Chatfield Reservoir Fishing
A 1,355-acre Colorado reservoir in Douglas County and Jefferson County at 5,435 feet.
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Getting to know Chatfield Reservoir
Its mapped shoreline gives Chatfield Reservoir close to 1,355 acres, all charted in Douglas County and Jefferson County. At around 5,435 feet, it sits below the high peaks. CPW files it under Chatfield State Park. The closest town on the Census list is Ken Caryl, some 3 miles away. It belongs to the CPW Northeast Region.
Its fish on the CPW roster: black crappie, bluegill, channel catfish, common carp, largemouth bass and rainbow trout. Boaters have 3 boat ramps to choose from. CPW sets the boating rule as Motor boats (gasoline). The Fishing Atlas rates access as easy and fishing pressure as high. Through the ice season: ice fishing listed as yes.
CPW Fishing Atlas 2025 layers (waterbody outline, Boatable Waters, fishing locations), Census places, retrieved October 25, 2026.
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These Chatfield Reservoir species rest on CPW listings and records, not a full net survey.
CPW Boatable Waters species field, CPW state records and stocking report, retrieved October 25, 2026.
Ramps CPW maps at Chatfield Reservoir
- North Ramps on Chatfield Reservoir near Columbineboat ramp, ANS inspection, State Parks; Chatfield State Park
- North Ramps on Chatfield Reservoir near Columbineboat ramp, ANS inspection, State Parks; Chatfield State Park
- South Ramp on Chatfield Reservoirboat ramp, ANS inspection, State Parks; Chatfield State Park
Fishing access points at Chatfield Reservoir
- Chatfield Reservoir fishing access near Columbine, Chatfield State Park 2accessible fishing area
- Chatfield Reservoir fishing access near Columbine, Chatfield State Parkaccessible pier, easy access, stocked: catchable trout and warmwater, 5,435 ft
- ADA Fishing Pier, Chatfield State Parkfishing access
Backup boat ramps near Chatfield Reservoir
- Bear Creek Reservoir boat rampBear Creek Reservoir, 9 miles northwest
- West Ramp on Cherry Creek ReservoirCherry Creek Reservoir, 13 miles northeast
- East Ramp on Cherry Creek ReservoirCherry Creek Reservoir, 14 miles northeast
- Quincy Reservoir boat rampQuincy Reservoir, 17 miles northeast
CPW boat ramp and Fishing Atlas fishing location layers, retrieved October 25, 2026.
How full Chatfield Reservoir is
Corps of Engineers (Station cooperator) storage telemetry for Chatfield Reservoir (station CHARESCO), recorded October 25, 2026; retrieved October 25, 2026. Provisional data from CDSS.
Water rights, not anglers, set the level at Chatfield Reservoir.
Fish legal to carry home from Chatfield 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 |
The drainage column of the limits chart puts Chatfield Reservoir east of the Continental Divide. Waters stay open day and night all year in Colorado; the chart rows set the bag at Chatfield Reservoir.
Special regulations written for Chatfield Reservoir
| Water as printed | Rule | Brochure |
|---|---|---|
| Within Chatfield State Park, including the South Platte River and all ponds within the park boundary: | Min. size for largemouth and smallmouth bass is 15 inches long. Bag and min. size for walleye is 3, 18 inches long. Only 1 walleye longer than 21 inches may be taken per day. Fishing prohibited from dam and within 100 ft. of dam or walleye spawning nets Mar. 1– April 15, or until walleye spawning operations are complet | p. 14 |
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.
Statewide bag and possession chart, 2026 Colorado Fishing brochure (CPW, season March 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027), p. 10, retrieved October 25, 2026.
The stocking record for Chatfield Reservoir
CPW logged Chatfield Reservoir 12 listings on its stocking list, the newest dated July 3, 2026.
| Report date | What CPW lists |
|---|---|
| July 3, 2026 | catchable trout, CPW Northeast Region |
| June 12, 2026 | catchable trout, CPW Northeast Region |
| April 17, 2026 | catchable trout, CPW Northeast Region |
| October 31, 2025 | catchable trout, CPW Northeast Region |
| July 11, 2025 | catchable trout, CPW Northeast Region |
| June 27, 2025 | catchable trout, CPW Northeast Region |
| May 2, 2025 | catchable trout, CPW Northeast Region |
| December 20, 2024 | catchable trout, CPW Northeast Region |
| November 1, 2024 | catchable trout, CPW Northeast Region |
| June 11, 2024 | catchable trout, CPW Northeast Region |
| May 3, 2024 | catchable trout, CPW Northeast Region |
| February 13, 2024 | catchable trout, CPW Northeast 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.
