Fishing Mesa Lake in Mesa County, Colorado

• Overview

  In Colorado, Mesa Lake falls inside Mesa County. What surrounds it is pine and birch. It runs to roughly 27 acres — big enough to hold fish away from the bank, small enough to learn. Cedaredge lies 13 miles from the water. Palisade is 15 miles away, with Orchard City at 16 miles. The county edge is within a short distance of the bank.

• Where to Fish on Mesa Lake

  Our records hold no depth for this water. Look for where the old bank line still shows under the surface. Rip-rap along the wall holds fish that the open bank never does. Records held for Mesa County cover flannelmouth sucker, bluehead sucker, green sunfish, white sucker and common carp. County data is a starting point rather than a guarantee. Treat Mesa Lake as a water to read rather than to cover.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The year swings from about 18°F in January to roughly 59°F in July. The middle months are generous; the ends are demanding. Look for the thaw near early May; the fishing lifts straight after. Open water usually runs from early May until about late November. The first weeks of open water and the last are the ones to plan for. Mesa Lake runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public data does not answer the access question here. You can park half a mile away and walk in from there. You can camp half a mile off, which suits an early start. Facilities run to toilets half a mile from the water. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. A phone call first saves an afternoon. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. Beaver Lake, 0.2 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. Confirm access to Mesa Lake locally before you travel.