Western Colorado Fishing Guide

This is our home water. Grand Junction sits where the Gunnison River meets the Colorado River, and within one drive you can fish a desert river, a string of state park ponds and lakes on top of Grand Mesa. Below is what the land looks like, what lives here, how to use it well, when to go and how to stay safe. Every fact links to the agency that published it. Rules change, so open the agency page before you go. Start with the license and Habitat Stamp note and Colorado Parks and Wildlife.

Topography and landscape

The town is named for its rivers. The National Weather Service office history notes that "Grand" is the old name of the upper Colorado River and "Junction" is its meeting with the Gunnison. (NWS Grand Junction)

The valley floor is low desert. The Bureau of Land Management lists McInnis Canyons, the canyon country just west of town, at 4,300 to 7,130 feet. (BLM McInnis Canyons) Colorado National Monument rises more than 2,000 feet above the Grand Valley; its visitor center sits at 5,787 feet and Rim Rock Drive tops out at 6,640 feet. (NPS, NPS safety) East of town, Grand Mesa stands over 10,000 feet with more than 300 lakes. Visit Grand Junction describes it as a valley once filled with lava; the hard basalt cap stayed while softer rock around it wore away. (Visit Grand Junction)

The rock tells the age of the place. The Colorado River cut through Cretaceous sandstone and shale, including Mancos shale at Island Acres, and CPW notes landslides are common along the Book Cliffs. (CPW James M. Robb) The monument's canyon bottoms are Precambrian rock and the smooth Entrada sandstone along Rim Rock Drive is the same arch layer found at Arches. (NPS geology) In Ruby Canyon the Black Rocks are Vishnu schist about 1.7 billion years old. (BLM)

How the land shapes the fishing. Down low, CPW lists Connected Lakes as warmwater fishing, and valley trout come from stocking; up high, Grand Mesa lakes are trout water. (CPW, USFS) The recovery program says the 15 miles of river from Palisade to the Gunnison confluence are vulnerable to low flows from irrigation withdrawals. (Colorado River Recovery Programs) That same stretch has the clean gravel bars endangered fish spawn on. (USFWS) Read the river at the USGS gage before you go: Colorado River near Cameo and Gunnison River near Grand Junction.

What you'll find

Fish. CPW stocks catchable rainbow trout in Corn Lake, Red Rocks Lake at Fruita, and Old Orchard and Roans Pothole at Island Acres. Corn Lake, Connected Lakes, Duke Lake and the Wildlife Area hold self-sustaining largemouth bass, crappie, bluegill and channel catfish. Several endangered fish live in the river, and CPW says they must be released at once, unharmed. (CPW park brochure) Those natives include the Colorado pikeminnow, the largest minnow in North America, and the razorback sucker. (Colorado River Recovery Programs) Grand Mesa is trout water for wading, float tubes, fly, boat and ice fishing. (USFS Grand Mesa)

Wildlife and plants. Along Ruby Canyon, BLM lists great blue herons, bald eagles, peregrine falcons, mule deer and desert bighorn sheep. (BLM) The monument is pinyon and juniper country with ravens, jays, desert bighorns and coyotes. (NPS) Highline Lake lists mat saltbush, salt cedar, prickly pear and cottonwood. (CPW Highline) Up on Grand Mesa you may see moose, deer and elk in aspen and pine. (Visit Grand Junction)

Access and facilities. James M. Robb Colorado River State Park is one park in five sections from Fruita to Island Acres, with Corn Lake as headquarters. Boat access to the river is at Corn Lake, Connected Lakes and Fruita; Connected Lakes has accessible fishing piers, and a hardpacked trail circles Corn Lake. (CPW river sections) Highline Lake State Park near Loma has two lakes, a visitor center store with firewood and ice, a west ramp for motorboats and an east ramp for hand launches only. (CPW Highline) The Ruby-Horsethief float runs about 25 miles from Loma to Westwater, Utah, mostly flat water with Class I and II rapids. (BLM)

Trails and towns. The Riverside Trail runs between Palisade and Fruita and welcomes leashed pets. (NPS) The Kokopelli Trail runs from McInnis Canyons to Moab, Utah, and Rattlesnake Arches sits in the Black Ridge Canyons Wilderness. (BLM) Nearby towns: Fruita, Palisade, Clifton, Loma and Mack. Our water hubs: Highline Lake, Mack Mesa, Island Acres and Grand Junction.

Responsible use

Leave No Trace. BLM posts the seven principles at McInnis Canyons: plan ahead, travel and camp on durable surfaces, dispose of waste properly, leave what you find, minimize campfire impacts, respect wildlife, and be considerate of other visitors. Pack in, pack out. (BLM, Leave No Trace)

Fire. Some fire rules on BLM land apply all year, such as never leaving a fire unattended and no fireworks on federal land. Seasonal restrictions come and go with fire danger, so check the current map the day you go. (BLM Colorado fire restrictions, USFS GMUG)

Roads, trails and what you find. Stay on designated trails, leave fossils and artifacts where they lie, and do not touch rock art. BLM says removing any resource from the conservation area is illegal. Close gates behind you; cattle graze here. (BLM) CPW asks visitors to stay on trails and respect closures to protect plants and wildlife. (CPW) Give eagle nests a wide berth; BLM sets a no-approach distance on its page.