Big fish from Chatfield Reservoir on the record list
| Species | Category | Weight or length | Angler | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Channel Catfish | heritage length (to 2019) | 42 inches in | John Fennell | |
| Common Carp | heritage length (to 2019) | 42 inches in | David Dashnaw | |
| White Sucker | heritage length (to 2019) | 22 1/2 inches in | Shaun Ross | |
| Black Bullhead Catfish | heritage length (to 2019) | 22 inches in | Brian Koprowski | |
| Walleye | catch and release length | 32.25 in | Charles Bennett | 2026 |
CPW state records by weight and catch-and-release length, 2026 Colorado Fishing brochure (CPW, season March 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027), retrieved October 25, 2026. All Colorado records.
Chatfield Reservoir on the tournament calendar
Dates, rules and printed results for Chatfield Reservoir events have their own page.
Chatfield Reservoir beside its neighbors
| Lake | Distance | Acres | Elevation ft | Boat ramps | On the trout report |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chatfield Reservoir | 1,355 | 5,435 | 3 | yes | |
| Fairview Reservoir #1 | 1 mile west | 13 | 5,570 | 0 | |
| Chatfield Pond #1 | 2 miles south | 54 | 5,448 | 0 | yes |
| Chatfield Pond #2 | 2 miles south | 7 | 5,445 | 0 | |
| Chatfield Pond #4 | 2 miles south | 12 | 5,448 | 0 | |
| Blackrock Lake | 3 miles northeast | 7 | 5,367 | 0 | yes |
CPW Fishing Atlas, ramp layer and stocking report, retrieved October 25, 2026.
Around Chatfield Reservoir on the map
Reservoirs and ponds near Chatfield Reservoir
- Fairview Reservoir #11 mile west
- Chatfield Pond #12 miles south
- Chatfield Pond #22 miles south
- Chatfield Pond #42 miles south
- Blackrock Lake3 miles northeast
Stores that stock up Chatfield Reservoir trips
- Chatfield Marinamarina, Douglas, under a mile
- Ken's Anglersfly shop, Littleton, 3 miles
- Hook Flyfishingbait and tackle shop, Highlands Ranch, 6 miles
- Anglers Allfly shop, Littleton, 6 miles
- Sportsman's Warehouse Sheridansporting goods store, Sheridan, 8 miles
- Discount Fishing Tackle Incbait and tackle shop, Denver, 10 miles
Hiring a guide for Chatfield Reservoir
- Blue Quill Anglers, Inc.fishing guide, Evergreen
- Coal Creek Anglers LLCfishing guide, Golden
- Colorado Canyon Anglers LLCfishing guide, Wheat Ridge
- JDM Fishing & Outdoor Adventures, LLCfishing guide, Parker
- Trout Tricks LLCfishing guide, Westminster
- Colorado Fly Fish, LLCfly fishing guide, Castle Rock
- Colorado Fly Fishingfly fishing guide, Broomfield, (970) 406-1538
- Heron Fly Fishing LLCfly fishing guide, Golden
Nearest towns to Chatfield Reservoir
- Ken Caryl3 miles
- Columbine3 miles
- Littleton5 miles
Chatfield Reservoir on the county pages
- Douglas Countyseat: Castle Rock
- Jefferson Countyseat: Golden
Piscifun gear to pack for Chatfield Reservoir
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Colorado anglers ask this about Chatfield Reservoir
In what part of the state is Chatfield Reservoir?
Douglas County and Jefferson County, CPW Northeast Region, about 3 miles from Ken Caryl.
Is Chatfield Reservoir a big reservoir?
About 1,355 acres, at about 5,435 feet.
Can a trailered boat get onto Chatfield Reservoir from a mapped ramp?
There are 3 boat ramps; North Ramps on Chatfield Reservoir near Columbine heads the list.
Are trout part of the fishery at Chatfield Reservoir?
Expect black crappie, bluegill, channel catfish, common carp, largemouth bass, rainbow trout and smallmouth bass.
What bag limit does the CPW chart set at Chatfield Reservoir?
Trout, arctic char, grayling, salmon and whitefish (not kokanee): Daily bag 4, possession 8, in aggregate. Check the special regulation rows above as well.
Is a CPW license required to fish Chatfield 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.
Has CPW listed Chatfield Reservoir for stocking recently?
It shows 12 listings on the CPW catchable trout report (3 in 2026, 4 in 2025, 5 in 2024); latest July 3, 2026.
Which store on the list is nearest Chatfield Reservoir?
Chatfield Marina, under a mile away.
Who reports the water level at Chatfield Reservoir?
Above: Colorado Division of Water Resources telemetry.
Has Chatfield Reservoir produced a Colorado state record?
Channel Catfish, heritage length (to 2019) 42 inches in, by John Fennell in an unprinted year.
Is Chatfield Reservoir an ice fishing spot?
Its winter entry reads ice fishing listed as yes; drill test holes first.
Put Chatfield Reservoir on this season's list
License prices and the full limits chart are on one page.