Anglers at Blue Mesa Reservoir have significantly contributed to the management of local fish populations while simultaneously reeling in $10,000 in cash rewards. The Blue Mesa Lake Trout Tournament, spanning from January 1st to April 30th, saw anglers turn in an impressive 2,770 lake trout heads. This marked the largest haul since the tournament's inception in 2020, as reported by Colorado Parks and Wildlife.
This year's tournament not only served to better balance the ecosystem by reducing the number of smaller lake trout but also managed to bring together 81 participants, a notable increase from last year's 50. Giulio Del Piccolo of Gunnison, an aquatic biologist with CPW, praised the event, saying, "This was a highly-successful tournament this year, and we greatly appreciate the opportunity to partner with the public to achieve management goals of lake trout within Blue Mesa Reservoir." Gunnison's own Keith Carson emerged as the winner, earning the $3,000 top prize by turning in 413 heads after dedicating 155 hours across 28 days to the effort, according to Colorado Parks and Wildlife.
Competition was tight, with the second-place prize of $1,500 going to Rob Miller of Montrose for 390 heads, narrowly edging out Jonathan Cole of Poncha Springs, who secured third with 295 heads. The previous year's winner, Greg Frisina, landed in fourth place. In addition to the main prizes, CPW also distributed $4,000 through random draws. Tristan Francis of Fruita was drawn three times, pocketing a total of $600.
While the tournament has concluded for 2025, the push to maintain a balanced fishery continues, with anglers encouraged to keep harvesting small lake trout. CPW has highlighted the necessity to consistently monitor the lake's fish population, as unchecked numbers can lead to decreases in the abundance of kokanee salmon and affect lake trout growth and body condition. Del Piccolo emphasized the importance of this balance: "We know lake trout are prolific, and it takes consistent monitoring efforts to make sure we are meeting our goals of providing quality opportunities for both kokanee and trophy lake trout," as obtained by Colorado Parks and Wildlife.
