Fishing in Pitkin County, Colorado
Seat: Aspen. CPW Northwest Region.
- 8lake pages
- 0ramp sites
- 8stream pages
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What Pitkin County offers anglers
County business for Pitkin County happens in Aspen; on the water, the CPW Northwest Region sets the stocking schedule. Census 2020 found 17,358 residents on 971 square miles of land, plus 2.5 square miles of water. Roaring Fork River and Fryingpan River carry the Gold Medal label, 40.8 mi of stream in all.
8 reservoirs and lakes have pages in the county (1,178 acres), led in size by Ruedi Reservoir. CPW lists Ivanhoe Lake at 10,935 feet, the top elevation of any county lake page. Shore anglers can pick from 15 Fishing Atlas locations; 0 are accessible piers or areas. 3 county lakes allow ice fishing in the CPW notes.
Census 2020 population and 2023 Gazetteer land and water area; CPW Fishing Atlas waterbodies, ramps and fishing locations, retrieved October 2026.
Pitkin County fishing access, mapped
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 | Acres | Elevation ft | Notes | Species listed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ruedi Reservoir | 1,037 | 7,771 | ice fishing, gas motors, trout stocked | brown trout, kokanee salmon, lake trout |
| Ivanhoe Lake | 70 | 10,935 | ice fishing, no boats | |
| Grizzly Reservoir | 31 | 10,542 | no boats, trout stocked | |
| Maroon Lake | 16 | 9,586 | no boats, trout stocked | |
| Chapman Dam | 9 | 8,546 | ice fishing, no motors, trout stocked | cutthroat trout, rainbow trout |
| Lost Man Reservoir | 6 | 10,587 | no boats, trout stocked | |
| Dinkle Lake | 6 | 8,511 | no motors, trout stocked | rainbow trout |
| Nast Lake | 5 | 8,709 | no boats |
CPW Fishing Atlas waterbody outlines (acres from the outline), elevation and boating notes; species from CPW Boatable Waters. Retrieved October 2026.
Smaller named water in Pitkin County
The CPW layers name another 4 lakes and ponds in Pitkin County; they are listed until more is published.
| Water | Acres | Elevation ft | Nearest town |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homestake Reservoir | 334 | Norrie | |
| Snowmass Lake | 83 | Snowmass Village | |
| Wildcat Reservoir | 52 | Snowmass Village | |
| Fryingpan Lake #2 | 4 | Norrie |
CPW Fishing Atlas waterbodies, retrieved October 2026.
Moving water in Pitkin County
- Roaring Fork Riverriver, Gold Medal 26.5 mi; 4 reaches with special rules (68.5 mi); 2 public access properties
- Fryingpan Riverriver, Gold Medal 14.3 mi; 1 reach with special rules (14.3 mi); 4 public access properties
- Crystal Riverriver, 2 public access properties; on the stocking report
- Cunningham Creek, Pitkin Countystream, 1 reach with special rules (5.5 mi)
- Ivanhoe Creekstream, 1 public access property
- Nickelson Creekstream, 1 reach with special rules (3.6 mi)
- North Fork Fryingpan Riverriver, 1 public access property
- Rocky Fork Creekstream, 1 public access property
Regulated trout reaches of Pitkin County
11 streams in Pitkin County have reaches with their own CPW rules; 2 of them include Gold Medal water.
The Gold Medal list covers the whole state.
- Basin Creek1 reach with special rules (2.4 mi), near Redstone
- Chair Creek1 reach with special rules (4.1 mi), near Redstone
- Clear Fork1 reach with special rules (9.3 mi), near Redstone
- Little Rock Creek1 reach with special rules (3.8 mi), near Redstone
- Rock Creek1 reach with special rules (3 mi), near Redstone
- Second Creek1 reach with special rules (3.2 mi), near Redstone
- South Twin Creek1 reach with special rules (5.3 mi), near Redstone
Live flows across Pitkin County
| USGS gauge | Latest reading | Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|
| Crystal River Abv Avalanche Crk, Near Redstone, Co | 113 cfs, 0.99 ft gage height | Nov 11 7:00 pm |
| Roaring Fork River Blw Maroon Creek Nr Aspen, Co | 110 cfs, 3.18 ft gage height | Nov 11 7:00 pm |
| Castle Creek Above Queens Gulch Near Aspen, Co | 43 cfs, 1.53 ft gage height | Nov 11 7:00 pm |
| Fryingpan River Near Ruedi, Co. | 46 cfs, 0.99 ft gage height | Nov 11 7:15 pm |
| Maroon Creek Near Aspen, Co. | 35 cfs, 6.55 ft gage height | Nov 11 6:45 pm |
| Roaring Fork River Near Aspen, Co. | 25 cfs, 0.70 ft gage height | Nov 11 6:30 pm |
US Geological Survey provisional data, retrieved Nov 11, 2026 7:33 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.
