It’s a fishing day

Blue Mesa Reservoir fishing conditions · Colorado

Today 11 am to tonight 3 amLake trout

The bite peaks at 68.

Log a trip here
Right now: 58 for lake trout, marginalTap or drag along the water to move through the next 36 hours

Lake trout, hour by hour

Each float is an hour. The deeper it rides, the better the bite. The strip underneath runs daylight, dusk and dark; the red rule marks the best window. Click any hour to read it.

  1. 581 am
  2. 58
  3. 58
  4. 584 am
  5. 58
  6. 58
  7. 587 am
  8. 58
  9. 58
  10. 5810 am
  11. 68
  12. 68
  13. 681 pm
  14. 68
  15. 68
  16. 684 pm
  17. 68
  18. 68
  19. 687 pm
  20. 68
  21. 68
  22. 6810 pm
  23. 68
  24. 68Tue
  25. 681 am
  26. 68
  27. 58
  28. 584 am
  29. 58
  30. 68
  31. 687 am
  32. 58
  33. 58
  34. 5810 am
  35. 68
  36. 68
Go, 85+Worth the trip, 70+Marginal, 55+Sit it out

Right now

Water
No reading

Lake trout range 40–52°

Wind
5 mph

From the west

Light
Dark

Sunrise 7:28 am

Sky
Patchy Fog

23% chance of rain

Air
37°F

NWS hourly forecast

Barometer
Rising

Measured, last 3 hours

Moon
100% lit

Full

What’s biting

Each species is scored against its own water-temperature range and tide preference, then wind, weather and warnings. The rules are Colorado non-tidal regulations for these waters.

Lake Trout

Lake trout

Salvelinus namaycush

68MarginalToday 11 am to tonight 3 am

Water

No water reading here right now. Lake trout bite in 40–52° water, best near 48°.

Why

Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. Holds 30–200 ft down.

Keep

4 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Colorado statewide: 4 trout a day in aggregate (brook, brown, cutbow, cutthroat, golden, lake, rainbow, splake, tiger), 8 in possession, no minimum length. Brook trout 8" or shorter are an extra 10 a day. Blue Mesa and Lake Granby set their own lake trout limits.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Colorado non-tidal

Season here: Sep–Jun. More on lake trout

Kokanee Salmon

Kokanee salmon

Oncorhynchus nerka

68MarginalToday 11 am to tonight 3 am

Water

No water reading here right now. Kokanee salmon bite in 45–59° water, best near 53°.

Why

Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. Holds 20–120 ft down.

Keep

10 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Colorado statewide: 10 kokanee a day by angling, snagging or archery, no minimum. Snagging is legal only on listed waters and dates.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Colorado non-tidal

Season here: Year-round. More on kokanee salmon

Rainbow Trout

Rainbow trout

Oncorhynchus mykiss

68MarginalToday 11 am to tonight 3 am

Water

No water reading here right now. Rainbow trout bite in 45–68° water, best near 55°.

Why

Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. Holds 3–20 ft down.

Keep

4 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Colorado statewide: 4 trout a day in aggregate (brook, brown, cutbow, cutthroat, golden, lake, rainbow, splake, tiger), 8 in possession, no minimum length. Brook trout 8" or shorter are an extra 10 a day.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Colorado non-tidal

Season here: Apr–May, Oct–Nov, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on rainbow trout

Brown Trout

Brown trout

Salmo trutta

60MarginalToday 11 am to tonight 3 am

Water

No water reading here right now. Brown trout bite in 45–68° water, best near 55°.

Why

Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. Brown trout feeds less actively under bright moon. Holds 3–25 ft down.

Keep

4 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Colorado statewide: 4 trout a day in aggregate (brook, brown, cutbow, cutthroat, golden, lake, rainbow, splake, tiger), 8 in possession, no minimum length. Brook trout 8" or shorter are an extra 10 a day.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Colorado non-tidal

Season here: Apr–Jun, Sep–Nov, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on brown trout

The water

  • Water temperatureNo reading
  • Barometer30.31 inHg, rising

Sun, moon & solunar

  • Sunrise today7:28 am
  • Sunset today6:16 pm
  • MoonFull, 100% lit
  • Major solunarSunday 11:50 pm–1:50 am
  • Minor solunarToday 7:40 am–8:40 am
  • Major solunarToday 12:10 pm–2:10 pm

Solunar tables are a popular heuristic. A peer-reviewed test found they don’t predict catch on their own, so here they only nudge the score when the tide or moon already agree. How the score works

Fishing report

No current report covers these waters.

We only show reports an agency has published, with their date. Colorado Parks & Wildlife has the state’s fishing pages.

Licenses and rules: state fishery agencies · fish-consumption advisory

About this spot

Colorado's largest body of water — a 9,000-acre Gunnison County reservoir in Curecanti National Recreation Area, and the state's premier lake trout (mackinaw) and kokanee salmon fishery. Trophy lake trout exceed 30 lb.

Nearby

Public spots within 40 miles, with the same 36 hours of floats.

Gunnison River (Black Canyon)26 mi · ColoradoBest today 5 am to tomorrow 1 pm
74Worth the trip
Taylor River37 mi · ColoradoBest today 5 am to tomorrow 1 pm
68Marginal

Questions people ask

Do I need a fishing license to fish at Blue Mesa Reservoir?

Yes (anglers age 16 and older). To fish at Blue Mesa Reservoir you need the appropriate state fishing license. See the agency's current rules: the state agency website

What fish are commonly targeted at Blue Mesa Reservoir?

Blue Mesa Reservoir is listed on this site for 4 commonly-targeted species: Lake Trout, Kokanee Salmon, Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout. Which species is currently in season and which is scoring highest today is shown in the per-species ranking on this page.

When is the best time to fish at Blue Mesa Reservoir?

It depends more on the species and the day's conditions than on a fixed "best hour." Water temperature, weather, and — at tidal locations — the stage of the tide drive activity most. The per-species ranking on this page scores every target species at Blue Mesa Reservoir against today's live conditions, so the fish near the top are your best bets right now; check back as conditions change through the day.

What kind of access does Blue Mesa Reservoir have?

Blue Mesa Reservoir has multiple access types — pier, shoreline, and at least one public boat ramp.

Which state's fishing regulations apply at Blue Mesa Reservoir?

state agency regulations apply at Blue Mesa Reservoir. Size limits, creel limits, and seasonal closures are listed per species on each species page. Always confirm against the agency source linked from each regulation block — emergency closures can take effect mid-season.

Is Blue Mesa Reservoir tidal water?

No. Blue Mesa Reservoir is non-tidal — water level varies with rainfall, seasonal flow, and (where applicable) upstream dam releases rather than tidal exchange.