UPDATES TO "THE FISHING GUIDE TO 800 HIGH LAKES IN COLORADO"
Eventually, every fishing guide becomes dated. If they did not, then we would still be using the 50-to-60-year old data in Tim Kelley's " The Official Colorado-Wyoming Hunting and Fishing Guide" to direct us to the best fishing in Colorado's high lakes. Things change, including stocking frequency, numbers of fish stocked, species stocked, lake conditions such as periodic winterkill, fishing pressure and harvest. As such, I will add additional data to this web page in an effort to keep my guidebook up to date. I encourage you to send me your fishing experiences through my CONTACT page. Please tell me if you caught different species than what I report, lakes that winterkilled (i.e. you saw many dead fish) and lakes that you caught fish in that I thought were barren. I will update this web page with that information. Please don't just tell me that you experienced poor fishing. We all know that fishing success can vary with time of day, time of season, weather, choice of flies, anglers' abilities and a myriad of other factors. Here are some updates posted in early 2025..
Article 1, p. 3: County Road 4N, the 4WD road leading to the trailhead for Little Echo and James Peak lakes, starts at the west end of Tolland and bears no identifying signage. This road becomes Forest Road 353, and has signage indicating this. In my book, I call this Forest Road 176; it is labeled as such on older Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forest maps (which I use) and is labeled as Forest Road 353.1 on the 2009, Empire, 7.5 minute, USGS topographic map. This road is rocky, and becomes narrow and very rocky after about 4.8 miles, just after the "seasonal road closure" sign. This is not Subaru territory, but rather the domain of the ATV, Jeep or full-sized SUV or pickup (with 10 inches of clearance). The road deteriorates significantly after the "seasonal road closure" sign, and if you feel uncomfortable with what you have already driven, it is advisable to park here on the wide, flat area to the left and walk the remainging 2 miles to the trailhead. Total distance to the trailhead from Tolland is closer to 6.6 miles. I saw no cutthroats in Little Echo Lake in 2021. CPW planted grayling there in 2021 and 2022.
Article 1, p. 6: The fish gill-netted in North Iceberg Lake were cutthroats. After many years of not stocking South Iceberg Lake, CPW planted goldens there each year from 2020 through 2023. Jenny Lake has not been stocked recently with rainbows.
Article 1, p. 7: The road to Loch Lomond has been improved. It is still rocky, and high clearance with 4WD is recommended. I negotiated the road with a Subaru Forester in 2023, but turned back in 2024.
Article 1, p. 8: Reynolds Lake also holds lake trout. Cutthroats have been reported from Ohman Lake. The fee to park in both parking lots near the trailhead to St. Mary's Lake was increased to $20 in August 2023. CPW stocked grayling in Urad Reservoir in 2023 and 2024. I did not catch any in 2024.
Article 1, p. 9: Please note that in 2021, reservations were required to drive to Summit Lake on the road to Mount Evans. Visit www.recreation.gov to make reservations. This policy was still in effect in 2023. Note seasonal closures. The road will be closed all of 2025 for major repairs.
Article 1, p. 10: When I fished Lower Chicago Lake in 2022, the cutthroats were 10 to 12 inches. Signage with regulations referring to car-top boats was absent from Clear Lake when I visited in 2024.
Article 1, p. 12: CPW has resumed stocking Squaretop Lakes with cutthroats.
Article 2, p. 15: CPW has recently stocked tiger trout, tiger muskies and splake in Lefthand Park Reservoir. CPW no longer stocks cutbows in Red Rock Lake and has not stocked cutthroats in Brainard Lake since 2012.
Article 2, pp. 18-19: Access to the townsite of Hessie and the Fourth of July Trailhead has become challenging due to increased visitation; there simply is not enough parking. These areas service Lost, Woodland, Skyscraper, Diamond, Dorothy and Neva lakes. There is a shuttle that runs from the Nederland High School to Hessie on weekends to alleviate parking. It was so crazy that I aborted my weekday trip there in 2021 but arrived very early in 2024 and found parking. Shuttle information is available at https://www.bouldercoloradousa.com/things-to-do/outdoor-recreation-in-boulder/hiking-in-boulder/hessie-trailhead-shuttle/. Plan months ahead for camping in the Indian Peaks as permits go quickly.
