Fishing at Big Creek Reservoir, Mesa County, Colorado

• Overview

  This water sits in Mesa County, Colorado. The surroundings are lake country bush. For a base, Orchard Mesa sits 25 miles out. After that come Redlands at 26 miles and Grand Junction at 26 miles. Close by you also have: Casto Reservoir within 2.3 miles, Big Pond (3.7 miles), Middle Pond within 5 miles, Black Pine Reservoir (9.1 miles) and Fruita Reservoir Number One within 10 miles. The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Big Creek Reservoir

  Depth is unmeasured here, so let the shoreline guide you. Draw-down through summer strips the margins, so follow the water out. Points where the flooded channel swings in are the reliable ones. County-wide records name flannelmouth sucker, bluehead sucker, green sunfish and white sucker. The list covers the county rather than this water alone, so treat it as a guide. Work Big Creek Reservoir in sections rather than trying to cover it.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July runs about 64°F on average, January about 22°F. Winter puts a hard lid on this one. Ice fishing carries the winter, and the water opens about mid April. On the long-run averages the water opens up around mid April and starts locking again about early December. September and October fish steadily right up to the freeze. It sets the rhythm of the year at Big Creek Reservoir.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. Formal access is not mapped, so the last stretch is likely on foot. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. State or provincial rules still apply whatever the bank status. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. If the gate is shut, Casto Reservoir at 2.3 miles is the nearest alternative. None of that is settled for Big Creek Reservoir in what we hold.