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Rainbow Trout
Photo: Thesupermat, CC BY-SA 4.0 
Brook Trout
Photo: United States Fish and Wildlife Services, Public domain 
Wiper
Photo: Nick Loveland, CC0 
Bluegill
Photo: Famartin, CC BY-SA 4.0
Colorado counties
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Fishing in Hinsdale County, Colorado
Seat: Lake City. CPW Southwest Region.
- 11lake pages
- 5ramp sites
- 7stream pages
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Hinsdale County, Colorado
Fishing Hinsdale County, the overview
CPW counts Hinsdale County among the counties of its Southwest Region, and the courthouse sits in Lake City. The 2020 count was 788 people; the Census Gazetteer lists 1,117 square miles of land and 5.9 of water.
Of the 11 lake pages in the county, Rio Grande Reservoir spreads widest, and together they hold 2,750 acres. The highest lake page sits at 12,755 feet (Cooper Lake), so ice and snowmelt shape the season. The ramp list for the county counts 5 ramp sites. CPW maps 23 places to fish from land here, 2 with accessible piers or platforms. Ice fishing is listed for 4 lakes with pages here.
11lake pages
5ramp sites
7stream pages
23atlas access points
Census 2020 population and 2023 Gazetteer land and water area; CPW Fishing Atlas waterbodies, ramps and fishing locations, retrieved October 2026.
Map
The Hinsdale County angling map
CPW boat ramps and Fishing Atlas locations; lake pins are CPW waterbody points, stream pins the midpoint of the CPW reach. Checked October 2026.
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Lake pages for Hinsdale County
| Lake | Acres | Elevation ft | Notes | Species listed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rio Grande Reservoir | 1,078 | trout stocked | ||
| Continental Reservoir | 375 | 10,272 | gas motors | rainbow trout, snake river cutthroat, splake |
| Williams Creek Reservoir | 332 | 8,247 | ice fishing, gas motors, trout stocked | brook trout, cutbow, cutthroat trout |
| Lake San Cristobal | 327 | 9,001 | ice fishing, gas motors, trout stocked | brook trout, brown trout, kokanee salmon |
| Emerald Lake, Hinsdale County | 282 | 10,038 | no motors | cutbow, cutthroat trout, rainbow trout |
| Road Canyon Reservoir | 151 | 9,278 | ice fishing, gas motors, trout stocked | brook trout, cutbow, cutthroat trout |
| Brown Lake Upper | 140 | 9,799 | ice fishing, gas motors | brook trout, rainbow trout |
| Rito Hondo Lake | 39 | 10,236 | electric motors only | brook trout, cutthroat trout, rainbow trout |
| Emerald Lake Little | 15 | 10,014 | no motors | cutbow, cutthroat trout, rainbow trout |
| Cooper Lake | 6 | 12,755 | no boats | |
| Ute Lake Lower Twin (#2) | 4 | 11,794 | no boats |
CPW Fishing Atlas waterbody outlines (acres from the outline), elevation and boating notes; species from CPW Boatable Waters. Retrieved October 2026.
More lakes
Lesser reservoirs of Hinsdale County
This table holds 12 named waters of Hinsdale County that lack enough facts for their own page.
| Water | Acres | Elevation ft | Nearest town |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hermit Number 1 Reservoir | 87 | Lake City | |
| Regan Lake | 74 | City of Creede | |
| Hermit Lakes | 66 | Lake City | |
| Brown Lake Lower | 60 | City of Creede | |
| Lost Lake Reservoir Number 1 | 55 | Lake City | |
| Castle Rock Lake | 52 | Lake City | |
| Deer Lake #4 | 2 | 10,547 | Lake City |
| Spring Creek Pond | 2 | 9,225 | City of Creede |
| Deer Lake #1 | 2 | 10,441 | Lake City |
| Mill Creek Ponds | 2 | 10,955 | Lake City |
| Deer Lake #3 | 1 | 10,441 | Lake City |
| Deer Lake #2 | 1 | 10,441 | Lake City |
CPW Fishing Atlas waterbodies, retrieved October 2026.
