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9,219-acre reservoir near Gunnison. The lake tops out around 323 ft. The depth chart is built from real state fisheries GPS surveys, so the humps, channels and drop-offs you see are measured, not guessed. The rest of this page walks each species through its year, using the map's own scoring.
The drawn water covers 8,940 acres wrapped in 93.4 miles of bank, broken up by 3 islands. That shoreline is heavily fingered (development index 7) — bays, points and pockets everywhere, which multiplies the fishable edge. 3% of the surface is littoral (under ~15 ft) — cover, weeds and forage water. End to end it runs roughly 17 mi, about 9.6 mi across. It sits in Gunnison County. If the bite dies, Morrow Point Reservoir is 14 mi to the west.
Spring rainbow trout on Blue Mesa Reservoir hold shallow, usually 5 to 20 ft. By summer they slide out to 8 to 30 ft, and by winter most fish are in 8 to 40 ft. The chart's best answer is Lake Gulch inflow — inflow / creek mouth, 17 ft, prime for spring. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a dodger + spoon (deep troll) or a flutter spoon.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Lake Gulch inflow (17 ft) | Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon |
| Summer | 8 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Lake Gulch inflow (17 ft) | Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon |
| Fall | 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Secondary point (16 ft) | Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals |
| Winter | 8 to 40 ft | dawn | Lake Gulch inflow (17 ft) | Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white) |
Blue Mesa Reservoir carries 20 mapped structure features, topping out (or rather bottoming out) at Deep basin, about 298 ft down.
Access data: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) — community-mapped launches. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Colorado waters are set by the Colorado Parks & Wildlife — and special regulations can apply to Blue Mesa Reservoir specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Colorado fishing regulations →
Blue Mesa Reservoir is about 323 ft (98 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart here comes from real state fisheries GPS surveys, so the contours reflect measured depths.
Anglers target rainbow trout on Blue Mesa Reservoir.
Lake Gulch inflow is the top-rated area: an inflow / creek mouth in about 17 ft of water that rates prime for rainbow trout in spring. The map above holds the full rated-spot list for every species and season.
For rainbow trout, the summer bite is best in early morning and the evening. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.
Fishing on Blue Mesa Reservoir is regulated by the Colorado Parks & Wildlife. Check the official Colorado regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Morrow Point Reservoir 14 mi · Crystal Reservoir 22 mi · Silverjack Reservoir 25 mi · San Cristobal Lake 34 mi · Gunnison River (Gorge) 37 mi · Road Canyon Reservoir 50 mi · Vela Reservoir 56 mi · Youngs Creek Reservoir #3 57 mi · Reed Reservoir 57 mi · Eggleston Lake Big 58 mi · Eggleston Lake Little 58 mi · Andrews Lake 58 mi
See how Blue Mesa Reservoir stacks up: best rainbow trout lakes in Colorado
Browse all Colorado fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: state fisheries survey programs. How we build these maps. Fish here with a sonar unit that logs? Send us your depth data and we'll improve this chart, credited to you. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.