Colorado may be a land-locked state, but it offers more than 8,000 miles of rivers and over 2,000 lakes for your angling pleasure. And I’m pretty lucky to live here where I can drop my line mere minutes from my home when fishing in Stagecoach State Park, one of many fishing “holes” in Steamboat Springs, Colorado.
Fishing in Steamboat Lake State Park
The hardest decision you’ll have to make when fishing in Steamboat Springs is picking a place to drop your line amongst miles of rivers, streams, and lakes. No doubt about it, you’ll discover some of the best fishing in Colorado at Steamboat Springs.
Until 2014, the Colorado Wildlife Commission only designated 220 miles as “Gold Medal.” With the recent addition of the upper Arkansas River, Colorado Gold Medal Waters increased 50 percent to 322 total miles presenting more for your great outdoors adventure.
One of the many Gold Medal designated options is the 1,050-acre crystalline waters of the Steamboat Lake State Park. Our friends’ son owns a home near this lake, so it’s convenient to pack a cooler, grab your fishing rods and drive 5 minutes (or less).
Located in northwestern Colorado near the ski town of Steamboat Springs, the fishing at Steamboat Lake State Park is well-known, but its’ the scenery that steals the show with Hahn’s Peak towering over the northeastern shore.
Access the deeper sections of water with a drift boat, or fish along the easily accessible miles of shoreline. You’ll be rewarded with the hard-fighting rainbow trout, cutthroat, brook trout and brown trout.
We fished the shoreline for a couple of hours, but unfortunately we were skunked, leaving empty handed. But we met friends who lived in the area, and they’d caught an impressive 5+ pound German brown trout.
Rate Information: Cost of Admission: $7 day pass or $70 annual, Fall/Winter (Range): $80 (Camper Cabin), Spring/Summer (Range): $80 (Camper Cabin)
Looking for a deal? Click here for 2 night Escape to Steamboat
After a busy day of fishing, take time to relax with a soak in Strawberry Hot Springs, just outside of Steamboat.
Fly fishing tips from Wes at Steamboat Flyfisher, Steamboat Springs, Colorado.