Yankee Doodle Lake Fishing Guide, Grand County, Colorado

• Overview

  In Colorado, Yankee Doodle Lake falls inside Grand County. The surface lies 10,741 feet up. This is a pocket water of some 3 acres, and every part of it is reachable from the bank. Most waters listed here for Grand County are larger. Nederland is the closest town at 7.8 miles. Then Fraser, 8.6 miles, and Coal Creek, 15 miles. You are close to a county edge here; who manages the access can change within a short drive.

• Where to Fish on Yankee Doodle Lake

  There is no published depth for this one, so start shallow and work out. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Fish documented in Grand County include black-spotted cutthroat trout, brook trout, rainbow trout and brown trout. Protected fish appear in the records for this area, so treat the list as information, not an invitation. Fish Yankee Doodle Lake where the bottom changes rather than where it looks deep.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 54°F at the top of summer and 20°F at the bottom of winter. A hard winter is normal, and the thaw brings a strong few weeks. Break-up comes around mid May, and the run that follows is short and strong. Ice clears near mid May and comes back about mid November in a typical year. From the thaw to midsummer the fishing improves week by week. It sets the rhythm of the year at Yankee Doodle Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  We hold no note on access for this one. Mapping is blank for access, so scout the approach before committing the car. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Read any posted signs at the access point rather than assuming. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. Failing this one, try Jenny Lake, 0.6 miles away. For Yankee Doodle Lake in particular, ask before you travel.