What is the best fishing lake in Colorado?

Blue Mesa Reservoir is our first pick, with kokanee salmon, lake trout and trout. Navajo Reservoir and Lake Pueblo are close behind.

How many lakes in Colorado does LakeScope cover?

58 lakes, each with a page for today's conditions.

Where can I catch walleye in Colorado?

Try Lake Pueblo, McPhee Reservoir and John Martin Reservoir.

Where can I catch bass in Colorado?

Try Navajo Reservoir, Lake Pueblo and McPhee Reservoir.

Where can I catch trout in Colorado?

Try Blue Mesa Reservoir, Navajo Reservoir and Lake Pueblo.

Best fishing lakes in Colorado: 12 lakes and what bites

Colorado has 58 lakes on LakeScope. These 12 are the ones we would start with: the best-known fishing water first, then the big lakes with the richest mix of fish and the most structure on the bed.

The lakes at a glance

Lake	Size	Main fish
Blue Mesa Reservoir	9,180 acres	kokanee salmon, lake trout, trout
Navajo Reservoir	15,600 acres	northern pike, bluegill, catfish
Lake Pueblo	5,670 acres	smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, spotted bass
McPhee Reservoir	4,470 acres	walleye, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass
John Martin Reservoir	11,700 acres	walleye, catfish, crappie
Lake Meredith	5,510 acres	largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, catfish
Nee Noshe Reservoir	3,770 acres	crappie, catfish, largemouth bass
Lake Granby	7,260 acres	lake trout, trout, kokanee salmon
Horsetooth Reservoir	1,900 acres	smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, walleye
Eleven Mile Reservoir	3,400 acres	trout, kokanee salmon, northern pike
Vallecito Lake	2,720 acres	trout, northern pike, walleye
Taylor Park Reservoir	2,000 acres	trout, lake trout, kokanee salmon

1. Blue Mesa Reservoir

Blue Mesa Reservoir spreads over 9,180 acres. Kokanee salmon, lake trout, trout and yellow perch are the draw.

Blue Mesa Reservoir today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

2. Navajo Reservoir

Navajo Reservoir spreads over 15,600 acres. The lake is near Bayfield. Expect northern pike, bluegill, catfish and crappie.

Navajo Reservoir today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

3. Lake Pueblo

At 5,670 acres of water, Lake Pueblo is a good-sized lake. It lies about 4.8 miles north of Pueblo West. Pueblo Dam holds it on the Arkansas. Expect smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, spotted bass and walleye. The deepest water is around 135 ft. The lake bed gives you three point drop-offs and two sheltered coves to work. Pueblo Reservoir was built by the Bureau of Reclamation as part of the Fryingpan-Arkansas Project.

Lake Pueblo today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

4. McPhee Reservoir

McPhee Reservoir spreads over 4,470 acres. It lies near Cortez. McPhee Dam holds it on the Dolores. It holds walleye, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass and trout. The deepest water is around 270 ft. Its bed shows three point drop-offs and two sheltered coves worth a first look.

McPhee Reservoir today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

5. John Martin Reservoir

John Martin Reservoir is a reservoir of some 11,700 acres. The lake is about 5.3 miles west of Las Animas. Walleye, catfish, crappie and white bass are the draw. The deepest water is around 60 ft. On the 3-D map the bed has three point drop-offs and a sheltered cove: good places to start. John Martin Reservoir is a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reservoir on the Arkansas River in southeastern Colorado.

John Martin Reservoir today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

6. Lake Meredith

Lake Meredith covers 5,510 acres. The lake is within an easy drive of Pueblo (about 48 miles). It holds largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, catfish and bluegill.

Lake Meredith today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

7. Nee Noshe Reservoir

Nee Noshe Reservoir spreads over 3,770 acres. The lake is near Eads. The fish here are crappie, catfish, largemouth bass and walleye. Its bed shows three point drop-offs and an upper arm worth a first look. Neenoshe is one of four Great Plains Reservoirs on the high plains of southeastern Colorado.

Nee Noshe Reservoir today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

8. Lake Granby

Lake Granby covers 7,260 acres of water. You will find it about 28 miles east of Boulder. Granby Dam holds it on the Colorado. It holds lake trout, trout and kokanee salmon. At about 221 ft deep, it stays cooler below the surface well into summer. On the 3-D map the bed has three point drop-offs and two sheltered coves: good places to start. Lake Granby is Colorado's third-largest body of water, created by Granby Dam as part of the Colorado-Big Thompson Project.

Lake Granby today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

9. Horsetooth Reservoir

At some 1,900 acres, Horsetooth Reservoir is small enough to learn in a few trips. You will find it near Laporte. Expect smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, walleye and trout. It goes down to about 200 ft. Its bed shows three point drop-offs and two sheltered coves worth a first look. Horsetooth Reservoir near Fort Collins was built in 1949 as part of the Colorado-Big Thompson Project.

Horsetooth Reservoir today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

10. Eleven Mile Reservoir

At 3,400 acres of water, Eleven Mile Reservoir is a good-sized lake. It lies about 19 miles southeast of Cripple Creek. The fish here are trout, kokanee salmon, northern pike and smallmouth bass. The lake bed gives you three point drop-offs and two sheltered coves to work. Eleven Mile Reservoir sits in South Park and is managed by Colorado Parks and Wildlife as part of Eleven Mile State Park.

Eleven Mile Reservoir today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

11. Vallecito Lake

Vallecito Lake spreads over some 2,720 acres. It lies about 10 miles south of Bayfield. It holds trout, northern pike, walleye and smallmouth bass. At about 120 ft deep, it stays cooler below the surface well into summer. Its bed shows three point drop-offs and a sheltered cove worth a first look.

Vallecito Lake today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

12. Taylor Park Reservoir

At 2,000 acres of water, Taylor Park Reservoir is small enough to learn in a few trips. It lies about 21 miles west of Crested Butte. Taylor Park Dam holds it on the Taylor. It holds trout, lake trout, kokanee salmon and northern pike. The deepest water is around 160 ft. The lake bed gives you three point drop-offs and two sheltered coves to work.

Taylor Park Reservoir today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

Which lake for which fish

Lakes listed for a fish are the ones on this page where it is on record or typical for the lake.

Bass: Navajo Reservoir, Lake Pueblo, McPhee Reservoir and John Martin Reservoir
Walleye: Lake Pueblo, McPhee Reservoir, John Martin Reservoir and Lake Meredith
Trout: Blue Mesa Reservoir, Navajo Reservoir, Lake Pueblo and McPhee Reservoir
Crappie: Navajo Reservoir, Lake Pueblo, McPhee Reservoir and John Martin Reservoir
Pike and muskie: Navajo Reservoir, McPhee Reservoir, John Martin Reservoir and Lake Meredith
Catfish: Navajo Reservoir, Lake Pueblo, John Martin Reservoir and Lake Meredith

Season by season

Spring: walleye are usually at their best. Prime range. Low light is best, on reefs and weed edges.
Summer: walleye are usually fair. Warm surface. They go deep in the day; try evenings.
Fall: walleye are usually at their best. Prime range. Low light is best, on reefs and weed edges.
Winter: walleye are usually at their best. Good cool-water bite, best at dusk and after dark.

Before you go

A Colorado fishing licence covers every lake here; the state fish and wildlife agency publishes the limits and any special rules lake by lake. Each lake page on LakeScope shows today's water temperature, the wind, the best bite times and a 3-D view of the bed, so check it the morning you go.