Streams
Stream pages for Hinsdale County
- Cebolla Creekstream, 1 public access property
- East Fork Piedra Riverriver, 1 reach with special rules (16 mi)
- Lake Creekstream, 1 reach with special rules (0.5 mi)
- Los Pinos Riverriver, 2 reaches with special rules (40.5 mi); 1 public access property
- Middle Fork Piedra Riverriver, 1 public access property
- Pole Creekstream, 1 public access property
- Rito Hondo Creekstream, 1 reach with special rules (5.3 mi)
Cold water inside Hinsdale County
Special trout rules apply on 9 streams across Hinsdale County, Gold Medal on 0.
Statewide, the Gold Medal waters page lists each reach.
- Archuleta Creek1 reach with special rules (0.4 mi), near Cathedral
- Deer Beaver Creek1 reach with special rules (5.3 mi), near Cathedral
- Lake Fork5 reaches with special rules (32.1 mi), near Lake City
- Piedra River2 reaches with special rules (35.8 mi), near Piedra
- Road Beaver Creek1 reach with special rules (8.4 mi), near Cathedral
USGS stations inside Hinsdale County
| USGS gauge | Latest reading | Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|
| Lake Fork Blw Lake San Cristobal Nr Lake City, Co | 117 cfs, 4.67 ft gage height | Nov 11 8:30 pm |
| Henson Creek At Lake City, Co | 92 cfs, 7.30 ft gage height | Nov 1 2:15 am Not updated since Nov 1, 2026. |
US Geological Survey provisional data, retrieved Nov 11, 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.
Storage
Water stored behind Hinsdale County dams
36 acre-feetstorage, Big Ruby Res
Co. Division of Water Resources storage telemetry for Big Ruby Res (station 2003533B), recorded October 25, 2026; retrieved October 25, 2026. Provisional data from CDSS.
16,979 acre-feetstorage, Continental Reservoir Near Creede
Co. Division of Water Resources storage telemetry for Continental Reservoir Near Creede (station CONRESCO), recorded October 25, 2026; retrieved October 25, 2026. Provisional data from CDSS.
26,167 acre-feetstorage, Rio Grande Reservoir Near Creede
Co. Division of Water Resources storage telemetry for Rio Grande Reservoir Near Creede (station RIORESCO), recorded October 25, 2026; retrieved October 25, 2026. Provisional data from CDSS.
459 acre-feetstorage, Rito Hondo Reservoir
Co. Division of Water Resources storage telemetry for Rito Hondo Reservoir (station RITRESCO), recorded October 25, 2026; retrieved October 25, 2026. Provisional data from CDSS.
Access
Put-in spots spread across Hinsdale County
- Brown Lakes SWA on Brown Lake LowerBrown Lake Lower, boat ramp, universal-water ramp, condition good, CDOW
- Brown Lakes SWA on Brown Lake UpperBrown Lake Upper, boat ramp, universal-water ramp, condition good, CDOW
- Rito Hondo Reservoir SWARito Hondo Lake, boat ramp, universal-water ramp, condition good, CDOW
- Road Canyon Reservoir SWARoad Canyon Reservoir, boat ramp, universal-water ramp, condition good, CDOW
- USFS boat ramp on Williams Creek ReservoirWilliams Creek Reservoir, boat ramp, universal-water ramp, Other
Hinsdale County shore and pier access (23)
- Brown Lake, Upper fishing access near City of CreedeBrown Lake Upper, medium access, stocked: sub-catchables, 9,799 ft
- Cebolla CreekCebolla Creek #2, easy access, 8,824 ft
- Continental Reservoir fishing access near Lake CityContinental Reservoir, medium access, stocked: catchable trout and sub-catchables, 10,272 ft
- Cooper Lake fishing access near Lake CityCooper Lake, difficult access, 12,755 ft