Reservoir storage readings in Pitkin County
Co. Division of Water Resources storage telemetry for Ivanhoe Lake (station IVALAKCO), recorded October 25, 2026; retrieved October 25, 2026. Provisional data from CDSS.
Bureau of Reclamation (Station cooperator) storage telemetry for Ruedi Reservoir Near Basalt (station RUERESCO), recorded October 25, 2026; retrieved October 25, 2026. Provisional data from CDSS.
Launching across Pitkin County
Fishing Atlas access in Pitkin County (15)
- Chapman ReservoirChapman Dam, medium access, stocked: catchable trout and sub-catchables, 8,546 ft
- Crystal River, White River National ForestCrystal River #2, medium access, stocked: sub-catchables, 7,390 ft
- Dinkle Lake fishing access near BasaltDinkle Lake, medium access, stocked: catchable trout and sub-catchables, 8,511 ft
- Fryingpan River, Hunter-Fryingpan Wilderness AreaFryingpan R #4, medium access, 10,357 ft
- Fryingpan River, North ForkFryingpan R, N Fk #1, easy access, 8,827 ft
- Fryingpan River, Ruedi Reservoir inletFryingpan R #2, easy access, stocked: sub-catchables, 7,772 ft
- Fryingpan River, White River National ForestFryingpan R #2, easy access, stocked: sub-catchables, 8,632 ft
- Grizzly Reservoir fishing access near AspenGrizzly Reservoir, medium access, stocked: catchable trout and sub-catchables, 10,542 ft
- Ivanhoe Creek fishing access near NorrieIvanhoe Creek, easy access, 10,434 ft
- Ivanhoe Lake fishing access near NorrieIvanhoe Lake, difficult access, stocked: sub-catchables, 10,935 ft
- Lost Man Reservoir fishing access near AspenLost Man Reservoir, medium access, stocked: catchable trout and sub-catchables, 10,587 ft
- Maroon Lake fishing access near Snowmass VillageMaroon Lake, easy access, stocked: catchable trout, 9,586 ft
- Nast Lake fishing access near NorrieNast Lake, medium access, stocked: catchable trout, 8,709 ft
- Rocky Fork Creek fishing access near Woody CreekRocky Fork Creek, difficult access, 7,945 ft
- Ruedi Reservoir fishing access near NorrieRuedi Reservoir, easy access, stocked: catchable trout and sub-catchables, 7,771 ft
CPW boat ramp and Fishing Atlas fishing location layers (ndismaps.nrel.colostate.edu), retrieved October 2026.
Trout stocking and records in Pitkin County
Since 2024, 7 Pitkin County waters appeared on the catchable trout report, 40 times in all.
Stocking report waters in Pitkin County
| Water | Listings | By year | Latest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crystal River | 5 | 2026: 1, 2025: 2, 2024: 2 | Oct. 23, 2026 |
| Ruedi Reservoir | 12 | 2026: 2, 2025: 7, 2024: 3 | Aug. 14, 2026 |
| Maroon Lake | 7 | 2026: 2, 2025: 3, 2024: 2 | July 10, 2026 |
| Lost Man Reservoir | 5 | 2026: 2, 2025: 2, 2024: 1 | July 10, 2026 |
| Chapman Dam | 6 | 2026: 2, 2025: 4 | June 26, 2026 |
| Grizzly Reservoir | 2 | 2025: 2 | Aug. 15, 2025 |
| Dinkle Lake | 3 | 2025: 1, 2024: 2 | May 30, 2025 |
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).
