Colorado · United States

Blue Mesa Reservoir CO fishing forecast

69 Good of 100

Blue Mesa Reservoir CO is a freshwater fishing spot in Colorado, United States. Anglers here target Kokanee Salmon, Lake Trout, Brown Trout, Rainbow Trout. The most productive months are typically June, July, August, September, October.

Quick answer

Best monthsJune, July, August, September

Top speciesKokanee Salmon, Lake Trout, Brown Trout

Score now69/100

Local rulesColorado

Today’s verdict

Ranks #256 of 419 spots FishRadar scored worldwide today

In line with this spot’s 7-day average

Score confidence ±12 points, from 6 live signals

The statistical model disagrees with the physics model here today — treat this score with extra caution.

Helping the score most

Water temperature+15.0Wind+12.0Barometric pressure+4.4

Pressure trend

Pressure data unavailable

Best window today

05:00 · Light wind (0 km/h) and calm seas

Next solunar peak

dawn 12:53

Current conditions

Sea surface temp	22.0 °C
Wind	4 km/h from NE, gusting 10 km/h
Pressure	1016 hPa
Cloud cover	100%
Chlorophyll	0.27 mg/m³
Salinity	0.0 PSU
UV index	0
Wind sea	0.0 m
Ground swell	0.0 m at 0 s

The water is running true to season — within a few tenths of the September average of 22.0 °C for this location. The water is mixed to about 26.7 m, with the thermocline below that.

Updated 1 h ago.

What the score means at Blue Mesa Reservoir CO

Blue Mesa Reservoir CO currently scores 69 out of 100 (Good). Water temperature is 22.0 °C. 6 forecast signals are active in this score.

Water temperature +15.0: how close the water is to this species mix’s comfort band
Wind +12.0: surface chop, oxygen and bait drift
Barometric pressure +4.4: falling pressure often triggers feeding
Thermocline +3.0: a defined layer stacks fish at one depth
Moon phase +2.4: lunar feeding rhythm
Pre-storm bite +2.4: the classic feed before heavy weather

What’s biting now

The model expects today: cutthroat-trout, brown-trout, black-bullhead, silver-carp, bighead-carp, white-bass, black-crappie, shortnose-gar

Bite windows

Moon

Waxing Crescent · 6% lit

Solunar day rating

50 / 100

Best months for Blue Mesa Reservoir CO:

Score history at this spot

30 days tracked at this exact location

Best recent day: 2026-08-19, 75/100

17 day(s) at 70+ in the tracked period

+11 points vs the same day last week

About this spot

Water type

Lake · Freshwater

Lakes have no tide, so target structure, drop-offs, and seasonal thermoclines where fish concentrate by depth and temperature.

Access & shore

Fishable from shore · beach

What you can catch

Kokanee Salmon

Oncorhynchus nerka
Lake Trout

Salvelinus namaycush
Brown Trout

Salmo trutta
Rainbow Trout

Oncorhynchus mykiss

Best months by species at Blue Mesa Reservoir CO

Kokanee SalmonOncorhynchus nerka
Lake TroutSalvelinus namaycush
Brown TroutSalmo trutta
Rainbow TroutOncorhynchus mykiss

Typical months; local seasons and closures apply.

Local regulations

Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW)

Colorado

Species	Bag limit	Min size	Open season
Brown TroutStatewide Bag & Possession Limits	4/day, 8 in possession	—	Jan 1 – Dec 31
The 4-fish limit is an AGGREGATE across trout, Arctic char, grayling, salmon and mountain whitefish (kokanee excepted). Water-specific rules are stricter at several Colorado waters: on the Gunnison River between the East/Taylor confluence and the US 50 bridge the brown trout limit is two fish at a 16-inch minimum; on the Blue River below Coyne Valley Road all brown trout over 14 inches must be released and fishing is closed 15 September – 1 December.
Kokanee SalmonStatewide Bag & Possession Limits	10/day, 10 in possession	—	Jan 1 – Dec 31
Kokanee are excluded from the aggregate trout limit and have their own 10-fish limit, by angling, snagging or archery. Water-specific rules apply at the waters FishRadar covers: at Blue Mesa Reservoir the kokanee bag is 5 and the possession limit 10, with snagging permitted 1 November – 31 December; on the Gunnison River above Blue Mesa the taking of kokanee is PROHIBITED 1 August – 31 October.
Lake TroutStatewide Bag & Possession Limits	4/day, 8 in possession	—	Jan 1 – Dec 31
Lake trout count inside the statewide 4-fish aggregate trout limit. BLUE MESA RESERVOIR IS THE EXCEPTION AND IS MORE GENEROUS, NOT LESS: there is no bag or possession limit for lake trout there, but no more than one lake trout over 32 inches may be taken per day.
Rainbow TroutStatewide Bag & Possession Limits	4/day, 8 in possession	—	Jan 1 – Dec 31
The 4-fish limit is an AGGREGATE across trout, Arctic char, grayling, salmon and mountain whitefish (kokanee excepted) — not 4 of each. Many Colorado waters are stricter: on the Fryingpan River below Ruedi Dam and on the Gunnison River above the US 50 bridge, all rainbow trout must be released immediately, and fishing is by artificial flies and lures only.

Licensing:

freshwater-recreational — residents Resident adult annual (18–63) $44.87. Senior annual (64+) $12.96. Youth 16–17 $12.96. A 2026 Habitat Stamp ($12.76) is also required for anyone aged 18–64., non-residents Nonresident annual (16+) $124.01. Five-day $41.04. One-day $21.90.

FishRadar regulations are summaries for informational purposes only. The figures here are Colorado STATEWIDE limits from the 2026 Colorado Fishing brochure; a great many Colorado waters carry more restrictive rules under Chapter W-1 Article II, including several of the rivers and reservoirs on this site. Always check the water-specific entry in the current brochure (Special Regulations: Fishing Waters) before you fish.