- Deer Lakes, Gunnison National ForestDeer Lake #3, easy access, stocked: catchable trout, 10,441 ft
- Deer Lakes, Gunnison National Forest 2Deer Lake #1, easy access, 10,441 ft
- Deer Lakes, Gunnison National Forest 3Deer Lake #2, easy access, 10,441 ft
- Deer Lakes, Gunnison National Forest 4Deer Lake #4, easy access, 10,547 ft
- Emerald Lake fishing access near PiedraEmerald Lake, difficult access, 10,038 ft
- Emerald Lake, Little fishing access near PiedraEmerald Lake Little, difficult access, 10,014 ft
- Gunnison River, Lake Fork, Lake Fork Gunnison SWAGunnison R, Lake Fk #2, easy access, stocked: sub-catchables, 8,369 ft
- Lake San Cristobal fishing access near Lake CityLake San Cristobal, medium access, stocked: catchable trout, 9,001 ft
- Little Squaw CreekSquaw Creek, Little, difficult access, 10,249 ft
- Los Pinos RiverLos Pinos River #2, difficult access, 8,059 ft
- Mill Creek Ponds fishing access near Lake CityMill Creek Ponds, easy access, stocked: catchable trout, 10,955 ft
- Piedra River, Middle ForkPiedra River, Mid Fk, medium access, stocked: sub-catchables, 8,137 ft
- Pole Creek fishing access near SilvertonPole Creek, difficult access, stocked: sub-catchables, 11,267 ft
- Rito Hondo Lake fishing access near Lake CityRito Hondo Lake, easy access, stocked: sub-catchables, 10,236 ft
- Road Canyon Reservoir fishing access near City of Creede, Road Canyon Reservoir SWARoad Canyon Reservoir, accessible pier, easy access, stocked: sub-catchables, 9,278 ft
- Road Canyon Reservoir fishing access near City of Creede, Road Canyon Reservoir SWA 2Road Canyon Reservoir, accessible fishing area
- Spring Creek Reservoir fishing access near City of CreedeSpring Creek Pond, easy access, stocked: catchable trout, 9,225 ft
- Ute Lake, Lower Twin (#2) fishing access near SilvertonUte Lake Lower Twin (#2), difficult access, stocked: sub-catchables, 11,794 ft
- Williams Creek Reservoir fishing access near PiedraWilliams Creek Reservoir, easy access, stocked: sub-catchables, 8,247 ft
CPW boat ramp and Fishing Atlas fishing location layers (ndismaps.nrel.colostate.edu), retrieved October 2026.
Stocking and records
Records and stocked water of Hinsdale County
Hinsdale County shows up on the trout report through 4 waters and 29 listings since 2024.
Hinsdale County waters on the trout report
| Water | Listings | By year | Latest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rio Grande Reservoir | 12 | 2026: 8, 2025: 4 | Aug. 14, 2026 |
| Lake San Cristobal | 13 | 2026: 3, 2025: 8, 2024: 2 | July 31, 2026 |
| Williams Creek Reservoir | 3 | 2026: 1, 2025: 1, 2024: 1 | June 12, 2026 |
| Road Canyon Reservoir | 1 | 2025: 1 | Aug. 8, 2025 |
Record fish with a Hinsdale County address
| Species | Record | Water | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brook Trout | 8-8.9 (lbs.-ozs.) | Waterdog Lake | 2022 |
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).
Bait nearby
Where Hinsdale County anglers drive for tackle
- Rod & Reelbait and tackle shop, Creede, 24 miles
- RIGS Fly Shop & Guide Servicefly shop, Ridgway, 26 miles
- Ridgeway Marinamarina, Ouray, 27 miles
- Telluride Anglerfly shop, San Miguel, 28 miles
- Eik Creek Marinamarina, Gunnison, 30 miles
Regulations
Local rules across Hinsdale County
Start with the east slope rows below, then check the named Hinsdale County waters with special regulations.
