Lake Fishing in Colorado — Nine Lakes, from South Park Pike to Blue Mesa Kokanee
Trophy trout at Spinney Mountain, kokanee and lake trout at Blue Mesa and Granby, the big natural lake at Grand Lake, and the quiet North Park lakes near Walden: the lakes, the rules that govern them, and where to sleep.
Curated by Our Guild Explorers · Checked against Colorado Parks and Wildlife, the National Park Service, the Forest Service and Denver Water, 2 November 2026
Colorado’s lakes sit high. Almost every lake on this page is above 7,000 feet, which means cold water, trout, and a short open-water season between the spring ice-off and the autumn freeze. Some of them are the best still-water trout fishing in the West: Colorado Parks and Wildlife names only three Gold Medal lakes in the whole state, and two of them — Spinney Mountain and North Delaney Butte — are on this page. Others are big reservoirs for trolling, for kokanee salmon and for lake trout of record size.
This is the companion to our Colorado fly fishing book, written for everyone else — families with a spinning rod, trollers, ice anglers, and people who want a lake, a cabin and a fish for supper. 2026 has been a drought year in Colorado, and that changes the picture this season: one lake on the list is closed, and several boat ramps are shut by low water. We say exactly where. Everything below that is a rule, a limit or a price was read from the agency that sets it on 2 November 2026, and is dated. Where we could not confirm something, we say so.
Book it. Then Hook it. (Catch & Release)
Destinations Guild is a travel reservation site as well as a fishing library. Every lake on this page has a town beside it, and each town has two buttons: hotels, pinned to that exact Colorado town on Trip.com, and vacation homes — the cabins and houses a party of three or four actually wants, with a kitchen, a freezer for the catch and somewhere to park the boat.
Hotels are booked through our partner Trip.com; vacation homes through our partner Booking.com. Destinations Guild earns a small commission when you book, at no extra cost to you. Lake George and Walden are small places with few hotels — if the list is short, try the vacation homes button, or Woodland Park and Steamboat Springs.
Before you go: 2026 is a drought year
Low water has closed one lake and several boat ramps. Check before you tow a boat across the state.
What the agencies were saying on 2 November 2026
Antero Reservoir is closed. Denver Water drained it to Cheesman Reservoir as a drought measure; recreation ended on 13 May 2026, and CPW and Denver Water salvaged the fish first.
Blue Mesa is low. In July the Park Service moved the Elk Creek marina into deeper water, moved half of Lake Fork Marina, and warned that trailered boats would lose the Lake Fork and then the Elk Creek ramps as the level fell. The Iola ramp is closed.
Spinney Mountain’s north ramp is closed to trailers; the reservoir is open to hand-launched boats. Lake Granby’s Stillwater ramp is closed for the season; the small Sunset Point auxiliary ramp is open, one vehicle at a time.
Confirmed with Denver Water, the National Park Service, CPW and the Forest Service, 2 November 2026 — Denver Water (20 April 2026): “Following the fish relocation process, there will be no recreation, including camping, allowed at Antero Reservoir in 2026”; its reservoir page: “The last day for recreation access in 2026 will be May 13”; and “Drought conditions will determine when the reservoir can be refilled.” Park Service (16 July 2026): “the NPS has moved the Elk Creek marina infrastructure to deeper water. Approximately half of the Lake Fork Marina has also been moved to deep water.” Curecanti boating page: “Iola ramp is CLOSED.” CPW, Spinney Mountain State Park: “The North Boat Ramp is CLOSED to all trailered launching due to low water levels.” Forest Service, Arapaho National Recreation Area: “Stillwater Boat Ramp is closed for the season due to low water levels. The Sunset Point auxiliary boat ramp is open.”
