Fishing at Willow Lake, Boulder County, Colorado

• Overview

  Out in Boulder County, Colorado, sits Willow Lake. It stands 7,536 feet above sea level. The water measures roughly 5 acres, so nothing here is far from anything else. Our Boulder County list holds plenty of bigger water. You are 8.7 miles from Lyons. Boulder is the closest city, 19 miles away. Being near a boundary, it pays to know which side you are fishing.

• Where to Fish on Willow Lake

  Depth is unmeasured here, so let the shoreline guide you. The arms fish better than the open middle whenever the water is up. Standing timber shows when the level drops, and fish sit against it. County-wide records name black-spotted cutthroat trout, brook trout, brown trout, bluegill and rainbow trout. It is the county picture; the agency list is water-specific. Fish Willow Lake where the bottom changes rather than where it looks deep.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Seasonal averages run from 25°F in February up to 59°F in July. The season stretches long at both ends here. Cover comes and goes, so treat it with suspicion rather than trust. March through May is the strongest run, with October and November a second stretch. That shapes the year on Willow Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access status is simply unknown for this water. There is no mapped parking or launch close by, which usually means walking in. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Some banks are open only from a marked point. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. The nearest alternative is Rainbow Lake, 0.2 miles out. What applies at Willow Lake may have changed since it was mapped.