Fishing in Chaffee County, Colorado
Seat: Salida. CPW Southeast Region.
- 16lake pages
- 11ramp sites
- 10stream pages
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A quick portrait of Chaffee County for anglers
With Salida as its county seat, Chaffee County falls inside the Southeast Region of Colorado Parks and Wildlife. Its 1,013 square miles of land held 19,476 people in 2020, and surface water adds 1.5 square miles. Look for Gold Medal trout on Arkansas River, 108.4 mi of stream total.
This guide covers 16 lakes and reservoirs with their own pages, 610 surface acres in total; Clear Creek Reservoir is the biggest. The county lake list climbs to 12,624 feet at Silverking Lake. Trailer boats can launch at 11 ramp sites mapped sites here. 70 atlas access points dot the county, including 24 built for accessible fishing. CPW marks 7 county lakes as open to ice fishing.
Census 2020 population and 2023 Gazetteer land and water area; CPW Fishing Atlas waterbodies, ramps and fishing locations, retrieved October 2026.
For the trout herePiscifun Carbon XT ultralight spinning reel25% OFFSale $59.99 Where the water is in Chaffee County
CPW boat ramps and Fishing Atlas locations; lake pins are CPW waterbody points, stream pins the midpoint of the CPW reach. Checked October 2026.
Chaffee County lake guides
| Lake | Acres | Elevation ft | Notes | Species listed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clear Creek Reservoir | 405 | 8,880 | ice fishing, gas motors, trout stocked | brown trout, cutbow, kokanee salmon |
| Cottonwood Lake, Chaffee County | 39 | 9,559 | ice fishing, no motors, trout stocked | brown trout, cutbow, rainbow trout |
| Boss Lake Reservoir | 25 | 10,862 | ice fishing, no boats | |
| Pomeroy Lake, Lower | 23 | 12,028 | no boats | |
| North Fork Reservoir | 23 | 11,413 | no motors, trout stocked | arctic grayling, cutthroat trout, rainbow trout |
| Pomeroy Lake, Upper | 20 | 12,266 | no boats | |
| Lake O'Haver | 14 | 9,130 | ice fishing, no motors, trout stocked | brook trout, brown trout, rainbow trout |
| Frantz Lake | 12 | 7,109 | ice fishing, no motors, trout stocked | cutbow, green sunfish, largemouth bass |
| Hartenstein Lake | 10 | 11,463 | no boats | |
| Ptarmigan Lake | 9 | 12,138 | no boats | bluegill, sunfish, rainbow trout |
| Kroenke Lake | 8 | 11,507 | no boats | |
| Silverking Lake | 7 | 12,624 | no boats | |
| Hunt Lake | 5 | 11,476 | no boats | |
| Sands Lake | 4 | 7,054 | no motors, trout stocked | brown trout, cutbow, rainbow trout |
| Wrights Lake | 3 | 8,314 | ice fishing, no motors | cutbow, rainbow trout, snake river cutthroat |
| Riverside Ponds | 3 | 7,104 | ice fishing, no motors, trout stocked |
CPW Fishing Atlas waterbody outlines (acres from the outline), elevation and boating notes; species from CPW Boatable Waters. Retrieved October 2026.
Other lakes in Chaffee County
In Chaffee County, 6 further named lakes and ponds show up only in this table.
| Water | Acres | Elevation ft | Nearest town |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arthur Lake | 3 | 12,077 | Garfield |
| Chalk Creek Lake | 2 | 8,709 | Nathrop |
| Salida Hydro Pond #2 | 1 | 8,500 | Maysville |
| Castlerock Pond #1 | 1 | 9,153 | Nathrop |
| Buena Vista Kids Pond | 0 | 7,946 | Buena Vista |
| Monarch Park Ponds | 10,445 | Garfield |
CPW Fishing Atlas waterbodies, retrieved October 2026.
Chaffee County stream guides
- Arkansas Riverriver, Gold Medal 108.4 mi; 2 reaches with special rules (12.3 mi); 43 public access properties; on the stocking report
- Browns Creekstream, 1 public access property
- Chalk Creekstream, 1 reach with special rules (0.6 mi); on the stocking report
- Cottonwood Creek, Chaffee Countystream, 1 reach with special rules (8.3 mi); 1 public access property
- Middle Cottonwood Creekstream, 1 public access property
- North Cottonwood Creekstream, 1 public access property
- North Fork Clear Creekstream, 1 public access property
- Pine Creek, Chaffee Countystream, 1 public access property
- South Arkansas Riverriver, 1 reach with special rules (9.4 mi); 1 public access property
- South Fork Clear Creekstream, 1 public access property
Streams with trout rules in Chaffee County
CPW regulates reaches on 4 streams in Chaffee County, and 1 carry the Gold Medal designation.