The best months, in plain words
Two seasons: open water from ice-off to the freeze, then ice. Which one you get depends on the month and the lake.
| Lake | Best months | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Spinney Mountain | Ice-off (spring) to 15 November | The park opens after spring ice and closes on 15 November unless ice comes sooner. No ice fishing. Our guidance: ice-off and autumn are the times people talk about. |
| Eleven Mile | Late spring to autumn; ice in winter | Our guidance: open-water trolling and shore fishing in summer; ice fishing with portable shelters when the ice is safe. The south ramp is closed for the season now. |
| Blue Mesa | Summer for trolling; 1 Nov–31 Dec for kokanee snagging | CPW and the Park Service both open kokanee snagging on 1 November. Ice fishing with portable shelters in winter. |
| Lake Granby, Grand Lake | Late spring to autumn; ice in winter | Ramps open May to late autumn. Columbine Bay on Granby is closed 15 Oct–30 Nov. Portable ice shelters only. |
| Pearl Lake | Summer and early autumn | Boating closes on 1 November each year. Shore fishing until winter closes the day areas. |
| Lake John, Delaney Buttes | Ice-off to autumn | Our guidance: high, open North Park country at about 8,000 feet — cold, windy and wonderful. North Delaney’s dam area is closed 15 Sept–15 Nov. |
Where a row says “our guidance”, that is our own plain advice, not an agency rule. CPW publishes no “best months” for these lakes, and we have not invented any.
Spinney Mountain, Eleven Mile and Antero — the South Park lakes
Three reservoirs on the South Platte in South Park, a high, wide mountain valley west of Colorado Springs.
Spinney Mountain Reservoir — the trophy lake, and the strictest
What swims there. Big trout — rainbows, cutthroats, browns and cutbows — and trophy northern pike. It is one of Colorado’s three Gold Medal lakes, and in 2025 it produced the new state record cutbow trout, over twenty pounds. Yellow perch too, with no limit on them.
How people fish it. Flies and lures only — no bait, and that is enforced. Float tubes, small boats and wading anglers along the shore. It is a day-use park only, there is no visitor centre, and you pay at a self-service kiosk; the office at Eleven Mile serves both parks. No ice fishing, and no fishing in the dark.
Keeping a fish. One trout, and it must be twenty inches or more. Most people put everything back.
Confirmed with Colorado Parks and Wildlife, 2 November 2026 — 2026 brochure, Spinney Mountain Reservoir: “1. Artificial flies and lures only. 2. Fishing prohibited one-half hour after sunset to one-half hour before sunrise. 3. Bag, possession and min. size for trout is 1, 20 inches long. 4. Ice fishing prohibited. 5. No bag and possession limit for yellow perch.” Gold Medal Lakes: “North Delaney Butte Lake in Jackson Co. · Spinney Mountain Reservoir in Park Co. · Steamboat Lake in Routt Co.” State record cutbow trout (2025): Spinney Mountain Res., 20 lb 4.8 oz, 31.5 inches. Park page: “Park opens after spring ice through Nov. 15 annually, unless ice comes on sooner.”
Nearest town: Lake George, where the park address is. Woodland Park is the larger town, further east on US 24.
Eleven Mile Reservoir — the big family lake next door
What swims there. Rainbow, brown and cutthroat trout, kokanee salmon and northern pike, CPW says — and yellow perch, which you may keep without limit.
How people fish it. Everything: shore, boat, trolling, float tube and, in winter, through the ice. There are three boat ramps, campgrounds, nearly five miles of trails, and a marina, 11 Mile Marina, with rentals and guided trips. Bait is allowed here, unlike Spinney.
Confirmed with Colorado Parks and Wildlife, 2 November 2026 — 2026 brochure, Eleven Mile Reservoir: “1. Ice-fishing shelters must be portable. 2. Bag and possession limit for trout is 4. Only 2 may be longer than 16 inches. 3. No bag or possession limit on yellow perch.” Park page: anglers come for “a trophy rainbow, brown, cutthroat, kokanee or pike”; “Eleven Mile has three boat ramps”; “11 Mile Marina is located at 4224 County Road 92, Lake George, CO 80827.” Seasonal notice today: “Witcher’s Cove Boat Ramp is closed for the season.” Off-season office hours (12 September to Memorial weekend): 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., Friday to Tuesday.
Nearest town: Lake George.
Antero Reservoir — closed for 2026
Antero, the shallow, fertile reservoir at the top of South Park, is famous for fast-growing trout. This year it is empty: Denver Water moved its water downstream to Cheesman Reservoir to save it from evaporation in the drought. CPW salvaged the fish, and limits were lifted for the last weeks before the 13 May closing. It has been drained before — in 2002 and again in 2015 — and refilled. When it reopens, CPW’s rules are a two-trout limit and portable ice shelters only. Ask Denver Water before you plan a trip.
