Long Slough Reservoir near Cedaredge: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  Set in Mesa County, Colorado, this is Long Slough Reservoir. The water sits 9,977 feet up. At about 38 acres, a day is enough to walk the shoreline properly. The bank runs about 1.3 miles all the way round, so one visit can cover most of it. Few waters listed in Mesa County are bigger. Start from Cedaredge, 14 miles down the road. For a city, Boulder is 162 miles off. The county line runs close by, so rules can change within a short drive.

• Where to Fish on Long Slough Reservoir

  Depth is not on record here, so the bank has to tell you. Held water runs deepest at the wall and shallows back to the inflow. Look for where the old bank line still shows under the surface. County-wide records name flannelmouth sucker, bluehead sucker and green sunfish. The county list is broader than any single water. Read Long Slough Reservoir for ten minutes before the first cast goes out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Typical July readings run about 56°F; by January the average is down near 17°F. Cold locks it up for a good stretch each year. Ice is part of the season here, ending near mid May. Averages place the thaw at mid May and the freeze at mid November. Early summer and early autumn carry the open-water season. It holds true on Long Slough Reservoir more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public data does not answer the access question here. No launch point is recorded nearby, so this is a bank water unless you carry a boat in. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Sort the permit out before you load the car. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. Should this one be busy, Monroe and Barnes Reservoir is 0.4 miles off. Where Long Slough Reservoir is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.