Reservoir · Gunnison, Colorado

Blue Mesa Reservoir at Elk Creek Marina

Browse Lakes

Location Snapshot

Blue Mesa Reservoir at Elk Creek Marina is a large Colorado high-country reservoir with deep coldwater basins, rocky shorelines, and expansive open-water structure. Lake trout are the defining target, with rainbow trout adding a major secondary trout fishery.

Current Lake Rating

Unavailable

A condition rating is not available from the current lake evidence.

Rating confidence: Low

Should I Go?

Not Enough Data

Fishing guidance for this destination based on available lake conditions, weather, and seasonal context. It is not a boating, swimming, ice, or access-safety rating.

Why

  • Not enough current water information is available to recommend a reliable fishing window
  • Live water observations could not be retrieved at this time.

Current Readings

Key lake readings are not available right now.

Better Nearby Options

Checking nearby StrikeTracks waters…

Weather Near Lake

Current Weather

Clear

Temperature

56°F

Feels like

48°F

Wind

9 mph W

Wind gust

13 mph

Current precipitation

0.00 in

Updated

Oct 20, 2026, 6:15 PM

Recent Rainfall

Estimated precipitation near this lake

Last 6 hours

0.00 in

Last 24 hours

0.00 in

Last 48 hours

0.00 in

Little recent rainfall near this lake.

Next 24 Hours

  • Tue 8 PM

    Overcast

    Temp 51°F

    Chance 0%

    Precip 0.00 in

    Wind 7 mph

  • Wed 12 AM

    Overcast

    Temp 47°F

    Chance 0%

    Precip 0.00 in

    Wind 1 mph

  • Wed 4 AM

    Overcast

    Temp 42°F

    Chance 1%

    Precip 0.00 in

    Wind 4 mph

  • Wed 8 AM

    Overcast

    Temp 40°F

    Chance 1%

    Precip 0.00 in

    Wind 1 mph

  • Wed 12 PM

    Overcast

    Temp 60°F

    Chance 1%

    Precip 0.00 in

    Wind 2 mph

  • Wed 4 PM

    Drizzle

    Temp 58°F

    Chance 13%

    Precip 0.02 in

    Wind 7 mph

Four-Day Forecast

  • Tue, Oct 20

    Overcast

    High 63°F / Low 37°F

    Chance 4%

    Precip 0.00 in

    Max gust 12 mph

  • Wed, Oct 21

    Rain

    High 63°F / Low 40°F

    Chance 32%

    Precip 0.11 in

    Max gust 16 mph

  • Thu, Oct 22

    Rain

    High 51°F / Low 46°F

    Chance 87%

    Precip 0.44 in

    Max gust 16 mph

  • Fri, Oct 23

    Rain

    High 61°F / Low 45°F

    Chance 87%

    Precip 0.10 in

    Max gust 18 mph

Weather and rainfall are estimated for this lake's coordinates. Local conditions can vary, especially in mountainous terrain and during isolated storms.

Recent rainfall can influence lake level and access, but the timing and magnitude depend on watershed size, soil conditions, and reservoir operations where applicable.

Weather data: Open-Meteo

Reservoir Elevation History

Reservoir Elevation

Elevation is reported relative to the datum used by this USGS monitoring site. Elevations from different lakes or datums should not be directly compared.

Loading historical elevation…

Fishery Profile

Documented species you may encounter at Blue Mesa Reservoir.

High confidenceLast verified: Aug 20, 2026

Species images are AI-generated illustrations for visual reference and may simplify natural variation. Fishery records are based on the cited agency sources. About fish illustrations

Fishery overview

Lake trout are primary and wild in Blue Mesa Reservoir at Elk Creek Marina. Rainbow trout are common and stocked.

Target species

  • Lake Trout

    Salvelinus namaycush

    Expectation
    Primary
    Population
    Wild
    Native status
    introduced
    Confidence
    High confidence

    Source: Colorado Parks and Wildlife

  • Rainbow Trout

    Oncorhynchus mykiss

    Expectation
    Common
    Population
    Stocked
    Native status
    introduced
    Confidence
    Medium confidence

    Source: Colorado Parks and Wildlife

Fishery characteristics

Composition
Mixed wild and stocked
Great Lakes tributary
No
Flow regime
Mixed flow regime

Best seasons

  • Spring
  • Summer
  • Fall
  • Winter

Common techniques

  • Boat fishing
  • Shore fishing
  • Spinning
  • Trolling

Stocking information

Rainbow trout are stocked in Blue Mesa Reservoir at Elk Creek Marina.

  • Rainbow Trout

    Stocked · Colorado Parks and Wildlife

    Stocked

Official sources

Hatch Match

No destination-specific hatch data is currently available.

General fly suggestions

  • Midge larvaGeneral stillwater midge-style family — not a live Chironomidae Hatch claim.
  • Woolly-bugger-style streamerGeneral stillwater streamer family. Not a baitfish or kokanee Hatch event.
  • Ant or beetleGeneral shoreline terrestrial family — not a local Hatch calendar.

These are general fishing suggestions, not a report of insects currently hatching at this destination.

Location and Access

Cataloged lake location

Gunnison, Colorado

Loading map…

The map marker represents the cataloged waterbody or monitoring location and may not indicate legal parking or public access. Confirm access through the official information before visiting.

Lake Details

County

Gunnison

Management Category

Quality Water reservoir

Regulation Scope

Blue Mesa Reservoir at Elk Creek Marina / Curecanti NRA.

Regulation Summary

Blue Mesa: lake trout special limits; kokanee bag/possession and seasonal snagging as in the 2026 CPW brochure.

Target Species

Lake Trout, Rainbow Trout

Public Access

Public