Nearest town: Fairplay, on US 285.
Blue Mesa Reservoir — kokanee, and the biggest lake trout in the state
Colorado’s largest body of water, on the Gunnison River west of Gunnison, inside Curecanti National Recreation Area.
Blue Mesa, from Gunnison and Elk Creek
What swims there. Brown, brook, lake and rainbow trout, kokanee salmon and yellow perch, says the Park Service. The state record lake trout — just over fifty pounds — came from Blue Mesa in 2007, and so did the record snagged kokanee.
How people fish it. Trolling, mostly, for kokanee in summer and lake trout in the deep water; shore fishing along 96 miles of shoreline; ice fishing in winter. In November and December you may snag kokanee — the season opened yesterday, on 1 November. Keep lake trout freely: there is no limit on those 32 inches or shorter, and only one bigger fish a day.
This year. The water is very low (see above). Trailered boats have lost most of the ramps; hand-launched boats can still use Elk Creek. Read the Park Service’s boating page on the morning you go.
Confirmed with Colorado Parks and Wildlife and the National Park Service, 2 November 2026 — CPW 2026 brochure, Blue Mesa Reservoir: “1. Ice-fishing shelters must be portable. 2. No bag or possession limit for lake trout. 3. Only 1 lake trout longer than 32 inches may be taken per day. 4. Snagging kokanee permitted Nov. 1–Dec. 31. 5. Bag limit for kokanee is 5.” Possession limit for kokanee: 10. State records: lake trout, Blue Mesa, 2007, 50 lb 5.6 oz; kokanee (snagging), Blue Mesa, 2002, 7 lb 5 oz. Park Service: “Populations of brown, brook, lake (Mackinaw), and rainbow trout are plentiful in Blue Mesa Reservoir”; “All Colorado State fishing regulations apply within Curecanti National Recreation Area”; fishing is not permitted “From Blue Mesa Dam downstream 225 yards.” Motorised and trailered boats must be inspected for aquatic invasive species before launching.
Nearest town: Gunnison.
Lake Granby and Grand Lake — lake trout at the edge of Rocky Mountain National Park
Two lakes joined by a channel through Shadow Mountain Lake, on the west side of the park.
Lake Granby — the generous one
What swims there. Lake trout above all, with other trout and kokanee, and tiger muskie. The catch-and-release state record lake trout — 38.75 inches — came from Granby in 2024.
How people fish it. Trolling and jigging from boats for lake trout; shore fishing; ice fishing in winter with portable shelters. CPW lets you keep twelve lake trout here, only one over 24 inches — it wants the smaller ones taken — and there is now no limit at all on tiger muskie. Gaffs and tail snares are banned.
Confirmed with Colorado Parks and Wildlife and the Forest Service, 2 November 2026 — CPW 2026 brochure, Lake Granby: “1. Ice-fishing shelters must be portable. 2. Gaffs and tail snares prohibited. 3. Bag and possession limit for lake trout is 12, only one of which may be greater than 24 inches. 4. Bag and possession limit for other trout species and kokanee is 4, singly or in aggregate. 5. New No size, bag or possession limit for tiger muskie. In Columbine Bay from the inlet of Twin Creek upstream: 1. Fishing prohibited Oct. 15–Nov. 30.” Forest Service: the Arapaho National Recreation Area holds five reservoirs including Lake Granby and Shadow Mountain; “Lake Granby and Shadow Mountain Lake are open to motorized and non-motorized boats.” Boat ramps, picnic areas and fishing-access parking in the fee areas need an ANRA or Interagency pass, which now covers your boat as well as your car. 2026 ramp hours at the Sunset auxiliary ramp: 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. to 29 November.
Nearest town: Granby.
Grand Lake — the big natural lake
What swims there. Lake trout, and some very large ones, with other trout and tiger muskie. It is the largest natural lake in Colorado, deep and clear, with the little town of Grand Lake on its shore.
How people fish it. By boat, trolling the deep water, or from shore near the town. Read the lake trout rule carefully: you may keep four, but every lake trout between 26 and 36 inches goes straight back, and only one over 36 inches may be kept.