Compare with other Gold Medal waters statewide.
Runoff and flow in Chaffee County
| USGS gauge | Latest reading | Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|
| Arkansas River At Granite, Co. | 465 cfs | May 31 1:30 am Not updated since May 31, 2004. |
US Geological Survey provisional data, retrieved Nov 12, 2026 9:33 pm ET. Provisional readings can be revised.
CPW special-regulation, Gold Medal and Quality Waters stream layers (miles from CPW line geometry); USGS gauges. Retrieved October 2026.
How full the Chaffee County reservoirs are
Upper Arkansas Water Conservancy District storage telemetry for Boss Lake Reservoir (station BLKRESCO), recorded October 25, 2026; retrieved October 25, 2026. Provisional data from CDSS.
Co. Division of Water Resources storage telemetry for Clear Creek Reservoir (station CLRRESCO), recorded October 25, 2026; retrieved October 25, 2026. Provisional data from CDSS.
Co. Division of Water Resources storage telemetry for Clear Creek Reservoir (station CLRRESCO), recorded October 25, 2026; retrieved October 25, 2026. Provisional data from CDSS.
Upper Arkansas Water Conservancy District storage telemetry for Cottonwood Lake Reservoir (station COTRESCO), recorded October 22, 2026; retrieved October 25, 2026. Provisional data from CDSS.
Ramps CPW maps in Chaffee County
- Buena Vista SWA, boat ramp, universal-water ramp, CDOW
- Clear Creek Reservoir SWAClear Creek Reservoir, boat ramp, universal-water ramp, ANS inspection, CDOW
- Fisherman's Bridge boat ramp, boat ramp, CPW
- Fishermans Bridge Boat Ramp, boat ramp
- Railroad Bridge Boat Ramp, boat ramp, condition good
- Ruby Mountain Boat Ramp, boat ramp
- Salida East Boat Ramp, boat ramp, condition good
- Stone Bridge boat ramp near Smeltertown, boat ramp, condition good, CPW
- Hecla Junction Boat Ramp, boat ramp
- Numbers Boat Ramp, boat ramp
- Salida Boat Ramp, boat ramp
Land-based fishing spots of Chaffee County (70)
- Cottonwood Creek, Harmon SWACottonwood Cr, accessible pier, easy access, 8,139 ft
- Arkansas River, Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area – Clear CreekArkansas R #9a, medium access, 8,802 ft
- Arkansas River, Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area – Elephant RockArkansas R #9a, medium access, 8,062 ft
- Arkansas River, Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area – Fishermans BridgeArkansas R #9a, medium access, 7,683 ft
- Arkansas River, Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area – Granite RockArkansas R #9b, medium access, 8,865 ft
- Arkansas River, Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area – Hecla JunctionArkansas R #8, medium access, 7,391 ft
- Arkansas River, Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area – NumbersArkansas R #9a, medium access, 8,598 ft
- Arkansas River, Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area – Railroad BridgeArkansas R #9a, medium access, 8,233 ft
- Arkansas River, Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area – Rapid No. 4Arkansas R #9a, medium access, 8,515 ft
- Arkansas River, Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area – RiversideArkansas R #9a, medium access, 8,262 ft
- Arkansas River, Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area – Ruby MountainArkansas R #9a, medium access, 7,643 ft
- Arkansas River, Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area – Salida Boat RampArkansas R #7, easy access, 7,041 ft
- Arkansas River, Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area – Salida EastArkansas R #6d, medium access, stocked: sub-catchables, 6,942 ft
- Arkansas River, Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area – Stone BridgeArkansas R #8, medium access, 7,263 ft
- Arkansas River, Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area – Stone CabinArkansas R #9a, medium access, 8,791 ft
- Arkansas River, Big Bend SWAArkansas R #7, easy access, 7,159 ft
- Arkansas River, Champion SWAArkansas R #9a, medium access, 7,761 ft
- Arkansas River, Everett Fishing LeaseArkansas R #7, difficult access, 7,124 ft
- Arkansas River, Granite SWAArkansas R #9b, medium access, 8,954 ft
- Arkansas River, Johnson Village SWAArkansas R #9a, difficult access, 7,775 ft
- Arkansas River, Smyth Fishing LeaseArkansas R #8, medium access, 7,255 ft
- Arthur Lake fishing access near GarfieldArthur Lake, difficult access, 12,077 ft
- Boss Lake Reservoir fishing access near GarfieldBoss Lake Reservoir, medium access, stocked: sub-catchables, 10,862 ft
- Browns CreekBrowns Creek #2, difficult access, 9,764 ft
