Gunnison, CO Report (Blue Mesa and Taylor Park Res.) 5/18

I went for the big Macks in Blue Mesa Res. nr. Gunnison, CO Fri. 5/15.  This is where the CO record Mack of 54+lbs. was caught in '07 or last yr.  I failed to catch anything trolling F13 Rainbow Rapala at 25' depth.  Everyone was holding onto their secrets as a tourney was on for the next two days. One guy in PB had a nice Rainbow and some Kokes.  A lot of shore and still fishing from boats with sucker meat and lots of guys jigging right off shore (20') in deep drop-offs.  Wind has been strong (15-30 mph) after 11 am or so until sundown.  I fished from 8 am - 11:30 am.  water temp 52, air temp abt 68.  I was told 150 or so PB's would be on the lake for the weekend tournament and I might prefer the action and no crowds at Taylor Park Res.  So we left after fishing on Fri.  I never saw the results of the tournament. 
Fished Taylor Park Res. below the Continental Divide on Sun. and Mon. 5/17 and 5/18.  Sun. caught a 11" Rainbow and 18" Mack trolling a #10 Black Leech.  We camped next to a guy who caught a 20 lb. Mack casting a F13 Rainbow Rapala from shore.  (I caught two fat trout 13" and lost 3 while nymph fishing -non-kayak - in the Upper Taylor Riv.  The river was moving very fast from snowmelt and hardly fishable.  I lost the fish in the swift current.)
Mon. morn. I trolled a #12 jointed Rainbow Kwikfish in 12-25' deep water  bouncing on the bottom or very near for 20" and 24" Macks.  I was glad to catch the two, but a little disappointed that I didn't hook onto a hog.  Water Temp. 50, air temp low 60's to low 70's (noon).  Fished 7:30 am -12:30 pm.
If you go to CO, Taylor Park Res. is really nice.  The fish have pink meat and are delicious. A resort owner told me the fish taste like salmon.  He wasn't far off.  He also reported that three Macks over 20 lbs. (20, 29, and 30#) were caught in the previous 5 days.  The Res. is maybe 1 mile width and 1.5 miles long?   The campgrounds are excellent, the views of the Rockies spectacular.  There's river rafting, horseback riding, mountain bike riding, OHV roads everywhere, and even peace and quiet.  The sage brush lines the shore but the surrounding mtns. are all forested and the scenery of the Continental Divide is nearly unbeatable.  The lake is at 9000 ft. or so?   It's somewhat similar to the lakes along Hwy 395 near Mammoth in the E. Sierra.   
Blue Mesa Res. is more Great Basin-like with surrounding hills of sage brush.  It's (the feeder Gunnison Riv.) also the breeding stock for Kokanee for seven western states.
There was only "one" other kayak fisher (two women trolling for Kokes on Blue Mesa who only caught a small Mack) we saw on the whole 4 day trip.
For this trip my wife are based in Grand Junction with daugh. and grandkids.  We're headed home Sun. after fishing around N. Tahoe at the end of the week.
Tom