Confirmed with Colorado Parks and Wildlife and the Forest Service, 2 November 2026 — CPW 2026 brochure, Grand Lake: “1. Ice-fishing shelters must be portable. 2. Bag and possession limit for lake trout is 4. Only 1 may be longer than 36 inches. All lake trout 26–36 inches long must be returned to water immediately. 3. New No size, bag or possession limit for tiger muskie. 4. Gaffs and tail snares prohibited.” Forest Service: “Adjacent to the recreation area is Grand Lake. With its deep, clear blue waters, it’s the largest natural lake in Colorado.”
Nearest town: Grand Lake. Inside Rocky Mountain National Park itself the park sets its own fishing rules; you still need a Colorado licence. That is fly water, and it belongs in our Colorado fly fishing book.
Pearl Lake, Lake John and the Delaney Buttes — the quiet northern lakes
Small, high lakes north of Steamboat Springs and out in North Park, where you may have a lake almost to yourself.
Pearl Lake, north of Steamboat Springs
What swims there. Cutthroat trout — the cutthroat population is designated Gold Medal — with brook trout, brown trout and grayling now and then.
How people fish it. Flies and lures only, from small craft or from shore. You may keep two trout, and each must be at least 18 inches. Boating closes on 1 November every year, so for the rest of this autumn it is shore fishing or a hand-launched boat at your own risk until the lake freezes. Steamboat Lake, its bigger neighbour, is also a Gold Medal lake and has a marina.
Confirmed with Colorado Parks and Wildlife, 2 November 2026 — 2026 brochure, Pearl Lake (including a quarter mile of inlet and outlet): “1. Artificial flies and lures only. 2. Bag, possession and min. size for trout is 2, 18 inches long.” Park page: “The cutthroat trout population at Pearl Lake is designated as Gold Medal. Brook trout, brown trout and grayling are occasionally reported”; “Lake closes to boating and all types of motorized water vessels Nov. 1. Hand launching of non-motorized water vessels available at your own risk, until lake freeze over”; “Shoreline fishing is still available.”
Nearest town: Steamboat Springs, about 27 miles south by County Road 129.
Lake John, near Walden
What swims there. Trout. CPW lists Lake John among its Quality Waters — productive, with public access, fishable by most methods — and calls it a coldwater lake. We could not find CPW’s species list for it today, so ask at the shop in Walden what is biting.
How people fish it. Boat and shore; CPW sets no tackle restriction here beyond the statewide rules, and four trout may be kept. It is a State Wildlife Area: 565 acres of water at about 8,000 feet, with camping allowed west of the dam.
Confirmed with Colorado Parks and Wildlife, 2 November 2026 — 2026 brochure, Lake John: “1. Bag and possession limit for trout is 4.” Quality Waters list includes Lake John. State Wildlife Area page: “This SWA consists of 565 water acres and 282 land acres”; “Camping allowed W of Lake John Dam”; “A valid hunting or fishing license OR SWA pass is required for everyone 16 or older accessing this state wildlife area.” Area CPW office: Steamboat Springs, 970-870-3333.
Nearest town: Walden.
The Delaney Butte Lakes — North, South and East
What swims there. Trout, and big ones: North Delaney Butte is one of Colorado’s three Gold Medal lakes.
How people fish it. Flies and lures only, wading, float tubes and small boats — no wake allowed. The size rules are written to protect the middle-sized fish so they grow: two trout may be kept, but browns from 14 to 20 inches and rainbows, cutthroat and cutbows from 18 to 22 inches all go back. On North Delaney, the dam and the water within 100 feet of it are closed from 15 September to 15 November — that is right now.
Confirmed with Colorado Parks and Wildlife, 2 November 2026 — 2026 brochure, Delaney Butte Lakes (North, South & East): “1. Artificial flies and lures only. Scented flies or lures must be 1.5 inches or longer. 2. Bag and possession limit for trout is 2. 3. Brown trout 14–20 inches long must be returned to the water immediately. 4. Rainbow, cutthroat and cutbow trout 18–22 inches long must be returned to the water immediately.” North Delaney Butte Lake: “Fishing prohibited in inlet upstream of standing water line. Fishing prohibited from dam and within 100 feet of dam Sept. 15–Nov. 15.” State Wildlife Area page: “Operating a vessel in a manner that creates a whitewater wake is prohibited”; licence or SWA pass required for everyone 16 or older.
Nearest town: Walden.
