Ice Fishing in Colorado
Hole, shelter and fire rules from the 2026 brochure, the lakes CPW flags for ice fishing and upcoming contests.
For weighing a catchPiscifun Lip gripper with digital scale27% OFFSale $39.99 Photo of Blue Mesa Reservoir: Hustvedt, CC BY-SA 3.0
Ice fishing rules on Colorado lakes
Ice fishing: The following rules apply to waters open for ice fishing: a. Ice-fishing holes cannot exceed 10 inches in diameter, or 10 inches on any side. b. All fires on the ice must be enclosed in a container. c. No litter allowed on the ice. d. Portable ice-fishing shelters (where permitted) must be removed at the end of the day. e. Permanent ice-fishing shelters (where permitted) must display the name and CID number of the owner or user on the outside of the shelter facing the shore. Writing must be in legible, contrasting-color letters at least 2 inches high.
■ Second-rod stamp: Anglers can use a second rod, handline or tip-up by purchasing a second-rod stamp. One stamp is allowed per season and is nontransferable. A second-rod stamp does not entitle an angler to an additional bag limit, nor can it be used for another person to fish. a. Those with disability licenses must purchase a stamp if fishing with a second line. b. A second-rod stamp is not …
2026 Colorado Fishing brochure (Colorado Parks and Wildlife), p. 9, retrieved October 25, 2026.
Colorado lakes the Fishing Atlas marks for ice fishing
The CPW Fishing Atlas flags 307 lakes and ponds for ice fishing; 261 of them have a page here. Delta County has the most flagged water (44).
- Blue Mesa Reservoir9,087 acres, 7,523 ft
- Lake Granby7,046 acres, 8,284 ft
- Eleven Mile Reservoir3,415 acres, 8,565 ft
- Dillon Reservoir3,345 acres, 9,022 ft
- North Sterling Reservoir2,752 acres, 4,069 ft
- Vallecito Reservoir2,472 acres, 7,669 ft
- Jackson Reservoir2,423 acres, 4,440 ft
- Prewitt Reservoir2,192 acres, 4,087 ft
- Green Mountain Reservoir2,111 acres, 7,952 ft
- Taylor Reservoir2,041 acres, 9,335 ft
- Turquoise Lake1,756 acres, 9,873 ft
- Barr Lake1,725 acres, 5,098 ft
- Twin Lakes Lower1,708 acres, 9,204 ft
- Boyd Lake1,575 acres, 4,959 ft
- Williams Fork Reservoir1,552 acres, 7,807 ft
- Wolford Mountain Reservoir1,548 acres, 7,410 ft
- Sanchez Reservoir1,457 acres, 8,272 ft
- Jumbo Reservoir1,411 acres, 3,706 ft
- Antero Reservoir1,380 acres, 8,945 ft
- Chatfield Reservoir1,355 acres, 5,435 ft
- Shadow Mountain Reservoir1,338 acres, 8,371 ft
- Ruedi Reservoir1,037 acres, 7,771 ft
- Steamboat Lake1,012 acres, 8,031 ft
- Cherry Creek Reservoir881 acres, 5,550 ft
- Vega Reservoir855 acres, 7,968 ft
- Trinidad Reservoir843 acres, 6,233 ft
- Stagecoach Reservoir768 acres, 7,140 ft
- Twin Lakes Upper764 acres, 9,185 ft
- Aurora Reservoir763 acres, 5,934 ft
- La Jara Reservoir721 acres, 9,703 ft
- Elkhead Reservoir706 acres, 6,310 ft
- Lemon Reservoir641 acres, 8,129 ft
- Groundhog Reservoir587 acres, 8,724 ft
- Lake John near Walden, Jackson County, 568 acres568 acres, 8,052 ft
- Narraguinnep Reservoir533 acres, 6,684 ft
- Boulder City Reservoir531 acres, 5,176 ft
- Douglass Reservoir522 acres, 5,206 ft
- Grand Lake486 acres, 8,371 ft
- Loveland Lake440 acres, 5,010 ft
- Miramonte Reservoir429 acres, 7,701 ft
- Clear Creek Reservoir405 acres, 8,880 ft
- Boedecker Reservoir376 acres, 5,065 ft
- Big Creek Lake Lower362 acres, 9,001 ft
- Williams Creek Reservoir332 acres, 8,247 ft
- Lake San Cristobal327 acres, 9,001 ft
- De Weese Reservoir324 acres, 7,669 ft
- Crawford Reservoir324 acres, 6,557 ft
- Heart Lake, Garfield County315 acres, 10,713 ft
- Smith Reservoir280 acres, 7,725 ft
- Summit Reservoir279 acres, 7,389 ft
- Silverjack Reservoir279 acres, 8,931 ft
- Mount Elbert Forebay276 acres, 9,639 ft
- Willow Creek Reservoir268 acres, 8,134 ft
- Rifle Gap Reservoir250 acres, 5,963 ft
- Chambers Lake243 acres, 9,156 ft
- North Delaney Butte Lake233 acres, 8,150 ft
- Overland Reservoir232 acres, 9,902 ft
- Totten Reservoir225 acres, 6,153 ft
- Jackson Gulch Reservoir225 acres, 7,829 ft
- Mountain Home Reservoir206 acres, 8,149 ft
CPW Fishing Atlas ICE_FISHING field, retrieved October 25, 2026. Ice is never certified safe; CPW does not measure it for anglers.
