Reservoir · Gunnison, Colorado
Blue Mesa Reservoir at Elk Creek Marina
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
Current lake conditions cannot be rated because the available water observations are too old.
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
- The latest water observations are too old to support a reliable fishing-window recommendation.
Watch for
- The readings shown below are historical and may not reflect current conditions.
Current Readings
- Water temperature
- 17.2 °C
- Last updated
- Sep 29, 2022, 4:15 PM
≈ 63 °F · Stale observation
Source: USGS · BLUE MESA RES AT ELK CR MARINA NEAR SAPINERO, CO · 382742107095301 · Stale data
Better Nearby Options
Checking nearby StrikeTracks waters…
Weather Near Lake
Current Weather
Clear
Temperature
53°F
Feels like
51°F
Wind
1 mph NW
Wind gust
5 mph
Current precipitation
0.00 in
Updated
Oct 20, 2026, 11:15 AM
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 1 PM
Clear
Temp 60°F
Chance 0%
Precip 0.00 in
Wind 7 mph
Tue 5 PM
Clear
Temp 61°F
Chance 0%
Precip 0.00 in
Wind 10 mph
Tue 9 PM
Partly cloudy
Temp 49°F
Chance 0%
Precip 0.00 in
Wind 5 mph
Wed 1 AM
Clear
Temp 45°F
Chance 0%
Precip 0.00 in
Wind 3 mph
Wed 5 AM
Overcast
Temp 41°F
Chance 1%
Precip 0.00 in
Wind 2 mph
Wed 9 AM
Overcast
Temp 45°F
Chance 1%
Precip 0.00 in
Wind 3 mph
Four-Day Forecast
Tue, Oct 20
Overcast
High 62°F / Low 37°F
Chance 4%
Precip 0.00 in
Max gust 11 mph
Wed, Oct 21
Drizzle
High 63°F / Low 40°F
Chance 56%
Precip 0.02 in
Max gust 13 mph
Thu, Oct 22
Showers
High 49°F / Low 46°F
Chance 89%
Precip 0.98 in
Max gust 10 mph
Fri, Oct 23
Rain
High 60°F / Low 42°F
Chance 89%
Precip 0.16 in
Max gust 26 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
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.
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.
- Stocked
Rainbow Trout
Stocked · Colorado Parks and Wildlife
Official sources
Hatch Match
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
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