Blue Mesa Reservoir

Gunnison County, Colorado

Blue Mesa Reservoir is Colorado's largest body of water, on the Gunnison River west of Gunnison in Curecanti National Recreation Area. It is the state's largest lake trout and kokanee fishery.

Air temp in Powderhorn, CO Loading current temperature…

Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Current air temperature at Blue Mesa Reservoir (National Weather Service) ↗

Surface area9,180 acres

Max depth—

Shoreline96 mi

Boat motorsCheck local rules

Species

Fishery rating out of 5.

Lake Trout●●●●●

There is no bag limit on lake trout, but only one over 32 inches per day.

Kokanee●●●●●

Bag limit is 5 kokanee, and snagging is allowed Nov. 1 to Dec. 31.

Rainbow Trout●●●●○

Shorelines and inlets in cool months, deeper water in summer.

Brown Trout●●●●○

Low-light hours and cold water. Big fish on minnow baits.

Yellow Perch●●●○○

Schools on mud and sand flats. Great through the ice.

When they bite

Month-by-month activity for each target species.

	J	F	M	A	M	J	J	A	S	O	N	D
Lake Trout
Kokanee
Rainbow Trout
Brown Trout

SlowFairGoodHot

Boat launches

6 launch sites. Fees and hours change, so confirm before you go.

Elk Creek Boat RampFee
NPS Curecanti ramp; boat permit required; hand-launch only since Aug 2026 due to low waterDirections ↗
Lake Fork Boat RampFee
NPS Curecanti ramp at the west end; boat permit required; hand-launch only since Aug 2026Directions ↗
Iola Boat RampFee
NPS Curecanti ramp at the east end; boat permit required; hand-launch only since Aug 2026Directions ↗
Stevens CreekPublic
NPS hand-launch siteDirections ↗
PonderosaPublic
NPS hand-launch site on the Soap Creek armDirections ↗
More public accessPublic
See Colorado Parks & Wildlife or the lake manager's website for all ramps and feesDirections ↗

Size & creel limits

Special rules for this lake, confirmed from official state regulations. Minimum size and daily limit.

Species	Min size	Daily limit
Lake Trout Max one lake trout over 32 in per day (W-1 #46, as approved 11/13/2025)	See Colorado rules book ↗	No limit
Kokanee Possession 10; snagging allowed Nov 1-Dec 31; ice shelters must be portable	See Colorado rules book ↗	5 / day

Other species in this lake: look up the limits at Colorado Parks and Wildlife ↗

Verified October 2026. Rules change, so confirm current limits with the Colorado Parks and Wildlife before you fish.

Bait & tackle nearby

Closest shops to the lake and its boat launches. Call ahead for live bait and hours.

Gene Taylor'sNearby
201 W Tomichi Ave, Gunnison, CO(970) 641-1845 Directions ↗

Search more bait shops near Blue Mesa Reservoir ↗

Local tips

Troll for kokanee in summer and fall across the Iola, Cebolla, and Sapinero basins.
Keep smaller lake trout, since there is no bag limit and the state wants them harvested.
Ice fishing shelters must be portable.

Angler reports

Water temp, what's biting, and anything else other anglers should know about Blue Mesa Reservoir.

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View on interactive map

Zoom and pan on a street, satellite or terrain map. Red pins are boat launches; blue pins are bait shops nearby.