Fishing at Pine Park Reservoir Number 2, Mesa County, Colorado

• Overview

  Mesa County in Colorado is where Pine Park Reservoir Number 2 sits. It stands 9,820 feet above sea level. This is a pocket water of some 6 acres, and every part of it is reachable from the bank. The closest town, Cedaredge, is 15 miles distant. Beyond it, Palisade at 15 miles and Orchard City at 18 miles. Rules can differ a short way off, since the county line is near.

• Where to Fish on Pine Park Reservoir Number 2

  There is no recorded depth, so work from what you can see. The old creek line under the surface is the feature worth finding. Inflow corners move water, and moving water gathers fish. Mesa County records list flannelmouth sucker, bluehead sucker and green sunfish among the fish reported. County records show what lives in the area; the local agency holds the water-by-water list. Take this water a stretch at a time.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The year swings from about 17°F in January to roughly 56°F in July. Cold winters and warm summers give a wide working range. Ice-out usually falls in mid May, and the weeks after it fish hardest. Climate averages put the opening at about mid May and the closing near mid November. Spring is short and heavy here; autumn is longer and steadier. Plan any trip to this water around it.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. Formal access is not mapped, so the last stretch is likely on foot. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Parking is often the real limit rather than the bank itself. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. Coon Creek Reservoir Number 4, 0.9 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. What applies at this water may have changed since it was mapped.