Fishing Opportunities at Evergreen Lake

One of the best and closest fishing locations for Colorado School of Mines anglers is Evergreen Lake. Located in Evergreen, Colorado, and only a 20-minute drive from Golden off of Highway 74, Evergreen Lake provides a scenic mountain trout fishing experience.

The lake is stocked with rainbow trout by Colorado Parks and Wildlife, and is open free to anyone with a valid Colorado Fishing license.

There are parking lots and restrooms located on both the east and west sides of the lake. If both lots are full, additional parking can be found in Evergreen.

The lake is open to all types of fishing, including ice fishing in the winter and fishing from a boat in the summer as long as only a trolling motor is used. Lure and bait fishing are most commonly used on the lake, but fly fishing is also popular particularly at the inlets and outlets of the lake.

“The fishing this spring has been best on hooks baited with various colors of Power bait within 10 to 20 feet from shore, especially around dusk or dawn,” said CSM Senior Mechanical Engineer Charles Hood.

“Most of the fish caught this year have mostly been 10- to 12-inch rainbow trout and seem to be located mostly by the eastern shoreline,” noted CSM Senior Mechanical Engineer Garrett MacInnis.

If the fishing is slow, Evergreen Lake has a 1.5 mile running and bike path around it, and is also in close proximity to many open spaces and National Forest trails.

Additionally, Evergreen Lake is located, next to Evergreen Golf Course, an 18 hole course open to the public.

After completing a day of fishing, there are many dining options on the way home to Golden. One of the most popular options is the Little Bear Saloon in Evergreen, which offers live music and large portions. There is also Red Rocks Grill in Morrison, which offers some of the best American style cuisine in Jefferson County.

If you need to purchase fishing supplies before taking your trip, an affordable and popular option is a 5 to 6 foot Ugly Stik Spinning combo rod with roughly 5 pound test line. Both this rod and any other necessary supplies such as bait or a license can be purchased at either Meyer Hardware in Golden or the Walmart Supercenter in Evergreen.

Photo by Dalton Ellis.