Fishing Report - Southwest (4/30)
2012-13 fishing licenses on sale now!
Regions: Southeast, Northwest, Northeast, Denver Metro
Blue Mesa Reservoir (Gunnison County)
Blue Mesa is boatable and the ice is off. Local anglers say this is the earliest they can remember ice off in quite a few years. Elk Creek and Lake Fork boat ramps are open from 6:30am to 6pm. Base water temps are from 40-42deg. Water levels are about 30 feet below full pool. Fishing around rocky shorelines has been very good for browns and rainbows using marabou jigs and small tube jigs tipped with meal worms.
Lake trout fishing is fair with some bigger fish coming out of 20-50 feet of water jigging large spoons or tube jigs. Kokanee salmon fishing is also good with fish being caught across the west end of the lake trolling from 5-25 feet deep.
Crawford Reservoir (Delta County)
The pike have been hungry! Therefore, they have been biting well lately. We have recently had one caught that was over 19 lbs. Lots of other pike ranging from 9 to 17 pounds and up to 42" have been reported. Pike anglers are encouraged to keep as many fish as they can due to an overabundance of pike in Crawford Reservoir. There are no limits on northern pike at Crawford. Biologists are monitoring the fishery to gather data and work with anglers on a new lake management plan. Crappie have also been reported as more anglers get out along the shore and in boats.
Jackson Gulch Reservoir, Mancos State Park (Montezuma County)
The reservoir is open to boating. The snow continues to melt in the high country so the inlet on the north side of the lake is flowing and this is always a good place to fish. Ten inch rainbow trout were stocked monthly through last summer and plenty of holdovers are still around. Fishing has been excellent for rainbow trout around 10-12" and 4-6" yellow perch with an occasional large brown trout. The trout are hanging out in 5-20 feet of water and also around the inlet. Powerbaits are working well, especially garlic. Also try florescent green and gold spinners and worms. Perch love nightcrawler, mealworm, or waxworm so a small jig tipped with nightcrawler works well. Perch are spending their time right down on the bottom of the lake. Perch are small, averaging about 4-6”, but anglers should keep them if they’ll eat them. There is no limit on the number of perch you can possess and they make great fish tacos! This also helps to work towards thinning the perch population in the lake. The daily limit for trout is 4. Remember to purchase your new fishing license (your old one expired 3/31).
McPhee Reservoir (Montezuma County)
Ice is off and the reservoir has been stocked this spring. The main boat ramp is open. Nearby Echo Canyon, Groundhog, Pastorius, Totten, Summit, Narraguinnep and Puett Reservoirs are also ice-free and fishable.
Navajo Reservoir State Park (Archuleta County)
Northern pike and catfish have started biting. Water temperature is currently approximately 49 degrees. Call our marina at 970-883-2628 for more information. Colorado and New Mexico fishing licenses are available at the Visitor Center
Ridgway State Park (Ouray County)
Brown Trout fishing has slowed down a bit in the reservoir but is still decent. There have been several browns in the 3-6 lbs range caught, but the larger browns have seemed to move to deeper water. In April the reservoir was stocked with over 31,000 catchable (8”-14”) Rainbow Trout. Shore fishermen have been doing very well in all areas of the park. Shore fishermen are doing especially well between Dutch Charlie Fishing Pier and the mouth of Mears Bay. Shore fisherman should continue to try gold KastMasters, yellow/black Panther Martins, and pink power bait or salmon eggs off the bottom. Boat fishermen are having luck with gold pop-gear and black and silver sinking Rapalas. Fishing in the Uncompahgre River in Pa-Co-Chu-Puk is still exceptional. The river flows are currently at 94 cfs but will continue to rise as spring runoff continues. Please see above information on May 1st flow testing. Fly fisherman are doing well on prince nymphs and hairs ears, but other small early season emergers are working as well. Spin fisherman are doing well with gold Mepps and yellow and black Panther Martins. Please remember that the Uncompahgre River in Pa-Cu-Chu-Puk is restricted to flies and lures only and all fish caught must be returned to the water immediately. The Ponds at Pa-Co-Chu-Puk have a good population of holdover Rainbow and Brown Trout. Fishing the ponds this spring has been very good. Fishermen have been doing well with night crawlers and salmon eggs on top in the mornings and evenings, and various colors of Power Bait off the bottom in the middle of the afternoon. Please remember that the Uncompahgre River running adjacent to the ponds is restricted to flies and lures only and all fish must be returned to the water immediately.
Sanchez Reservoir (Costilla County)
Sanchez Reservoir is currently closed to all trailered watercraft. The boat inspection station will open on May 11 at which time trailered boats will be allowed on the reservoir. The inspection station will be open approximately 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset. Please be aware that the concrete boat ramp is currently closed due to low water. However, boats may be launched from the shoreline after being inspected.
San Luis State Park (Alamosa County)
Anglers are advised that San Luis Lake will not be getting water this year in an effort to reduce salt loading in the lake and the Rio Grande River. A press release explaining the change can be found at http://dnr.state.co.us/newsapp/press.asp?pressid=7633.
Taylor Park Reservoir (Gunnison County)
Dee Dee at the Taylor Park Marina sent us this update this week, "We are open for the season! We have boats available to rent, bait fully-stocked and the grill is open for food service! The ice came off on Friday. We do not have any boat inspectors yet, so everyone needs to have an inspection and get a green seal at another location prior to launching at Taylor. The inspectors will be onsite starting May 11. We had our first northern pike caught Saturday. It weighed 6 lbs. They are hanging in the shallows. Some small macks were caught and released. Rainbows are hungry and you can easily catch your limit."
Vallecito Reservoir (La Plata County)
Ice is off but no fishing reports out of Vallecito yet. The boat ramp is open Wednesday through Sunday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. but you need an appointment if you show up on a weekday (call 970-884-2558).
Anglers wishing to contribute information to the weekly fishing report should submit their fishing tips or conditions reports to fish.reporter@state.co.us. The deadline for the weekly fishing report is Mondays at 5 p.m.
Have a suggestion for the fishing report, email us at fish.reporter@state.co.us.