- Buena Vista Kids Pond fishing access near Buena VistaBuena Vista Kids Pond, easy access, stocked: catchable trout, 7,946 ft
- Castlerock Pond #1 fishing access near NathropCastlerock Pond #1, medium access, 9,151 ft
- Castlerock Pond #3Castlerock Pond #1, medium access, 9,158 ft
- Castlerock PondsCastlerock Pond #1, medium access, 9,153 ft
- Chalk LakeChalk Creek Lake, easy access, stocked: catchable trout, 8,709 ft
- Clear Creek Reservoir fishing access near Twin LakesClear Creek Reservoir, easy access, stocked: catchable trout, sub-catchables and warmwater, 8,880 ft
- Clear Creek, North Fork, Collegiate Peaks Wilderness AreaClear Creek, North Fk, difficult access, 10,834 ft
- Clear Creek, South Fork, Collegiate Peaks Wilderness AreaClear Creek, South Fk, medium access, 10,572 ft
- Cottonwood Creek, Harmon SWA 2Cottonwood Cr, accessible fishing area
- Cottonwood Creek, MiddleCottonwood Cr, Middle, difficult access, stocked: sub-catchables, 9,693 ft
- Cottonwood Creek, NorthCottonwood Cr, North, difficult access, 10,269 ft
- Cottonwood Lake fishing access near Buena Vista, San Isabel National ForestCottonwood Lake, accessible pier, easy access, stocked: catchable trout and warmwater, 9,559 ft
- Cottonwood Lake fishing access near Buena Vista, San Isabel National Forest 2Cottonwood Lake, accessible fishing area
- Cottonwood Lake fishing access near Buena Vista, San Isabel National Forest 3Cottonwood Lake, accessible fishing area
- Elephant Rock rec.site usfsfishing access
- Frantz Lake fishing access near Smeltertown, Frantz Lake SWAFrantz Lake, accessible pier, easy access, stocked: catchable trout and sub-catchables, 7,109 ft
- Frantz Lake fishing access near Smeltertown, Frantz Lake SWA 2Frantz Lake, accessible fishing area
- Frantz Lake fishing access near Smeltertown, Frantz SWAFrantz Lake, fishing access
- Harmon SWAfishing access
- Hartenstein Lake fishing access near Buena VistaHartenstein Lake, difficult access, 11,463 ft
- Hunt Lake fishing access near GarfieldHunt Lake, difficult access, stocked: sub-catchables, 11,476 ft
- Jesus Rock river accessfishing access
- Kroenke Lake fishing access near Buena VistaKroenke Lake, difficult access, 11,507 ft
- Lower Riverside accessfishing access
- Monarch Park Ponds fishing access near Garfield, Monarch Park CampgroundMonarch Park Ponds, accessible pier, easy access, stocked: catchable trout, 10,445 ft
- Monarch Park Ponds fishing access near Garfield, Monarch Park Campground 2Monarch Park Ponds, accessible fishing area
- North Fork Reservoir fishing access near GarfieldNorth Fork Reservoir, easy access, stocked: catchable trout and sub-catchables, 11,413 ft
- O'Haver Lake fishing access near Poncha Springs, San Isabel National ForestLake O'Haver, accessible pier, easy access, stocked: catchable trout, 9,130 ft
- O'Haver Lake fishing access near Poncha Springs, San Isabel National Forest 2Lake O'Haver, accessible fishing area
- Pine Creek fishing access near Twin LakesPine Creek, difficult access, 10,621 ft
- Pomeroy Lake, Lower fishing access near GarfieldPomeroy Lake, Lower, difficult access, stocked: sub-catchables, 12,028 ft
- Pomeroy Lake, Upper fishing access near GarfieldPomeroy Lake, Upper, difficult access, stocked: sub-catchables, 12,266 ft
- Ptarmigan Lake fishing access near PitkinPtarmigan Lake, difficult access, stocked: sub-catchables, 12,138 ft
- Rapid #5 1/2 River accessfishing access
- Riverside Pond, NorthRiverside Ponds, medium access, stocked: catchable trout, 7,104 ft
- Riverside Pond, SouthRiverside Ponds, medium access, stocked: catchable trout, 7,097 ft
- Salida Hydro Pond #2 fishing access near MaysvilleSalida Hydro Pond #2, easy access, stocked: catchable trout, 8,500 ft
- Sands Lake fishing access near Smeltertown, Sands Lake SWASands Lake, accessible pier, easy access, stocked: catchable trout, 7,054 ft
- Sands Lake fishing access near Smeltertown, Sands Lake SWA 2Sands Lake, accessible fishing area
- Sands Lake fishing access near Smeltertown, Sands Lake SWA 3Sands Lake, fishing access
- Sands Lake fishing access near Smeltertown, Sands Lake SWA 4Sands Lake, fishing access
- Silver King LakeSilverking Lake, difficult access, stocked: sub-catchables, 12,624 ft
- Stone Bridge fish acc fishing access near Smeltertownfishing access
- Three Elk fish acc fishing access near Buena Vistafishing access
- Upper Riverside accessfishing access
- Wrights Lake fishing access near NathropWrights Lake, easy access, stocked: catchable trout, 8,314 ft
CPW boat ramp and Fishing Atlas fishing location layers (ndismaps.nrel.colostate.edu), retrieved October 2026.