North Park Anglers in Walden runs a fly shop and guide service for the North Park lakes and rivers. Our outfitters directory lists the fishing guides we have checked so far.
The licence and the limits, plainly
One Colorado licence covers every lake on this page. Children under sixteen fish free.
Who needs one, what it costs, how long it lasts
From sixteen. Everyone sixteen and over needs a licence, resident or visitor, and must carry it (a licence in the My CPW app counts). Under-sixteens fish free and may keep a full limit.
Thirteen months, not twelve. An annual licence runs from 1 March to 31 March the following year. The 2026 licence is good until 31 March 2027.
The habitat stamp. Anglers aged 18 to 64 buy one with their first licence of the year. On a short trip there is a break: the first two one-day licences need no stamp.
Bringing a boat? Every motorboat and sailboat needs an Aquatic Nuisance Species stamp, and trailered and motorised boats are inspected before launching. Clean, drain and dry.
Confirmed with Colorado Parks and Wildlife, 2 November 2026 — CPW licence page and 2026 brochure: “Annual fishing licenses are valid March 1 through March 31 (13 months)”; “People 16 and older are required to buy and carry a physical fishing license (or My CPW app accessible license)”; “All youth under 16 can take a full bag and possession limit without a license.” Fees listed — non-residents: one-day $21.90, additional day $9.13, five-day $41.04, annual (16+) $124.01, ANS stamp $50.00; residents: adult annual (18–63) $44.87, senior annual (64+) $12.96, youth 16–17 $12.96, one-day $18.07, additional day $9.13, ANS stamp $25.00; second-rod stamp $14.24; annual habitat stamp $12.76. “Customers buying a one-day or one-additional-day license are exempt from the Habitat Stamp fee with the first two of these licenses.” Prices change. Buy from Colorado Parks and Wildlife or a licensed agent.
Statewide limits — unless a lake says otherwise
| Fish | Daily bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|
| Trout (all kinds, including lake trout), arctic char, grayling, whitefish — together | 4 | 8 |
| Brook trout 8 inches or less (on top of the trout limit) | 10 | 10 |
| Kokanee salmon | 10 | 10 |
| Walleye, saugeye, sauger (statewide) | 5 | 5 |
| Largemouth, smallmouth and spotted bass | 5 | 5 |
| Northern pike | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Yellow perch (east of the Divide / west of the Divide) | 20 / unlimited | 20 / unlimited |
| Tiger muskie (statewide; none at Granby and Grand Lake) | 1, at least 36 inches | 1 |
The lake rules above override these: one 20-inch trout at Spinney; two at Pearl and the Delaney Buttes; four at Eleven Mile and Lake John; twelve lake trout at Granby; no limit on smaller lake trout at Blue Mesa.
Confirmed with Colorado Parks and Wildlife, 2 November 2026 — statewide limits chart in the 2026 Colorado Fishing brochure. “Fish released immediately are not part of the limit.” Fish kept and later frozen or smoked “are part of the possession limit until consumed.”
On the ice
Lake ice in Colorado is never the same twice, even on one lake. CPW’s own rules of thumb: two inches or less, stay off; four inches of good, clear ice holds a person walking; six inches a snowmobile. Carry ice picks on a cord, a rope and a throwable cushion, and tell someone where you have gone. Spinney Mountain bans ice fishing; at Eleven Mile, Blue Mesa, Granby and Grand Lake, shelters must be portable.
Boat hire, marinas and shops we have checked
Real businesses, each with its own website, which we opened on 2 November 2026. No ratings, no paid placements.
11 Mile Marina — Eleven Mile Reservoir, Lake George
The marina named by CPW on the Eleven Mile park page: boat rentals, guided trips, a fishing report and a shop, at 4224 County Road 92. 11milesports.com
Trail Ridge Marina — Shadow Mountain Lake and Grand Lake
Boat rentals on Shadow Mountain Lake, with the canal through to Grand Lake; it says it is the only marina serving both lakes. Its site says 2027 reservations open in March 2027. trailridgemarina.com
Steamboat Lake Marina — Steamboat Lake, next to Pearl Lake
Family-owned marina at Steamboat Lake State Park: pontoon boats, kayaks, canoes and paddleboards, and camper cabins. steamboatlakemarina.com
North Park Anglers — Walden
Fly shop and guide service at 524 Main Street, Walden, in the middle of North Park’s lakes and rivers. northparkanglers.com
Straightline Sports — Steamboat Springs
Family-run outdoor shop since 1976 on Lincoln Avenue, offering guided float, wade and ice fly fishing trips in the Yampa Valley. straightlinesports.com
Also on the water but not checked by us today: the Elk Creek and Lake Fork marinas on Blue Mesa (named by the Park Service, and operating in low-water mode this year); the marinas on Lake Granby; and Lake John Resort near Walden, whose website would not load properly for us.