Article 2, p. 18: CPW has recently stocked tiger trout in Lost Lake, but I did not catch any on 2024. I saw few fish.
Article 2, p.19: Janet George ingorned my recommendation on foregoing angling for the small number of cutthroats in the shallow Caribou Lake, which is not stocked, and was rewarded with a 15-inch cutthroat.
Article 2, p. 20: CPW has recently stocked cutthroats in Deadman Lake. I encountered poor fishing at Gourd Lake in August 2024, unlike what I had experienced years ago. I saw few fish and only a few rises. Janet George reported cutthroats in the outlet stream of Island Lake but no cutthroats in the lake in 2021. It has not been stocked in many years. I can only reminisce about the 15-inch cutthroats that I caught there years ago. However, I caught plenty of 5-inch and 12-inch cutthroats (2 age classes) in Pawnee Lake in 2024.
Article 3, pp. 21-29: Plan ahead for any trip to Rocky Mountain National Park. Since 2021, reservations were needed for day visitation, and overnight camping permits were difficult to obtain. Unlike permits for the Indian Peaks, permits for overnight backcountry camping in RMNP must be picked up in person, not mailed.
Article 3, p. 24: Water levels in Lily Lake contiue to drop and aquatic vegetation continues to proliferate. In addition, salamanders have invaded its waters. I can find no recent stocking data. Mary's Lake also contains tiger trout, browns, tiger muskies and splake.
Article 4, p. 37: Rockhole Lake has since been stocked with cutthroats.
Article 5, p. 40: To protect downstream greenback cutthroats, CPW removed existing brookies from Parika Lake in 2023 and plans to restock with sterile brookies.
Article 5, pp. 41 to 42: After my book went to press, I learned that Colorado Parks and Wildlife stocked some golden trout in the fall of 2020 in Jewel and Clear lakes. These one-inch fry should grow to catchable size in 3 to 4 years.
Article 6: Check for fire closures before visiting the Mount Zirkel Wilderness.
Article 6, p. 46: CPW now stocks cutthroats in Shoestring Lake.
Article 6, p. 48: CPW now stocks cutthroats in Snowstorm Lake.
Article 6, p. 49: Upper Slide Lake has not been stocked with cutthroats since 2012.
Article 7, p. 55: Agua Fria Lake may have small lakers.
Article 8, p. 62: Fancy Lake is now stocked with cutthroats.
Article 9, p. 68: CPW no longer stocks cutthroats in Chapman Reservoir but does stock catchable rainbows.
Article 9, p. 71: CPW no longer stocks the Tenessee Lakes with cutthroats but does stock them in Paradise Lakes Nos. 1, 2 and 4.
Article 10, p. 74: Two small lakes above Boulder Lake are stocked with cutthroats. There are no longer lakers in Lower Slate Lake. In August 2024, I caught fat 12- to 13-inch brookies and cutthroats there and 5- to 12-inch brookies and cutthroats in Upper Slate Lake, although the average fish in the upper lake was 8 to 9 inches, and many were skinny. I could not find an easy route among the cliffs to the tundra lake above Upper Slate, although it is stocked with hundreds of cutthroats every second year.
Article 10, p. 77: CPW has not recently stocked rainbows in Officer Gulch Pond and instead stocked tiger trout. The Wheeler Lakes have not recently been stocked.
Article 11, p. 79: I caught 8- to 15-inch cutthroats in Clinton Gulch Reservoir in 2024.
Article 11, p. 81: CPW has recently stocked cutthroats in Upper Crystal Lake.
Article 11, p. 82: CPW has recently stocked the McCullough Lake at about 12,800 feet with cutthroats.
Article 12, pp. 84-89: Bear canisters are now required on overnight trips in the Maroon Bells Wilderness. Permits are also required for overnight stays. Please check the Forest Service's website for restrictions and shuttles servicing Maroon Lake.