| 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 5, possession 5, 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 10, possession 10, 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 |
Hinsdale County waters in the brochure special regulations (17)
| Water and section | Rules | Brochure |
|---|---|---|
| Cooper Lake | Artificial flies and lures only. Cutthroat must be returned to water immediately. | p. 17 |
| Emerald Lakes (Big & Little) | Artificial flies and lures only. Bag, possession and max. size for trout is 2, 14 inches long. | p. 21 |
| In the Lake Creek inlet for 0.5 miles above Big Emerald Lake: | Fishing prohibited Jan. 1–July 15. | p. 21 |
| From the headwaters downstream to the waterfall at Sherman: | Artificial flies and lures only. Cutthroat must be returned to water immediately. | p. 24 |
| From first bridge crossing above Lake San Cristobal downstream to Lake San Cristobal: | Artificial flies only. | p. 24 |
| From the confluence with High Bridge Gulch downstream to the BLM boundary below “The Gate” campground: | Artificial flies and lures only. Bag, possession and min. size for brown trout is 2, 16 inches long. Rainbow trout must be returned to water immediately. | p. 24 |
| From the BLM boundary below “The Gate” campground to the confluence with Cherry Creek: | Bag and possession limit for trout is 2. | p. 24 |
| From the confluence with Cherry Creek downstream to the upper Red Bridge campground boundary: | Artificial flies and lures only. Bag, possession and min. size for brown trout is 2, 16 inches long. Rainbow trout must be returned to water immediately. | p. 24 |
| From the upper Red Bridge campground boundary downstream to Blue Mesa Reservoir: | Snagging kokanee permitted Sept. 1–Dec. 31. | p. 24 |
| From Big Emerald Lake inlet upstream for 0.5 miles: | Fishing prohibited Jan. 1–July 15. | p. 26 |
| From the headwaters downstream to the Weminuche Wilderness boundary: | Artificial flies and lures only. Bag and possession limit for trout is 2. | p. 26 |
| From the U.S. 160 bridge in Bayfield downstream to Navajo Reservoir: | No bag or possession limit for channel catfish, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, northern pike, walleye, green sunfish, bluegill, bullhead, yellow perch or crappie. | p. 26 |
| Piedra River, East Fork | Artificial flies and lures only. Cutthroat must be returned to water immediately. | p. 30 |
| From lower boundary of River Hill Campground downstream to the Colo. 149 bridge: | Artificial flies and lures only. Rainbow trout must be returned to water immediately. Bag, possession and max. size for brown trout is 2, 12 inches long. | p. 32 |
| From Colo. 149 bridge at South Fork downstream to the Rio Grande Canal diversion structure: | Artificial flies and lures only. Bag, possession and min. size for brown trout is 2, 16 inches long. Rainbow trout must be returned to water immediately. | p. 32 |
| Rito Hondo Creek | Artificial flies and lures only. All trout must be returned to water immediately. | p. 32 |
| Rito Hondo Reservoir | Artificial flies and lures only. All trout must be returned to water immediately. | p. 32 |
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.
Local help
Fishing help inside Hinsdale County
Hinsdale County guide businesses on the DORA roster
- Sport Fish Colorado LLCfishing guide, Lake City
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.
Nearby
Within a short drive of Hinsdale County
Around the edges of Hinsdale County
- San Juan County16 miles west
- Mineral County28 miles southeast
- Ouray County32 miles northwest
- La Plata County44 miles southwest
Piscifun
Piscifun reels and grips for Hinsdale County
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Know your fish
Species photos for anglers bound for Hinsdale County
Photo: Thesupermat, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: United States Fish and Wildlife Services, Public domain
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Photo: Nick Loveland, CC0
Photo: Famartin, CC BY-SA 4.0
Hunting
Hunting in Hinsdale County
Public hunting land, seasons and processors for Hinsdale County are on State Hunting Spots, our sister site.
Answers
Fishing inside Hinsdale County: questions and replies
Which ramps serve boaters in Hinsdale County?
The access list above names 5 ramp sites.
Which lake leads Hinsdale County by surface area?
Rio Grande Reservoir, about 1,078 acres by its CPW outline.
Is there Gold Medal trout fishing in Hinsdale County?
The county has no Gold Medal designation.
When is fishing season in Hinsdale County?
All year, day or night, apart from waters with a special closure.
Is a fly shop open in Hinsdale County?
No shop is listed inside the county; the closest is Rod & Reel, 24 miles away.
How many guide businesses list Hinsdale County?
The DORA outfitter roster places 1 guide business in the county.
Which CPW office handles fish in Hinsdale County?
Colorado Parks and Wildlife, Southwest Region.
Which town governs Hinsdale County?
Lake City hosts the county government.
What does CPW charge to fish Hinsdale County for a year?
A Colorado license year costs $44.87 for a resident adult and $124.01 for a visitor; seniors living in the state pay $12.96. Out-of-state day trippers pay $21.90; Colorado residents pay $18.07 per day. Adding a second line takes the $14.24 second-rod stamp.
Is any lake in Hinsdale County under its own rule?
The brochure prints 17 special regulation entries for the county, starting with Cooper Lake; all are in the regulations table above.
Is Hinsdale County on the stocking report?
Yes; 4 Hinsdale County waters appeared on the catchable trout report since 2024, 29 times in all.
Pick a Hinsdale County stream
Lake pages print the stocking report dates.