Fishing in Montezuma County, Colorado
Seat: Cortez. CPW Southwest Region.
- 9lake pages
- 8ramp sites
- 6stream pages
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The short version on Montezuma County
Montezuma County is run from Cortez, and Colorado Parks and Wildlife manages its fishing through the Southwest Region. The county covers 2,029 square miles of land and 10.5 of water, home to 25,849 people in 2020.
Count 5,794 acres across 9 lakes with pages, the largest of them McPhee Reservoir. At 7,829 feet, Jackson Gulch Reservoir is the high point among the county lake pages. There are 8 ramp sites boat ramp sites on the CPW map inside the county. The CPW Fishing Atlas shows 15 fishing locations, 2 of them accessible piers or fishing areas. Hard-water anglers have 5 lake pages flagged for ice fishing.
Census 2020 population and 2023 Gazetteer land and water area; CPW Fishing Atlas waterbodies, ramps and fishing locations, retrieved October 2026.
Pins for every Montezuma County access point
CPW boat ramps and Fishing Atlas locations; lake pins are CPW waterbody points, stream pins the midpoint of the CPW reach. Checked October 2026.
For the trout herePiscifun Carbon XT ultralight spinning reel25% OFFSale $59.99 Reservoirs and lakes of Montezuma County
| Lake | Acres | Elevation ft | Notes | Species listed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| McPhee Reservoir | 4,289 | 6,927 | gas motors, trout stocked | bluegill, brown trout, common carp |
| Narraguinnep Reservoir | 533 | 6,684 | ice fishing, no motors | northern pike, smallmouth bass, walleye |
| Summit Reservoir | 279 | 7,389 | ice fishing, no motors, trout stocked | black crappie, bluegill, channel catfish |
| Totten Reservoir | 225 | 6,153 | ice fishing, no motors | bluegill, channel catfish, crappie |
| Jackson Gulch Reservoir | 225 | 7,829 | ice fishing, gasoline w/ limits, trout stocked | rainbow trout, splake, yellow perch |
| Puett Reservoir | 155 | 7,272 | no motors | black crappie, northern pike, smallmouth bass |
| Joe Moore Reservoir | 36 | 7,699 | ice fishing, gas motors, trout stocked | black crappie, rainbow trout, yellow perch |
| Twin Spruce Ponds | 35 | 7,292 | no motors, trout stocked | brown trout, rainbow trout |
| Denny Lake | 17 | 6,113 |
CPW Fishing Atlas waterbody outlines (acres from the outline), elevation and boating notes; species from CPW Boatable Waters. Retrieved October 2026.
More ponds and small lakes of Montezuma County
1 more named waters in Montezuma County have too little published detail for a page, so they appear here with acres and the closest town.
| Water | Acres | Elevation ft | Nearest town |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bauer Lake | 79 | Mancos |
CPW Fishing Atlas waterbodies, retrieved October 2026.
Rivers and creeks of Montezuma County
- Bear Creek, Montezuma Countystream, 1 reach with special rules (14.9 mi); 1 public access property
- Dolores Riverriver, 4 reaches with special rules (182.8 mi); 2 public access properties; on the stocking report
- Mancos Riverriver, 1 reach with special rules (79.9 mi)
- McElmo Creekstream, 1 reach with special rules (49.8 mi)
- Roaring Forks Creekstream, 1 reach with special rules (6.9 mi); 1 public access property
- Stoner Creekstream, 1 public access property
Gold Medal and special trout water in Montezuma County
In Montezuma County, 5 streams carry CPW special-regulation reaches and 0 hold Gold Medal miles, where trout density and size meet the CPW standard.
Every Gold Medal reach in the state is on the Gold Medal page.
River flow stations of Montezuma County
| USGS gauge | Latest reading | Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|
| San Juan River At Four Corners, Co | 4,790 cfs, 8.55 ft gage height | Nov 12 8:00 pm |
| Dolores River At Dolores, Co. | 638 cfs, 3.96 ft gage height | Nov 12 7:45 pm |
| Dolores River Below Rico, Co. | 190 cfs, 2.48 ft gage height | Nov 12 7:45 pm |
| Mcelmo Creek Near Colorado- Utah State Line | 45 cfs, 3.03 ft gage height | Nov 12 7:30 pm |
| Mcelmo Creek Above Trail Canyon Near Cortez, Co | 21 cfs, 2.53 ft gage height | Nov 2 3:30 pm Not updated since Nov 2, 2026. |
| Mancos River Near Towaoc, Co. | 113 cfs, 3.03 ft gage height | Nov 12 7:45 pm |
US Geological Survey provisional data, retrieved Nov 12, 2026 8:32 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.
