Ice Report 12/20/23
Blue Mesa Reservoir:
Ice thickness is ranging from 6-14 inches with most spots being 10-12 inches east of the Hwy 149 bridge. Ice is slowly making it’s way into the Iola Basin. Most fish are being caught in 10-30 ft of water and switching colors and moving around seemed to produce the best action. Always take early ice precautions and see recommendations below.
Taylor Reservoir:
Ice thickness is 4-6 inches across most of the lake with some spots having less. The lake trout are feeding good where you can access them. Rainbows are fishing good above weed beds and have been a few pike being caught shallow above weeds.
The marina is not plowed so the only parking is right off the highway, which is very limited. It’s a pretty intensive trek to come back up the hill at the end of the day. Nobody has brought snowmobiles or ATVs on the ice yet. There are some sketchy pressure ridges and large cracks, so approach them with extreme caution and safety equipment.
Antero Reservoir:
There is a consistent 8-10″ of ice across most of the lake. The main pressure ridges have had time to solidify and are mostly safe to cross, but always proceed with extreme caution. Fishing has overall been good. Some days you need to move around to find where the active and unpressured fish are.
Precautions:
Always be cautious on early ice and follow these safety suggestions when venturing out.
-Always test ice thickness yourself, don’t just walk out because there are other people out there.
-Fish with a partner.
-Pay attention to the conditions as things can change quickly, especially when there are close to 32 degree temps and wind.
-Bring ice picks, 100’ of rope, a throwable flotation device and/or life vest, a spud bar to test ice as you walk, and ice cleats as new ice with snow is very slippery.