. On Wheeler Lake the obvious spot is not always the productive one.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July to average close to 48°F, with January the cold end at about 13°F. Four clear seasons, with a proper winter at one end. Hard cover is dependable here; it goes around early June. On the long-run averages the water opens up around early June and starts locking again about late October. The weeks after the thaw and the ones before the freeze are the strongest. At Wheeler Lake the season follows that pattern closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. A car park lies half a mile away, so the walk in is short. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Rules for this water may differ from the county norm. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. For a change of water, Crystal Lake is 2.7 miles distant. Check the position on Wheeler Lake before loading the car.