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Best brown trout lakes in Colorado

36 Colorado waters hold brown trout, 2 mapped with real state-agency depth surveys. Ranked below by size and depth-data quality — open any water to see exactly where to fish it: depth contours, scored spots with plain-English reasons, seasonal windows and bait picks. Wary, nocturnal-leaning predator. Shorelines and inflows in cold months; the thermocline in summer.

1. Navajo Reservoir — 333 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, CrappieWhy #1: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
2. McPhee Reservoir — 262 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, CrappieWhy #2: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 2 public access sites
3. Granby Reservoir — 221 ft max · Rainbow Trout, Lake Trout, Brown Trout, KokaneeWhy #3: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 2 public access sites
4. Arkansas River (Colorado) — 8 ft max · Rainbow Trout, Brown TroutWhy #4: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 12 public access sites
5. Crystal Reservoir — 280 ft max · Rainbow Trout, Lake Trout, Brown Trout, KokaneeWhy #5: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
6. Eleven Mile Res — 135 ft max · Northern Pike, Rainbow Trout, Yellow Perch, Common CarpWhy #6: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 3 public access sites
7. Morrow Point Reservoir — 146 ft max · Rainbow Trout, Lake Trout, Brown Trout, KokaneeWhy #7: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
8. Horsetooth Reservoir — 188 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, CrappieWhy #8: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 6 public access sites
9. Turquoise Lake — 115 ft max · Rainbow Trout, Lake Trout, Brown Trout, Cutthroat TroutWhy #9: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 2 public access sites
10. Clear Creek Reservoir — 61 ft max · survey depth data · Rainbow Trout, Lake Trout, Brown Trout, KokaneeWhy #10: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
11. Twin Lakes Lower — 95 ft max · Rainbow Trout, Lake Trout, Brown Trout, Cutthroat TroutWhy #11: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 2 public access sites
12. Cheesman Reservoir — 190 ft max · Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, Rainbow Trout, Yellow PerchWhy #12: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
13. Colorado River (Upper) — 10 ft max · Rainbow Trout, Brown TroutWhy #13: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 5 public access sites
14. Ruedi Reservoir — 246 ft max · Rainbow Trout, Yellow Perch, Lake Trout, Brown TroutWhy #14: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 2 public access sites
15. Shadow Mountain Reservoir — 24 ft max · Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout, Cutthroat TroutWhy #15: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 2 public access sites
16. Gunnison River (Gorge) — 10 ft max · Rainbow Trout, Brown TroutWhy #16: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 2 public access sites
17. Trinidad Reservoir — 70 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, SaugeyeWhy #17: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 2 public access sites
18. Spinney Mtn Res — 46 ft max · Northern Pike, Rainbow Trout, Yellow Perch, Brown TroutWhy #18: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 2 public access sites
19. Gross Reservoir — 299 ft max · Rainbow Trout, Muskellunge, Lake Trout, Brown TroutWhy #19: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 1 public access site
20. Lemon Reservoir — 188 ft max · Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout, Kokanee, SplakeWhy #20: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 1 public access site
21. Willow Creek Reservoir — 124 ft max · Rainbow Trout, Brown TroutWhy #21: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
22. Strontia Springs Res — 212 ft max · Rainbow Trout, Yellow Perch, Brown TroutWhy #22: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
23. San Cristobal Lake — 89 ft max · Rainbow Trout, Lake Trout, Brown Trout, Brook TroutWhy #23: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
24. Grand Lake — 389 ft max · Rainbow Trout, Lake Trout, Brown Trout, KokaneeWhy #24: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 3 public access sites
25. Button Rock Res — 151 ft max · Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout, Cutthroat TroutWhy #25: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached

…plus 11 more Colorado waters holding brown trout.

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When to fish brown trout in Colorado

• Spring 3–25 ft — Cold-water browns hug shorelines, river mouths and mud lines — often in a few feet of water early and late.
• Summer 25–60 ft — Browns sit at the thermocline by day and slide shallow after dark — the night troll takes the giants.
• Fall 5–30 ft — Spawn-run browns stage off tributaries and gravel shorelines, aggressive and territorial.
• Winter 5–35 ft — Browns feed all winter — nearshore when bait is in, deeper breaks otherwise.

Also in Colorado: best largemouth bass lakes · best smallmouth bass lakes · best walleye lakes · best saugeye lakes · best northern pike lakes · best crappie lakes · best bluegill lakes · best channel catfish lakes · best rainbow trout lakes · best white bass & hybrids lakes · best yellow perch lakes · best common carp lakes · best lake trout lakes · best brook trout lakes · best kokanee lakes · best cutthroat trout lakes · best splake lakes

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