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Colorado lakes and reservoirs

Big Meadows Reservoir Fishing

A 112-acre Colorado reservoir in Mineral County at 9,216 feet.

Get driving directions

Pick for brook troutPiscifun Carbon X ultralight spinning reel28% OFFSale $57.99 ~~$79.99~~

Photo of Rio Grande: Jeffrey Beall, CC BY 4.0

Fishing times todaySolunar periods, sunrise and moonrise for the county around Big Meadows Reservoir, today and the next 7 days.Best fishing times today

Mineral County

A quick portrait of Big Meadows Reservoir

Measured from the CPW water layer, Big Meadows Reservoir is a reservoir of some 112 acres in Mineral County. Expect thin air: this water sits near 9,216 feet. The surrounding property is Big Meadows Reservoir SWA, per CPW. South Fork is the nearest Census place to the shore, near 13 miles off. Fisheries staff of the CPW Southwest Region oversee it.

The CPW species field names brook trout, native cutthroat trout, rainbow trout and trout. CPW maps 1 boat ramp on it. Craft permitted, per CPW: Motor boats (gasoline). Atlas notes: easy to reach, high pressure. On ice: ice fishing listed as yes.

112acres

9,216feet elevation

1boat ramps

4species listed

CPW Fishing Atlas 2025 layers (waterbody outline, Boatable Waters, fishing locations), Census places, retrieved October 25, 2026.

Directions to Big Meadows Reservoir Property page

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Species

What anglers catch at Big Meadows Reservoir

Listed fish for Big Meadows Reservoir, each linked where Colorado has a species page.

Brook trout Native cutthroat trout Rainbow trout Trout

CPW Boatable Waters species field, CPW state records and stocking report, retrieved October 25, 2026.

Access

Ramp access for Big Meadows Reservoir

Big Meadows Reservoir SWAboat ramp, universal-water ramp, CDOW

Mapped access at Big Meadows Reservoir

Big Meadows Reservoir fishing access near South Fork, Big Meadows Reservoir SWA 2easy access, stocked: catchable trout, 9,216 ft
Big Meadows Reservoir fishing access near South Fork, Big Meadows Reservoir SWAfishing access

Boat ramps in reach of Big Meadows Reservoir

Alberta Park Reservoir SWAAlberta Park Reservoir, 5 miles south
Beaver Creek Reservoir SWABeaver Creek Reservoir, 9 miles east
Deer Park Fishing Access near South Fork (south)boat ramp, universal-water ramp, CDOW, 13 miles northeast
Deer Park Fishing Access near South Fork (north)boat ramp, universal-water ramp, CDOW, 13 miles northeast
Coller SWA near South Fork (east)boat ramp, universal-water ramp, CDOW, 14 miles north
Coller SWA near South Fork (west)boat ramp, universal-water ramp, CDOW, 14 miles north

CPW boat ramp and Fishing Atlas fishing location layers, retrieved October 25, 2026.

Limits

Limits a warden checks at Big Meadows Reservoir

Species	Bag and possession	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

For the statewide limits chart, Big Meadows Reservoir counts as east of the Continental Divide water. Unless listed in the brochure special regulations, Big Meadows Reservoir follows the statewide chart.

Statewide bag and possession chart, 2026 Colorado Fishing brochure (CPW, season March 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027), p. 10, retrieved October 25, 2026.

Colorado license and limits

Stocking

Stocking report listings for Big Meadows Reservoir

Big Meadows Reservoir appears 14 listings on the CPW trout report, most recently September 25, 2026.

6listings in 2026

8listings in 2025

Report date	What CPW lists
September 25, 2026	catchable trout, CPW Southwest Region
August 28, 2026	catchable trout, CPW Southwest Region
August 21, 2026	catchable trout, CPW Southwest Region
August 7, 2026	catchable trout, CPW Southwest Region
July 24, 2026	catchable trout, CPW Southwest Region
July 3, 2026	catchable trout, CPW Southwest Region
October 31, 2025	catchable trout, CPW Northwest Region
October 24, 2025	catchable trout, CPW Southwest Region
October 17, 2025	catchable trout, CPW Southwest Region
October 3, 2025	catchable trout, CPW Southeast Region
July 18, 2025	catchable trout, CPW Southwest Region
July 11, 2025	catchable trout, CPW Southwest Region

CPW Fish Stocking Report (catchable trout of about 10 inches; the date is when CPW added the water to its weekly list), 2024 to October 2026, retrieved October 25, 2026. Colorado stocking.