Chaffee County plantings and record fish
CPW added 9 waters in Chaffee County to its stocking report a total of 85 times since 2024.
Where CPW stocked trout in Chaffee County
| Water | Listings | By year | Latest |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Fork Reservoir | 4 | 2026: 2, 2025: 1, 2024: 1 | Aug. 7, 2026 |
| Cottonwood Lake, Chaffee County | 13 | 2026: 5, 2025: 5, 2024: 3 | July 31, 2026 |
| Lake O'Haver | 9 | 2026: 3, 2025: 3, 2024: 3 | July 31, 2026 |
| Chalk Creek | 11 | 2026: 4, 2025: 7 | July 24, 2026 |
| Sands Lake | 3 | 2026: 3 | June 26, 2026 |
| Clear Creek Reservoir | 10 | 2026: 2, 2025: 5, 2024: 3 | May 15, 2026 |
| Frantz Lake | 7 | 2026: 1, 2025: 4, 2024: 2 | May 1, 2026 |
| Arkansas River | 23 | 2026: 4, 2025: 10, 2024: 9 | April 10, 2026 |
| Riverside Ponds | 5 | 2025: 5 | Sept. 12, 2025 |
Record fish landed in Chaffee County
| Species | Record | Water | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tiger Muskie | 42.50 in | Spinney Mountain Reservoir | 2026 |
CPW Fish Stocking Report (catchable trout, about 10 inches; each listing is a week the water appeared on the report, 2024 to October 2026); CPW publishes no numbers or sizes per water. Retrieved October 2026. State records from the 2026 Colorado Fishing brochure (CPW, season March 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027).
Where the rules tighten in Chaffee County
The statewide limits below cover Chaffee County (Arkansas and South Republican drainage) unless the brochure gives a water its own rule.
| Species | Limit | Season |
|---|---|---|
| Trout, arctic char, grayling, salmon and whitefish (not kokanee) | Daily bag 4, possession 8, in aggregate | Open all year, day and night, unless a special regulation says otherwise |
| Brook trout 8 inches or less (bonus) | Daily bag 10, possession 10 | Open all year, day and night, unless a special regulation says otherwise |
| Kokanee salmon | Daily bag 10, possession 10 | Open all year, day and night, unless a special regulation says otherwise |
| Walleye, saugeye and sauger | Daily bag 10, possession 10, in aggregate | Open all year, day and night, unless a special regulation says otherwise |
| Largemouth, smallmouth and spotted bass | Daily bag 5, possession 5, in aggregate | Open all year, day and night, unless a special regulation says otherwise |
| White bass, striped bass and wiper | Daily bag 20, possession 20, in aggregate | Open all year, day and night, unless a special regulation says otherwise |
| Channel, flathead and blue catfish | Daily bag 10, possession 10, in aggregate | Open all year, day and night, unless a special regulation says otherwise |
| White and black crappie | Daily bag 20, possession 20, in aggregate | Open all year, day and night, unless a special regulation says otherwise |
| Bluegill and other sunfish | Daily bag 20, possession 20, in aggregate | Open all year, day and night, unless a special regulation says otherwise |
| Yellow perch | Daily bag 20, possession 20 | Open all year, day and night, unless a special regulation says otherwise |
| Tiger muskie | Daily bag 1, possession 1; at least 36 inches long | Open all year, day and night, unless a special regulation says otherwise |
| Northern pike and bullhead | No bag or possession limit | Open all year, day and night, unless a special regulation says otherwise |
Chaffee County waters the brochure singles out (10)
| Water and section | Rules | Brochure |
|---|---|---|
| From the confluence with the Lake Fork of the Arkansas near Leadville downstream to Parkdale at the U.S. 50 bridge crossing above the Royal Gorge. | p. 11 | |
| Within the Pueblo Reservoir State Wildlife Area: | Bag, possession and min. size for walleye and saugeye is 5 in the aggregate, 18 inches long. Only 1 walleye or saugeye in the aggregate longer than 21 inches may be taken per day. | p. 11 |
| From the bridge at Valco Ponds downstream to Pueblo Blvd. (except at Pueblo Nature Center, as posted): | Artificial flies and lures only. Trout longer than 16 inches must be returned to water immediately. | p. 11 |
| From the headwaters downstream to Boss Lake: | Artificial flies and lures only. Cutthroat must be returned to water immediately. | p. 11 |