Acre-feet held in Montezuma County reservoirs
Bureau of Reclamation (Station cooperator) storage telemetry for Jackson Gulch Reservoir (station JACRESCO), recorded October 25, 2026; retrieved October 25, 2026. Provisional data from CDSS.
Bureau of Reclamation (Station cooperator) storage telemetry for Mcphee Reservoir (station MCPRESCO), recorded October 25, 2026; retrieved October 25, 2026. Provisional data from CDSS.
Boat ramps inside Montezuma County
- House Creek Ramp on Narraguinnep ReservoirNarraguinnep Reservoir, boat ramp, ANS inspection, Other
- Joe Moore Reservoir SWAJoe Moore Reservoir, boat ramp, universal-water ramp, CDOW
- Mancos State Park on Jackson Gulch ReservoirJackson Gulch Reservoir, boat ramp, State Parks
- McPhee Ramp on Narraguinnep ReservoirNarraguinnep Reservoir, boat ramp, ANS inspection, Other
- Narraguinnep Reservoir SWANarraguinnep Reservoir, boat ramp, universal-water ramp, condition good, CPW
- Puett Reservoir SWAPuett Reservoir, boat ramp, universal-water ramp, condition good, CDOW
- Summit Reservoir SWASummit Reservoir, boat ramp, universal-water ramp, CDOW
- Totten Reservoir SWATotten Reservoir, boat ramp, universal-water ramp, CPW
Atlas fishing spots of Montezuma County (15)
- Bear Creek fishing access near RicoBear Creek, difficult access, 8,612 ft
- Denny Lake fishing access near Cortez, Denny Lake ParkDenny Lake, accessible pier, easy access, stocked: warmwater, 6,113 ft
- Denny Lake fishing access near Cortez, Denny Lake Park 2Denny Lake, accessible fishing area
- Dolores River fishing access near DoloresDolores River, medium access, stocked: catchable trout and sub-catchables, 6,927 ft
- Dolores River, Lone Dome SWADolores River #3B, easy access, stocked: sub-catchables, 6,595 ft
- Jackson Gulch Reservoir fishing access near MancosJackson Gulch Reservoir, easy access, stocked: catchable trout and sub-catchables, 7,829 ft
- Joe Moore Reservoir fishing access near MancosJoe Moore Reservoir, easy access, stocked: catchable trout, 7,699 ft
- McPhee Reservoir fishing access near DoloresMcPhee Reservoir, easy access, stocked: catchable trout, sub-catchables and warmwater, 6,927 ft
- Narraguinnep Reservoir fishing access near LewisNarraguinnep Reservoir, easy access, stocked: warmwater, 6,684 ft
- Puett Reservoir fishing access near DoloresPuett Reservoir, easy access, stocked: warmwater, 7,272 ft
- Roaring Forks Creek fishing access near RicoRoaring Forks Creek, difficult access, 8,523 ft
- Stoner Creek fishing access near RicoStoner Creek, difficult access, 7,838 ft
- Summit Reservoir fishing access near MancosSummit Reservoir, easy access, stocked: sub-catchables and warmwater, 7,389 ft
- Totten Reservoir fishing access near CortezTotten Reservoir, easy access, stocked: warmwater, 6,153 ft
- Twin Spruce Ponds fishing access near DoloresTwin Spruce Ponds, easy access, stocked: catchable trout, 7,292 ft
CPW boat ramp and Fishing Atlas fishing location layers (ndismaps.nrel.colostate.edu), retrieved October 2026.
Montezuma County trout plantings and record catches
26 report listings since 2024 cover 6 waters of Montezuma County.
Stocked lakes and streams of Montezuma County
| Water | Listings | By year | Latest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dolores River | 4 | 2026: 2, 2025: 1, 2024: 1 | Aug. 7, 2026 |
| Jackson Gulch Reservoir | 9 | 2026: 3, 2025: 2, 2024: 4 | June 19, 2026 |
| McPhee Reservoir | 2 | 2026: 1, 2024: 1 | April 24, 2026 |
| Summit Reservoir | 4 | 2026: 1, 2025: 1, 2024: 2 | April 17, 2026 |
| Joe Moore Reservoir | 4 | 2026: 1, 2025: 1, 2024: 2 | April 10, 2026 |
| Twin Spruce Ponds | 3 | 2024: 3 | Sept. 12, 2024 |
Colorado records caught in Montezuma County
| Species | Record | Water | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 2-9.5 (lbs.-ozs.) | Totten Res. | 2019 |
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).
