Indian Peaks Wilderness Lakes FISH SURVEY AND MANAGEMENT DATA Benjamin Swigle - Aquatic Biologist (Fort Collins/Boulder) [email protected] / 970-472-4364
General Information: Located in Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forest, the high alpine lakes within the Indian Peaks Wilderness offer fishing for greenback cutthroat and brook trout. The lakes are difficult to reach with sampling equipment, hence a small number of lakes are surveyed each summer. Stocking of many of the lakes is primarily completed by DOW pilots that deliver 1 inch native cutthroat trout. Location: Nearby Towns: Nederland, Lyons, Allenspark, Jamestown, Peaceful Valley, Ward, Winter Park. Recreational Management: United States Forest Service Purchase a fishing license: https://www.co.wildlifelicense.com/start.php Fishery Management: Coldwater angling
Amenities Previous Stocking Sportfishing Notes High Mountain Hiking Cutthroat Camping sites available at 2014 Following ice off, trout enter a Brainard Lakes and Peaceful Native Cutthroat Trout 2-3 month feeding frenzy to Valley. fuel themselves over long Backcounty camping available 2012 winters. with permit June 1 – September Native Cutthroat Trout Scuds make up a large portion 15. of their diet. Consult a quality map for 2010 Fly anglers and spinning rigs further information. Native Cutthroat Trout generally offer equal success.
Regulations Brook Trout Possession or use of live fish In some Indian Peak Lakes for bait is not permitted. brook trout severely outcompete Statewide bag/possession native cutthroats. limits apply (see regulation brochure for more information).
Ave. Ave. Length Ave. Length Lake S. Acres Year #CUTTs #BRK #Tigers Length Notes (Range) (Range) (Range) Blue Lake 24 2008 22 9.3 (4-12) 0 - - 2 nets Isabelle Lake 34 2008 24 11.3 (9-15) 0 - - 2 nets Lower Coney 10 2008 32 8.6 (5-15) 0 - - 1 net Arapahoe (Lower) 9 2008 5 11.8 (5-14) 0 - - 1 net Devil's Thumb 11 2009 30 10.3 (6-17) 0 - - 2 nets King 10 2016 11 11.05 (7-16) 0 - - - 1 net Skyscraper 13 2009 28 11.4 (8-16) 0 - - 1 net Woodland 10 2009 56 9.9 (5-16) 0 - - 1 net Gibralter 5 2010 39 9.0 (7-11) 0 - - angling Lower Diamond* 14 2010 7 10 (4-13) 44 10.1 (5-13) - 2 nets Mitchell Lake (Big) 14 2015 2 9.1 (8-11) 78 8.4 (5-15) 0 0 2 nets Long Lake 40 2015 2 13 (13-14) 39 8.4 (4-14) 0 0 2 nets Lost Lake 5 2013 0 - 49 9.6 (5-12) - 1 net Dorothy 14 2014 12 14.1 (10-18) 0 - 1 net Jasper 19 2014 1 7.7 22 8.8 (6-11) - 1 net Storm 6 2014 45 8.9 (6-11) 0 - - 1 net Lower Neva 7 2014 8 13.4 (9-16) 0 - - 1 net Upper Neva 9 2014 0 - 0 - - 1 net Yankee Doodle 3 2015 0 0 0 0 21 10.0 (4-14) 1 net Jenny Lake 4 2016 0 0 9 10 (8-11) 1 7.4 (7-8) 1 net Forest Lake, Upper 6 2016 0 0 28 10 (5-19) 0 0 1 net Forest Lake, Lower 2 2016 0 0 41 9.2 (7-12) 0 0 1 net Betty 6 2016 29 9.3 (7-12) 0 0 0 0 1 net Bob 6 2016 15 13.4 (11-17) 0 0 0 0 1 net
Table (above). Summary of the gillnet surveys for lakes within or near the Indian Peak Wilderness. Most lakes contain only native cutthroat trout (CUTTs). In Mitchell Lake we found both greenback and brook trout (BRK). Lost Lake only contains brook trout. The survey from Lower Diamond Lake identified splake (brook x lake trout). Although I do not endorse any particular map, trails illustrated by National Geographic (#’s 102 and 103) are a good source while fishing the Indian Peaks Wilderness. A Fly Fishing Guide to Colorado’s Indian Peaks Wilderness . Lake shown in bold were most recently updated.
Jasper Lake 2014 Brook & Cutthroat
Storm Lake 2014 Cutthroat
Below: Skyscraper Lake (left) offers angling for large greenback cutthroat while Woodland (top-right) contains smaller cutthroats in greater numbers. The cutthroat pictured measured 15 inches and was caught in Skyscraper Lake.
Above: Lower Coney Lake can be reached via the Coney Creek Trail which begins about a quarter mile west of the Coney Flats Trailhead. Hike about 2.3 miles on the Coney Creek Trail to the lake. To get to the trailhead take Highway 7 west from Lyons approximately 12 miles or Highway 7 south from Estes Park about 18 miles to Highway 72. The 2008 survey netted 32 cutthroat trout between 5 and 15 inches (average = 8.6).
Above: King Lake (standing on top of the continental divide at13,200 feet). Bob and Betty Lakes are also near this lake which can be accessed from Winter Park or the Hesse trailhead west of Nederland. Cutthroat trout sampled from King Lake measured 6.9-13.1 inches.
Lower Neva Lake
Upper Neva Lake 2014 – 75% ice covered August 2014 Sampling found zero fish but the Lower Neva Lake has a decent population of cutthroat.
Below: Betty Lake , August 2009. Only greenback cutthroat trout were sampled, A 16.5 in cutthroat sampled from Bob Lake 2016.
Above: Many high mountain lakes in Colorado are stocked with native cutthroat trout by DOW pilots. For more information on aerial stocking view an article which appeared in field and stream : http://www.fieldandstream.com/photos/gallery/fishing/2009/10/stocking-rocky-mountain-cutthroat-trout-planes- colorado