| Boss Lake | Artificial flies and lures only. Cutthroat must be returned to water immediately. | p. 13 |
| Within Wright’s Lake State Wildlife Area: | Artificial flies and lures only. | p. 14 |
| From the gauging station (approximately 0.5 miles above Clear Creek Reservoir) downstream to Clear Creek Reservoir: | Snagging kokanee permitted Oct. 1–Dec. 31. | p. 14 |
| Clear Creek Reservoir | Snagging kokanee permitted Oct. 1–Dec. 31. | p. 14 |
| Hunt Lake | Artificial flies and lures only. Cutthroat must be returned to water immediately. | p. 25 |
| Wrights Lake | Artificial flies and lures only. | p. 39 |
Special regulations as printed in the 2026 Colorado Fishing brochure (CPW, season March 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027), pp. 11 to 39, checked against CPW Chapter W-1 (as approved 13 November 2025); retrieved October 2026.
Where Chaffee County anglers stock up
Fly shops and tackle stores in Chaffee County
- American Hunting & Fishing Supplybait and tackle shop, Salida
- Ark Anglersfly shop, Buena Vista
- ArkAnglersfly shop, Salida
- Arkansas River Fly Shopfly shop, Salida
- Salida Anglers Fly Shopfly shop, Salida
- UpRiver Fly Fishingfly shop, Buena Vista
- Badfishsporting goods store
Registered outfitters based in Chaffee County
- ArkAnglers, LLCfishing guide, Salida
- Salida Fly LLCfly fishing guide, Buena Vista
Yellow Pages listings and chain store locators; DORA Office of Outfitters Registration roster (active business registrations with a fishing word in the name, placed by business city). Retrieved October 2026.
Neighbors of Chaffee County
Towns inside Chaffee County
- Salidapop. 5,666
- Buena Vistapop. 2,855
Next door to Chaffee County
- Lake County33 miles north
- Park County41 miles northeast
- Gunnison County41 miles west
- Pitkin County47 miles northwest
A Piscifun kit for days on Chaffee County
Piscifun and Amazon links are affiliate links; the site earns a commission on qualifying purchases.
A photo lineup of the fish at Chaffee County
Photo: Meine Mutter (Erlaubnis liegt vor), CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: United States Fish and Wildlife Services, Public domain
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Photo: USFWS Mountain Prairie, Public domain
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Photo: Fredlyfish4, CC BY-SA 3.0
Hunting in Chaffee County
Public hunting land, seasons and processors for Chaffee County are on State Hunting Spots, our sister site.
Practical answers for Chaffee County anglers
Does Chaffee County have public boat ramps?
Count 11 ramp sites from the CPW ramp layer.
Which Chaffee County reservoir covers the most water?
Clear Creek Reservoir, about 405 acres by its CPW outline.
Does Chaffee County have Gold Medal water?
Yes: Arkansas River (108.4 mi).
Does Chaffee County close any waters for part of the year?
Year round and around the clock, except waters the brochure closes by special regulation.
Which Chaffee County merchants stock fishing gear?
7 shops are listed, among them American Hunting & Fishing Supply.
Do registered outfitters work out of Chaffee County?
Count 2 guide businesses with a county business address.
What CPW region is Chaffee County in?
The Southeast Region, per the stocking report.
In which town does Chaffee County keep its government?
Salida, per the county seat list.
Which CPW license covers a trip to Chaffee County?
Budget $44.87 (adult resident), $124.01 (nonresident) or $12.96 (resident senior) for a season of fishing in Colorado. Day licenses are $18.07 and $21.90, resident price first. Run a second line only with the $14.24 second-rod stamp.
Does the brochure list exceptions for Chaffee County?
The brochure prints 10 special regulation entries for the county, starting with From the confluence with the Lake Fork of the Arkansas near Leadville downstream to Parkda; all are in the regulations table above.
Where are trout stocked in Chaffee County?
Yes; 9 Chaffee County waters appeared on the catchable trout report since 2024, 85 times in all.
Start with the big water of Chaffee County
Read the special regulations before keeping fish.