Take a break from the slopes and rest your legs by going ice fishing near Breckenridge! Ice fishing is fun for newbies and experienced anglers. The great thing about Colorado fishing is that it’s an option year round. Once 4 inches of ice accumulate, ice fishing is good to go from Thanksgiving time every year until into April in the spring. If you’re looking for some great spots to cast a line throughout the upcoming winter, here’s our list of the best places to ice fish near Breckenridge, Colorado.
Best Ice Fishing Locations in Colorado
Lake Dillon
Lake Dillon is only 20 minutes from Breckenridge, and 10 minutes from Keystone. At just above 9,000 ft., ice fishing at Lake Dillon is filled with brown trout, rainbow trout, kokanee Salmon, arctic Char, and small mouth bass. If you’re staying in Summit County and want to try your hand at ice fishing, Lake Dillon is a great option for you.
Blue River
Blue River begins just south of Breckenridge, Colorado and makes its way over through Silverthorne and Green Mountain Reservoir in Heeney. At an elevation of 10,036 in, the northern section of Blue River is known for their monster sized trout. This area is an excellent challenge for anglers and switches things up fishing in moving water. If the Blue River is your fishing destination this winter, you can expect to catch brown, brook and rainbow trout.
Green Mountain Reservoir
Green Mountain Reservoir is just along the Blue River at the northern end of Summit County. You can expect to catch Rainbow trout, Brown trout, Northern Pike, Sockeye Salmon, Lake Trout, Cutthroat Trout, Jerkbait and Kokanee.
Georgetown Lake
Though Georgetown Lake is currently closed due to COVID-19 restrictions, it’s a great spot to keep an eye on and you can check Georgetown Lakes website for updates. Georgetown Lake fish is home to brown trout, rainbow trout, brook trout and sockeye salmon. The elevation of Georgetown Lake is also at 6,337 ft, so if you’re nervous about the cold up in Summit County the weather may be a bit more moderate here.
Turquoise Lake
On the south shore of Turquoise Lake, you will find Abe Lee Fishing Site. This popular high-altitude recreation destination sits close to 10,000 feet in elevation and is just west of Leadville, Colorado. This area may be more difficult to access in the heart of a snow storm, but worht the shot if you’re fishing for brown trout, rainbow trout, cutthroat, kokanee and brook trout.
What do I need to ice fish?
You’re out in the elements on an ice fishing excursion, so the most important thing is to prepare properly. Use this checklist to pack for your next ice fishing excursion.
- Colorado fishing license
- Two 5-Gallon buckets (one for fish and one for tools!)
- Warming hut to help keep a tolerable temperature (not required but definitely suggested)
- Auger to drill through the ice
- Lure / Bait
- Ice fishing rod, reel, and line
- Needle nose plyers
- Ice fishing sonar
- Chairs
- Sunglasses
- Warm clothes (LAYERS!)
- Waterproof boots
- Hand warmers
Best places to purchase gear:
Can I fish for free?
Colorado has state-sanctioned free fishing days without a license that tends to fall on the first weekend of June. Other than that, you’ll need to purchase a fishing license and understand if the location you’re heading is catch-and-release or not.
Where can I purchase a fishing license?
You can purchase a fishing license online through Colorado Parks and Wildlife or check out a local sports & recreation retailer while you’re in Colorado.
If you live in Colorado or just visiting, make sure to check out fishing regulations before fishing at body of water. Check out the Colorado Division of Wildlife site below to if you would like to see fishing reports, season dates, statewide conditions, fishing licenses, where to fish, learn to fish and awards and records.
If you’re wanting to wait for the warm spring weather to head out on an adventure, call Fly Fishing Colorado and hop on one of our guided fishing tours on the Upper Colorado River!
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