Fishing in Colorado
PiscaMaps covers 9,922 public fishing venues across Colorado in 8 regions — 3,654 lakes and reservoirs and 6,260 rivers. The largest is Navajo Reservoir, at 15,769 acres. South Platte River is the longest mapped river, running 514 km. Western Slope has the most venues on file, with 3,120. 9,211 venues are documented trout waters.
The most commonly recorded species across Colorado's public waters are Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout, Cutthroat Trout, Brook Trout, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Yellow Perch and Kokanee Salmon — the exact mix varies by water type and region. 410 venues have a real boat ramp on file, 1,750 have nearby camping, and 2,453 have mapped parking — sourced from OpenStreetMap and recreation.gov's federal facilities database (RIDB) where available.
Fishing Regions in Colorado
Colorado's public fishing venues are spread across 8 regions on PiscaMaps:
Western Slope · 3,120
Front Range · 1,821
Northern Mountains · 1,585
Southern Mountains · 1,271
San Luis Valley · 825
Southwest · 802
Southeast Plains · 342
Northeast Plains · 148
Species Recorded in Colorado
The most frequently recorded species across Colorado's public venues on PiscaMaps:
Rainbow Trout · 9,459
Brown Trout · 8,602
Cutthroat Trout · 7,776
Brook Trout · 7,687
Smallmouth Bass · 2,124
Walleye · 2,122
Yellow Perch · 1,698
Kokanee Salmon · 1,584
Splake · 1,254
Channel Catfish · 1,145
Fishing Licence in Colorado
Everyone 16 or older needs a Colorado fishing licence — resident annual is about $41 (plus the ~$12 Wildlife Habitat Stamp), non-resident annual about $103, and 1-day licences about $17. No separate trout stamp. Buy from Colorado Parks & Wildlife. Colorado has no public-trust right to float or wade through private land — you may only fish where CPW, a State Wildlife Area lease, a state park or another public agency provides legal access, which every water in this atlas does. Most licences also require the ~$12 Colorado Wildlife Habitat Stamp; there is no separate trout stamp.
Full access to public fishing venues in Colorado
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Frequently Asked Questions
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How many public fishing venues are there in Colorado?+
PiscaMaps covers 9,922 public fishing venues across Colorado in 8 regions — 3,654 lakes and reservoirs and 6,260 rivers. The largest is Navajo Reservoir, at 15,769 acres. South Platte River is the longest mapped river, running 514 km. Western Slope has the most venues on file, with 3,120. 9,211 venues are documented trout waters.
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Do I need a fishing licence in Colorado?+
Everyone 16 or older needs a Colorado fishing licence — resident annual is about $41 (plus the ~$12 Wildlife Habitat Stamp), non-resident annual about $103, and 1-day licences about $17. No separate trout stamp. Buy from Colorado Parks & Wildlife. Colorado has no public-trust right to float or wade through private land — you may only fish where CPW, a State Wildlife Area lease, a state park or another public agency provides legal access, which every water in this atlas does. Most licences also require the ~$12 Colorado Wildlife Habitat Stamp; there is no separate trout stamp.
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Are there boat ramps and camping near Colorado's fishing lakes?+
410 venues have a mapped boat ramp and 1,750 have nearby camping on PiscaMaps, sourced from OpenStreetMap and the federal RIDB database.
Notable Lakes & Reservoirs in Colorado
Navajo Reservoir
Colorado
15,769 acres — rainbow trout, brown trout, brook trout, cutthr...
John Martin Reservoir
Colorado
11,762 acres — walleye, saugeye, wiper, largemouth bass
Blue Mesa Reservoir
Colorado
9,209 acres — kokanee salmon, rainbow trout, lake trout (mack...
Granby Reservoir
Colorado
7,016 acres — kokanee salmon, rainbow trout, lake trout (mack...
Meredith Reservoir
Colorado
5,097 acres — walleye, saugeye, wiper, largemouth bass
Lake Meredith Reservoir
Colorado
5,000 acres — rainbow trout, brown trout, cutthroat trout, br...