Waters of Montezuma County off the statewide chart
The chart below applies across Montezuma County in the Western Slope (west of the Divide); named exceptions follow.
| 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 |
| Smallmouth bass | No bag or possession limit | 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 | No bag or possession limit | 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 |
Named Montezuma County waters with their own rules (15)
| Water and section | Rules | Brochure |
|---|---|---|
| From the headwaters downstream to the confluence with the Dolores River: | Artificial flies and lures only. Bag and possession limit for trout is 2. | p. 12 |
| San Miguel From the confluence with West Fork of the Dolores River downstream to the standing water line of McPhee Reservoir: | Taking kokanee prohibited except Nov. 15– Dec. 31 when snagging permitted. | p. 20 |
| From McPhee Dam downstream approximately 11 miles to the Bradfield Bridge: | Artificial flies and lures only. Trout must be returned to water immediately. | p. 20 |
| From McPhee Dam downstream to the state line: | No bag or possession limit for channel catfish, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, northern pike, walleye, green sunfish, bluegill, bullhead, yellow perch or crappie. | p. 20 |
| From Bradfield Bridge downstream to the state line: | No bag or possession limit for brown trout. | p. 20 |
| From the U.S. 160 bridge in Mancos downstream to the state line: | No bag or possession limit for channel catfish, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, northern pike, walleye, green sunfish, bluegill, bullhead, yellow perch or crappie. | p. 27 |
| From the U.S. 160 bridge east of Cortez downstream to the state line: | No bag or possession limit for channel catfish, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, northern pike, walleye, green sunfish, bluegill, bullhead, yellow perch or crappie. | p. 27 |
| McPhee Reservoir | Largemouth and smallmouth bass 10–15 inches long must be returned to the water immediately. No bag or possession limit for walleye. Snagging kokanee permitted Sept. 1–Dec. 31. | p. 27 |
| Priest Gulch | Artificial flies and lures only. Cutthroat must be returned to water immediately. | p. 32 |
| Rio Lado Creek | Artificial flies and lures only. Cutthroat must be returned to water immediately. | p. 32 |
| Roaring Forks Creek | Artificial flies and lures only. Cutthroat must be returned to water immediately. | p. 33 |
| Summit Reservoir | Min. size for largemouth bass is 15 inches long. | p. 37 |
| Taylor Creek, Little | Artificial flies and lures only. Cutthroat must be returned to water immediately. | p. 37 |
| Totten Reservoir | Min. size for largemouth bass is 15 inches long. | p. 38 |
| Wildcat Creek | Artificial flies and lures only. Cutthroat must be returned to water immediately. | 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.
Tackle, flies and guides in Montezuma County
Montezuma County shops that sell fishing gear
- On the Hook Bait & Tackle Shopbait and tackle shop, Cortez
- Doc's Marina McPheemarina, Dolores
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.
Close to Montezuma County
Bases for trips in Montezuma County
- Cortezpop. 8,766
- Mancospop. 1,196
Neighbors of Montezuma County
- Dolores County28 miles north
- La Plata County42 miles east
- San Miguel County47 miles north
- San Juan County59 miles northeast
Reels from Piscifun that suit Montezuma County
Piscifun and Amazon links are affiliate links; the site earns a commission on qualifying purchases.
Species photos for anglers bound for Montezuma County
Photo: Purefury182, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Eric Engbretson, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Public domain
Photo: Virginia State Parks staff, CC BY 2.0
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Photo: USFWS Mountain Prairie, Public domain
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Hunting in Montezuma County
Public hunting land, seasons and processors for Montezuma County are on State Hunting Spots, our sister site.
Montezuma County fishing, explained briefly
How many CPW-mapped ramps sit inside Montezuma County?
8 ramp sites appear on the CPW map for the county.
Where is the biggest still water in Montezuma County?
McPhee Reservoir, about 4,289 acres by its CPW outline.
Where is the Gold Medal water near Montezuma County?
No Gold Medal reach or lake lies in the county; the statewide list is on the Gold Medal page.
Are there closed seasons in Montezuma County?
Yes, all year and at night, unless the water has its own closure in the brochure.
Which Montezuma County stores sell fishing gear?
2 listings, On the Hook Bait & Tackle Shop first.
Can I hire a fishing outfitter in Montezuma County?
The DORA roster shows none here.
Which CPW region covers Montezuma County?
It is in the Southwest Region.
Where do Montezuma County commissioners meet?
The seat is Cortez.
What would an out-of-state angler spend to fish Montezuma County?
Colorado charges adult residents $44.87 for the annual fishing license and nonresidents $124.01; residents 64 and older pay $12.96. One-day licenses sell at $18.07 (resident) and $21.90 (nonresident). A $14.24 stamp lets a licensed angler run a second rod.
Do any Montezuma County waters have special regulations?
The brochure prints 15 special regulation entries for the county, starting with From the headwaters downstream to the confluence with the Dolores River:; all are in the regulations table above.
Does CPW stock trout in Montezuma County?
Yes; 6 Montezuma County waters appeared on the catchable trout report since 2024, 26 times in all.
Fish Montezuma County this year
Ramp pages carry directions and CPW notes.