Compare

Nearby water compared with Big Meadows Reservoir

Lake	Distance	Acres	Elevation ft	Boat ramps	On the trout report
Big Meadows Reservoir		112	9,216	1	yes
Pass Creek Pond	2 miles southeast	4	9,338	0	yes
Tucker Park Ponds	4 miles southeast	6	9,623	0	yes
Spruce Lake Upper	4 miles southwest	12	11,329	0
Alberta Park Reservoir	5 miles southeast	39	10,188	1
Beaver Creek Reservoir	9 miles northeast	103	8,768	1	yes

CPW Fishing Atlas, ramp layer and stocking report, retrieved October 25, 2026.

Nearby

Within a short drive of Big Meadows Reservoir

Further reservoirs a short haul from Big Meadows Reservoir

Pass Creek Pond2 miles southeast
Tucker Park Ponds4 miles southeast
Spruce Lake Upper4 miles southwest
Alberta Park Reservoir5 miles southeast
Beaver Creek Reservoir9 miles northeast

Tackle counters on the way to Big Meadows Reservoir

PJ's Fine Bamboo Rodsbait and tackle shop, Pagosa Springs, 22 miles
Let IT Flybait and tackle shop, Pagosa Springs, 22 miles
Rod & Reelbait and tackle shop, Creede, 23 miles

Fishing outfitters by Big Meadows Reservoir

Fish Creek Outfitting LLCfishing guide, Pagosa Springs
Kaufman Team LLC DBA Williams Creek Anglerfishing guide, Pagosa Springs
Pagosa Troutfittersfishing guide, Pagosa Springs
Wolf Creek Anglersfishing guide, South Fork, (719) 873-1414

Where to stay for a Big Meadows Reservoir trip

Pagosa Springs22 miles
Del Norte26 miles
Monte Vista36 miles

Which county pages list Big Meadows Reservoir

Mineral Countyseat: Creede

Piscifun

Piscifun reels and grips for Big Meadows Reservoir

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In photos

A camera tour of the water by Big Meadows Reservoir

Rio Grande, Colorado — Rio Grande 20 mi
Photo: Jeffrey Beall, CC BY 4.0

Platoro Reservoir, Colorado — Platoro Reservoir 19 mi
Photo: Jeffrey Beall, CC BY 4.0

Navajo Reservoir, Colorado — Navajo Reservoir 48 mi
Photo: Jeffrey Beall, CC BY 4.0

Conejos River, Colorado — Conejos River 46 mi
Photo: JustTooLazy, CC BY 2.0

Answers

Straight answers about Big Meadows Reservoir

Which CPW region covers Big Meadows Reservoir?

The outline falls in Mineral County, CPW Southwest Region, about 13 miles from South Fork.

How many acres does the CPW outline give Big Meadows Reservoir?

Around 112 acres of water, at about 9,216 feet.

Does Big Meadows Reservoir have a CPW-mapped boat ramp?

Start at Big Meadows Reservoir SWA, one of 1 boat ramp.

Which fish does CPW list at Big Meadows Reservoir?

Fish on the list: brook trout, native cutthroat trout, rainbow trout and trout.

Are there extra rules at Big Meadows Reservoir?

Trout, arctic char, grayling, salmon and whitefish (not kokanee): Daily bag 4, possession 8, in aggregate.

Is a second-rod stamp needed at Big Meadows Reservoir?

Colorado sells no separate trout stamp; a CPW fishing license covers trout ($44.87 for adult residents, $124.01 for nonresidents), and anglers 16 and older need one.

Are catchable trout released into Big Meadows Reservoir?

Stocking report: 14 listings on the CPW catchable trout report (6 in 2026, 8 in 2025); latest September 25, 2026.

Is there a fly shop near Big Meadows Reservoir?

Drive about 22 miles to PJ's Fine Bamboo Rods.

Is Big Meadows Reservoir fished through the ice?

CPW shows ice fishing listed as yes; carry picks and test thickness.

Circle a weekend for Big Meadows Reservoir

Check the bag before a fish goes on the stringer.

Colorado license and limits All Colorado lakes