Colorado special regulations that mention ice
| Water and section | County | Rules |
|---|---|---|
| Antero Reservoir | Park | Bag and possession limit for trout is 2. Ice-fishing shelters must be portable. |
| Barker Reservoir | Boulder | Ice fishing prohibited. Snagging kokanee permitted Oct. 1–Dec. 1. |
| Blue Mesa Reservoir | Gunnison | Ice-fishing shelters must be portable. No bag or possession limit for lake trout. Only 1 lake trout longer than 32 inches may be taken per day. Snagging kokanee permitted Nov. 1–Dec. 31. Bag limit for kokanee is 5. … |
| Cerro Summit (Montrose) Reservoir | Montrose | Fishing is prohibited from Dec. 1–Feb. 28. Fishing access is restricted to the parking lot, the trail and up to 50 feet from the water line from March 1–Aug. 15. Fishing is by artificial flies and lures only. All fish … |
| Cheesman Reservoir | Douglas | Fishing prohibited Oct. 1–April 30. Fishing prohibited one-half hour after sunset to one-half hour before sunrise. Fishing prohibited on dam and around reservoir as posted. Ice fishing prohibited. Snagging kokanee … |
| Cheesman Reservoir | Jefferson | Fishing prohibited Oct. 1–April 30. Fishing prohibited one-half hour after sunset to one-half hour before sunrise. Fishing prohibited on dam and around reservoir as posted. Ice fishing prohibited. Snagging kokanee … |
| Daigre Lake | Huerfano | Artificial flies and lures only. Ice fishing prohibited. |
| Eleven Mile Reservoir | Park | Ice-fishing shelters must be portable. Bag and possession limit for trout is 4. |
| Grand Lake | Grand | Ice-fishing shelters must be portable. Bag and possession limit for lake trout is 4. |
| Jackson Lake (Reservoir) | Morgan | Ice-fishing shelters must be portable. Min. size for wiper is 15 inches long. Min. size for walleye and saugeye is 15 inches long. Only 1 walleye or saugeye in the aggregate longer than 21 inches may be taken per day. … |
| Lake Granby | Grand | Ice-fishing shelters must be portable. Gaffs and tail snares prohibited. Bag and possession limit for lake trout is 12, only one of which may be greater than 24 inches. Bag and possession limit for other trout species … |
| Montgomery Reservoir | Park | Ice fishing prohibited. Fishing prohibited Dec. 1–May 31. |
| Rampart Reservoir | El Paso | Bag and possession limit for lake trout is 2. Ice fishing prohibited. |
| Rosemont Reservoir | Teller | Artificial flies and lures only. Ice fishing prohibited. |
| Runyon/Fountain Lakes State Wildlife Area | Pueblo | Ice fishing prohibited. |
| Shadow Mountain Reservoir | Grand | Ice-fishing shelters must be portable. |
| Spinney Mountain Reservoir | Park | Artificial flies and lures only. Fishing prohibited one-half hour after sunset to one-half hour before sunrise. Bag, possession and min. size for trout is 1, 20 inches long. Ice fishing prohibited. No bag and possession … |
| Wahatoya State Wildlife Area | Huerfano | Artificial flies and lures only. Ice fishing prohibited. |
| Willow Creek Reservoir | Grand | Ice-fishing shelters must be portable. |
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.
Upcoming Colorado ice fishing contests
- 39th annual 3 Lakes Ice Fishing ContestJanuary 29, 2027 to January 31, 2027, Lake Granby
- 2027 Ice Fishing TournamentMarch 6, 2027, Evergreen Lake
Organizer pages, retrieved October 25, 2026.
Photos to go with Ice Fishing in Colorado
Photo: Jeffrey Beall, CC BY 4.0
Photo: Steven Baltakatei Sandoval, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: MichaelKirsh, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Larry D. Moore, CC BY 4.0
Boats, ramps and ice in Colorado
Colorado ice fishing: reader questions
How big can an ice fishing hole be in Colorado?
No more than 10 inches across, or 10 inches on any side.
Can I leave an ice shelter out overnight?
Portable shelters must come off the ice at the end of the day; permanent shelters, where allowed, must show the owner name and CID number in 2-inch letters.
Are fires allowed on the ice?
Only inside a container.
Do I need a second-rod stamp for a tip-up?
Yes; a second rod, handline or tip-up takes the $14.24 second-rod stamp.
How many Colorado lakes are marked for ice fishing?
307 lakes and ponds in the CPW Fishing Atlas, 261 with pages here.
Which special regulations mention ice?
19 rows, for example Antero Reservoir.
Are there ice fishing contests in Colorado?
2 upcoming, starting with 3 Lakes Ice Fishing Contest (2027).
Does CPW check ice thickness?
No; anglers judge the ice themselves, and the Atlas flag only means a lake is fished through the ice.