King Reservoir Number 1 Fishing in Mesa County, Colorado

• Overview

  King Reservoir Number 1 is a Mesa County water, Colorado side. It stands 8,678 feet above sea level. Surface area runs to about 3 acres — small enough to read in one session. On size it sits at the modest end of our Mesa County list. You are 15 miles from Orchard Mesa. It is 185 miles to Provo, the nearest city. The nearest boundary is well away, so one set of rules covers the water.

• Where to Fish on King Reservoir Number 1

  Depth is not on record here, so the bank has to tell you. Inflow corners move water, and moving water gathers fish. Draw-down through summer strips the margins, so follow the water out. Mesa County records list flannelmouth sucker, bluehead sucker and green sunfish among the fish reported. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. This water fishes better once you know its edges.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages move between 24°F in January and 66°F in July. The year splits cleanly: hard water, then open water. The open season starts with the thaw, near enough early April. Expect the water usable from around early April until roughly early December. The shoulder weeks of the open season are the productive ones. Anyone fishing this water regularly works to that calendar.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing on record says whether the bank is open or closed. No made access appears within a short radius, so plan to park on a verge and walk. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Read any posted signs at the access point rather than assuming. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. If the gate is shut, King Reservoir Number 2 at 0.8 miles is the nearest alternative. For this water in particular, ask before you travel.