Brochure entries for Pitkin County
Most Pitkin County water follows the statewide chart below for the Western Slope (west of the Divide); waters with their own entries in the brochure come after it.
| 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 |
Brochure rules for Pitkin County waters (7)
| Water and section | Rules | Brochure |
|---|---|---|
| Cunningham Creek | Artificial flies and lures only. Cutthroat must be returned to water immediately. | p. 17 |
| Fryingpan Lakes No. 2 & No. 3 | Artificial flies and lures only. Cutthroat must be returned to water immediately. | p. 23 |
| From Ruedi dam downstream to the confluence with the Roaring Fork River, approximately 14 miles: | Artificial flies and lures only. Trout (except brown trout) must be returned to the water immediately. | p. 23 |
| Nickelson Creek | Artificial flies and lures only. Cutthroat must be returned to water immediately. | p. 29 |
| From Fryingpan River to Colorado River From the confluence with McFarlane Creek downstream to the upper Woody Creek bridge: | Artificial flies only. Trout must be returned to water immediately. | p. 33 |
| From upper Woody Creek bridge downstream to the confluence with the Colorado River (excluding 50 yards upstream and downstream from the confluences with Fourmile Creek and Threemile Creek): | Artificial flies and lures only. Bag, possession and min. size for trout is 2, 16 inches long. | p. 33 |
| From 50 yards upstream and downstream from the confluences with Fourmile Creek and Threemile Creek: | Artificial flies and lures only. Fishing prohibited March 15–May 31 and Oct. 1–Nov. 30. Bag, possession and min. size for trout is 2, 16 inches long. | p. 33 |
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.
Shops and outfitters across Pitkin County
Tackle counters across Pitkin County
- Aspen Flyfishing Incbait and tackle shop, Aspen
- Pomeroy Sportsbait and tackle shop, Aspen
- Wild Willow Outfittersbait and tackle shop, Aspen
Outfitters with a Pitkin County address
- Aspen Trout Guides, Inc.fishing guide, Aspen
- Elk Mountain Expeditions LLC / Elk Mountain Anglingfishing guide, Aspen
- Aspen Flyfishing Guide Service Incfly fishing guide, Aspen
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.
The ground surrounding Pitkin County
Places to start from in Pitkin County
- Aspenpop. 7,004
- Snowmass Villagepop. 3,096
Counties that share a line with Pitkin County
- Lake County30 miles east
- Eagle County31 miles northeast
- Gunnison County39 miles south
- Chaffee County47 miles southeast
Piscifun tackle sized for Pitkin County
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Telling the species of Pitkin County apart by photo
Photo: Fabricio Cardenas, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: James St. John, CC BY 2.0
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Photo: Nick Loveland, CC0 1.0
Photo: USFWS Mountain Prairie, Public domain
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Hunting in Pitkin County
Public hunting land, seasons and processors for Pitkin County are on State Hunting Spots, our sister site.
Before casting anywhere in Pitkin County
Where does a trailered boat get wet in Pitkin County?
No ramp is mapped in the county.
Which Pitkin County reservoir spreads across the most acres?
Ruedi Reservoir, about 1,037 acres by its CPW outline.
Does CPW list Gold Medal miles in Pitkin County?
Yes: Roaring Fork River (26.5 mi) and Fryingpan River (14.3 mi).
When can I fish Pitkin County lakes and streams?
Colorado waters are open all year, day and night, unless a special regulation closes one; check the county list above.
Where do Pitkin County anglers buy flies and line?
Try Aspen Flyfishing Inc, one of 3 in the county.
Which guide businesses are based in Pitkin County?
3 guide businesses appear on the state roster for the county.
Which CPW office manages Pitkin County?
CPW manages it from the Northwest Region.
Which Colorado town hosts the Pitkin County courthouse?
It is Aspen.
Can I buy a day license for Pitkin County?
The annual license runs $44.87 with Colorado residency and $124.01 without it, while resident seniors pay $12.96. Short stays can use the $21.90 nonresident day license; residents pay $18.07. Fishing with two lines means buying the $14.24 second-rod stamp.
Which Pitkin County waters differ from statewide limits?
The brochure prints 7 special regulation entries for the county, starting with Cunningham Creek; all are in the regulations table above.
Which Pitkin County waters get stocked trout?
Yes; 7 Pitkin County waters appeared on the catchable trout report since 2024, 40 times in all.
Find a ramp in Pitkin County
Stream pages show regulated reaches and live flows.