Visiting Chinn's Lake

I had the opportunity to visit a new area near Idaho Springs recently. Chinn’s Lake is tucked away just north of Idaho Springs and is a picturesque spot for great fly fishing and camping. Trust me here; you WILL need a 4X4 to frequent the area as nearly half of the trail that you will follow after exiting Fall River Road is riddled with large rocks and tight turns. Despite the difficulty traversing the mountains, the lake houses a lot of great trout fishing opportunities. Connor, Matt and I arrived near 6:30pm and fished until dark noting only limited surface activity. However, with a little patience and the right fly selection, this area can be a great producer. We were exclusively using a flying wood ant pattern, but due to the insect activity here, a mosquito pattern will work as well. Camping is free, but can prove to be a bit limited on the weekends.


Chinn's Lake

My Flying Wood Ant Pattern