Article 12, P. 83: CPW no longer stocks cutthroats in Crater Lake.
Article 12, P. 87: CPW has not recently stocked American Lake but has stocked rainbows in Dinkle Lake. It also recently stocked Snake River cutthroats in Beaver Lake.
Article 13, p. 94: Expect to catch more cutthroats in Lost Man Lake, and they are of respectable size.
Article 14, p. 98: CPW did not plan to stock grayling in Upper Hagerman Lake from 2021 through 2024.
Article 15, p. 100: I found no stocking records for Lakes Claire and Rebecca from 2011 through 2024.
Article 15, p. 103: Arthur Lake apparently winterkilled since I published the book in 2021. It has subsequently been restocked with cutthroats and goldens.
Article 15, p. 104: Colorado Parks and Wildlife is planning to stock the Hayden strain of cutthroats in Hunt Lake. As such, they allowed an unlimited number of cutthroats to be taken from Hayden Lake in 2023. Bag limits for Boss Reservoir remain in effect. Lower Waterdog Lake has not been stocked recently. Chalk Lake has recently been stocked with cutthroats.
Article 15, p. 106: CPW recently planted golden trout in the Hancock Lakes. CPW also recently stocked Cottonwood Lake with cutthroats and tiger muskies.
Article 16, p. 112: Emerald Lake has not been stocked recently. Todd Nice reports that Blue Lake is full of brookies, and his photos indicate that they are of respectable size. The Peeler Lakes have not been stocked recently. The Twin Lakes were last stocked with cutthroats in 2021.
Article 17, p. 115: CPW also stocked splake in Aldrich Lakes.
Article 17, p. 116: CPW no longer stocks cuthroats in Swede Lake. Murphy Lake was last stocked in 2016.
Article 17, p. 118: CPW ceased stocking cutthroats in Anderson Reservoir a few years ago. Anglers report catching brookies there in recent years. I saw some small risers there in July 2023. Lily pads were enormous.
Article 17, pp. 118-119: Alan Nielsen, co-owner of Trappers Lake Lodge, reported that water levels in Boulder and Mary Loch Lakes dropped significantly in the fall of 2021. This may have affected angling since these are shallow lakes. Be aware that other lakes in this part of the Flat Tops may have been similarly impacted by drought conditions.
Article 17, p. 119: Doris Lake has not been stocked since 2013. Lake of the Woods was stocked with cutthroats in 2023. The Skinny Fish and McGinnis Lakes have not been stocked in many years.
Article 17, p. 122: East Lost Lake has not been stocked since 2016, but it is connected to Dines Lake, which is stocked with cutthroats. Sheriff Reservoir is also stocked with cuthroats. CPW has not stocked grayling in Crosho Reservoir since 2016.
Article 18, p. 125: CPW now stocks cutthroats in Skillet Lake.
Article 18, p. 127: According to Katie Bergert, the Bailey Lakes still contain some water and a few brookies but are surrounded by much marshy terrain.
Article 18, p. 128: White Owl Lake was last stocked in 2020. CPW planted rainbows. Klines Folly Lake is occasionally stocked with rainbows, but Bison Lake has not been recently stocked.
Article 18, p. 130: Shepherd Lake has been restocked wiht cutthroats. Shingle Lake was stocked with cutthroats in 2024.
Article 19, p. 138: There is a steep section of trail just before Finney Cut Lake No. 1, which appeared shallow and barren when I visited in 2021. I caught cutthroats in Finney Cut Lake No. 2.
Article 19, p. 139: The road leading to Silver Lake and Forty-Acre Lake has been renamed from Forest Road 257.1B to Forest Road 256.
Article 23, p. 169: According to biologist Estevan Vigil, Timber Lake appeared to have winterkilled during the winter of 2018-19. However, the lake was restocked in July 2019 and again in 2021.
Article 23, p. 171: Doug Werme reported catching some rainbows in addition to cutthroats in Red Lake. Although rainbows have not been stocked for many years, they may be the progeny of those previous stockings as there is adequate spawning habitat in the outlet stream.