Where to stay
Every town below is pinned to its own Trip.com city number, so the button opens that Colorado town’s hotels — not a namesake in New York or Quebec.
The towns that serve each lake
Spinney Mountain and Eleven Mile: Lake George, or Woodland Park for more choice. South Park and Antero: Fairplay. Blue Mesa: Gunnison. Lake Granby: Granby. Grand Lake: Grand Lake. Pearl Lake: Steamboat Springs. Lake John and the Delaney Buttes: Walden.
Three or four of you? Take a house, not four hotel rooms. A cabin at Grand Lake or a house in Gunnison gives you a kitchen for the early breakfast, a freezer for the kokanee and lake trout you keep, and one bill instead of four. Our vacation homes guide has the questions to ask before you pay.
Lake George hotels › Woodland Park hotels › Fairplay hotels › Steamboat Springs hotels › Gunnison hotels › Granby hotels › Grand Lake hotels › Walden hotels ›
Questions
Do I need a fishing licence to fish a lake in Colorado, and from what age?
Yes, from sixteen. Colorado Parks and Wildlife’s 2026 brochure says people 16 and older must buy and carry a fishing licence, and those under 16 can take a full bag and possession limit without one. For a visitor, CPW lists a non-resident one-day licence at $21.90, a five-day at $41.04 and an annual at $124.01; a resident adult annual is $44.87. Annual licences run 1 March to 31 March the following year — thirteen months. Anyone 18 to 64 also needs the habitat stamp ($12.76), except on the first two one-day licences. Check the current price when you buy.
What are the rules at Spinney Mountain Reservoir?
Flies and lures only; one trout, and it must be at least 20 inches; no fishing from half an hour after sunset to half an hour before sunrise; no ice fishing; no limit on yellow perch. That is CPW’s 2026 regulation. The state park opens after spring ice-off and stays open to 15 November each year unless the ice comes sooner.
When can I snag kokanee at Blue Mesa Reservoir?
From 1 November to 31 December. CPW’s 2026 brochure and the Park Service both give those dates for Blue Mesa. The kokanee bag limit is 5 and the possession limit 10. There is no bag limit on lake trout of 32 inches or shorter, and only one longer than 32 inches may be kept a day.
Can I fish Antero Reservoir in 2026?
No. Denver Water, which owns it, announced in April 2026 that it was moving Antero’s water to Cheesman Reservoir as a drought measure. Its page says the last day for recreation in 2026 was 13 May. Denver Water says drought conditions will decide when it can be refilled — check with them before planning a trip.
Which Colorado lakes allow ice fishing?
Many do, but not all. Spinney Mountain bans it. Eleven Mile, Blue Mesa, Lake Granby and Grand Lake allow it with portable shelters only, under CPW’s 2026 rules. Ice is never guaranteed: CPW’s own advice is to stay off ice two inches thick or less, and that four inches of good ice holds a person on foot.
What we could not check today, and will not pretend to have
The part of a fishing page most sites leave out.
Four honest gaps
Species lists for Lake John and Grand Lake. CPW’s regulations tell us what the rules protect, but we could not read a CPW species list for these two lakes today. What we say about them is limited to what the agencies print.
Boat ramps change week by week. In a drought year the ramps at Blue Mesa, Spinney and Granby open and close with the water. Check the Park Service, CPW or the Forest Service on the morning you tow a boat.
Park entry fees. CPW state parks charge a daily vehicle pass, and the Arapaho National Recreation Area its own pass; we did not confirm today’s figures. Check with each agency.
Lake guides. We have listed the shops and marinas we opened; we have not yet checked the trolling and ice guides on Blue Mesa, Granby and Eleven Mile. They will be added at the same standard.