Mussels and boat inspection. CPW lists the Colorado River from the Eagle River down to the Utah line, Highline Lake, Mack Mesa Lake, Red Rocks Lake at Fruita and West and East Lake at the Wildlife Area as infested with zebra mussels. (CPW ANS) Motorized and trailered boats need a certified inspection before launch, and motorboats and sailboats need an ANS stamp. (CPW boat inspections) Hand launched, human powered craft are exempt from the mandatory inspection, but CPW asks you to clean, drain and dry boats, boots, waders and gear. The park has self cleaning stations at Fruita and Corn Lake. (CPW river sections) More in our clean, drain, dry note.

Whose ground is it? The valley is a patchwork: BLM canyon land, a national monument, Forest Service land on Grand Mesa and CPW state parks, each with its own rules. Read the agency page for the exact spot: BLM, USFS, NPS, CPW. Fishing rules for your water are on CPW; we do not restate them here. See also our Colorado fishing laws page.

Kindness to other users

Share the water. Ruby Canyon carries both motorized and non-motorized boats, so expect rafts, canoes and motorboats on the same stretch. (BLM) BLM reminds visitors to be considerate of others on public land, and that is the seventh Leave No Trace principle. (Leave No Trace)

Our shop habits. These are our own habits, not agency rules. Rig your boat in the parking lot, then launch and clear the ramp. Give the angler already on a run plenty of room and ask before you step in near them. When a raft comes through, lift your line and let it pass. Keep music off and voices low; CPW notes you see more birds that way. (CPW Highline)

Hunters in season. Hunting is a protected use in McInnis Canyons, and its mule deer, elk and bighorn draw hunters from around the world. (BLM) CPW recommends wearing fluorescent orange or pink in the field even if you are not hunting, and interfering with a lawful hunt is illegal in Colorado. (CPW) Our note: fishing during hunting season.

Pets. State parks here allow leashed dogs; CPW asks you to keep them under control and pick up after them. (CPW) At Colorado National Monument the rule is paws on pavement: no pets on trails. Neighboring BLM land does welcome pets on trails. (NPS pets)

Best times to go

Time of day. Go early. CPW says most summer storms here build in the afternoon and come in fast from the west, and wind is the main reason paddlers end up in the water. (CPW) In the mountains the Weather Service says storms usually build in early afternoon, so hike early and be down by noon. (NWS) Early hours also beat the heat; NPS notes the hottest summer days reach the low 100s. (NPS) In hot, low water summers CPW has asked anglers to stay off some rivers in the afternoon or all day, and lifted those asks when water cooled; check CPW news before a summer trout trip. The state parks open at 5 a.m. (CPW)

Season. Spring and fall are stocking seasons at Corn Lake. (CPW Corn Lake) Snowmelt usually peaks in late May and early June, raising rivers for a few weeks. (CPW) Gnats bite from May to August and flash floods are most common in July, August and September. (NPS) Overnight river camping in Ruby Canyon needs a permit from recreation.gov; day use does not. (BLM) (BLM) Fall is hunting season, so wear orange (see Kindness above). Grand Mesa lakes fish through the ice in winter; we never say the ice is safe. Read our Grand Mesa ice note.

Why visit

Visit Grand Junction counts more than 1.5 million acres around town, 76 percent of it public land. (Visit Grand Junction) From the monument you can see the river valley, the Book Cliffs and Grand Mesa in one look. (NPS) The Black Ridge Canyons Wilderness holds the second largest concentration of natural arches in North America, and a Brontosaurus was dug from Dinosaur Hill near Fruita in 1901. (BLM) The Grand Mesa Scenic and Historic Byway climbs 63 miles through aspen and lakes. (Visit Grand Junction)

That is the day we plan around: a cool morning on a pond or the river, lunch in Fruita or Palisade, and an evening on a lake 10,000 feet up. Build yours with the Trip Builder or take the day quiz.

Safety

Wildlife and plants. Rattlesnakes and scorpions live here; NPS says watch where you put your hands and feet. The monument is also home to cougars, coyotes, midget faded rattlesnakes and black bears, and desert bighorns see dogs as predators. Check paws for burrs and cactus spines. (NPS safety, NPS pets) BLM lists black bear and mountain lion in McInnis Canyons. (BLM)

Weather and water. Carry at least a gallon of water per person per day; monument trails have none. Less than a quarter inch of rain can cause a flash flood, so move to high ground. Stay off ridgetops in lightning. (NPS safety) In a storm the only safe place is a building or hard topped vehicle. (NWS lightning)

Altitude. You can climb from the river to over 10,000 feet in one day. CPW notes altitude sickness can hit anywhere in Colorado, not only the high country. (CPW) Drink water, take it slow, and bring warm layers for the Mesa. See layering for the elevation swing.

Cold water. CPW says Colorado water is cold most of the year, and a fall in can cause a gasp reflex and cold water shock. (CPW) The Weather Service says warm air can hide cold water, and a life jacket greatly improves your odds. Dress for the water, not the air. (NWS cold water) Highline Lake lends life jackets free at the visitor center. (CPW Highline) More: cold water checklist.

Heading out from Grand Junction? Pick up the VCO Trucker Hat ($38), the VCO Ringer Shirt ($44), or the VCO Tumbler ($36), or bundle all three in the Valley Merch Pack ($99). Made to order, ships from Grand Junction.

More Western Slope trip notes

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