Now until 6 pmLake trout
The bite peaks at 72.
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.
Right now · best window
Lake trout range 40–52°
From the
Sunset 5:03 pm
No rain expected
NWS hourly forecast
Measured, last 3 hours
Waning crescent
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.
No water reading here right now. Lake trout bite in 40–52° water, best near 48°.
Sharp 3-hour fall — fish feed hard ahead of a front. Holds 30–200 ft down.
Open. Keep fish within the limits. No bag or possession limit on lake trout, but only 1 longer than 32" a day.
Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Blue Mesa Reservoir
Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.
Season here: Sep–Jun. More on lake trout
No water reading here right now. Kokanee salmon bite in 45–59° water, best near 53°.
Sharp 3-hour fall — fish feed hard ahead of a front. Holds 20–120 ft down.
Open. Keep fish within the limits. 5 kokanee a day, 10 in possession; snagging allowed Nov 1–Dec 31.
Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Blue Mesa Reservoir
Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.
Season here: Year-round. More on kokanee salmon
No water reading here right now. Rainbow trout bite in 45–68° water, best near 55°.
Sharp 3-hour fall — fish feed hard ahead of a front. Holds 3–20 ft down.
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
Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.
Season here: Apr–May, Oct–Nov, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on rainbow trout
No water reading here right now. Brown trout bite in 45–68° water, best near 55°.
Sharp 3-hour fall — fish feed hard ahead of a front. Holds 3–25 ft down.
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
Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.
Season here: Apr–Jun, Sep–Nov, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on brown trout
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
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
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.
Public spots within 40 miles, with the same 36 hours of floats.
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
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.
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.
Blue Mesa Reservoir has multiple access types — pier, shoreline, and at least one public boat ramp.
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.
No. Blue Mesa Reservoir is non-tidal — water level varies with rainfall, seasonal flow, and (where applicable) upstream dam releases rather than tidal exchange.
Press / anywhere to search. Towns list the closest spots.
