Clear Creek Reservoir Fishing
A 405-acre Colorado reservoir in Chaffee County at 8,880 feet.
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Getting to know Clear Creek Reservoir
Its mapped shoreline gives Clear Creek Reservoir close to 405 acres, all charted in Chaffee County. At around 8,880 feet, it is high-country water. CPW files it under Clear Creek Reservoir SWA. The closest town on the Census list is Twin Lakes, some 7 miles away. It belongs to the CPW Southeast Region.
Its fish on the CPW roster: brown trout, cutbow, kokanee salmon, rainbow trout, snake river cutthroat trout and tiger muskie. Boaters have 1 boat ramp 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 Clear Creek 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 Clear Creek Reservoir
- Clear Creek Reservoir SWAboat ramp, universal-water ramp, ANS inspection, CDOW
Fishing access points at Clear Creek Reservoir
- Clear Creek Reservoir fishing access near Twin Lakeseasy access, stocked: catchable trout, sub-catchables and warmwater, 8,880 ft
Backup boat ramps near Clear Creek Reservoir
- East Ramp on Twin Lakes LowerTwin Lakes Lower, 6 miles northwest
- Railroad Bridge Boat Rampboat ramp, condition good, 8 miles southeast
- Buena Vista SWAboat ramp, universal-water ramp, CDOW, 14 miles southeast
- Matchless Ramp on Turquoise LakeTurquoise Lake, 17 miles north
- North Ramp on Antero ReservoirAntero Reservoir, 19 miles east
- Fishermans Bridge Boat Rampboat ramp, 20 miles southeast
CPW boat ramp and Fishing Atlas fishing location layers, retrieved October 25, 2026.
How full Clear Creek Reservoir is
Co. Division of Water Resources storage telemetry for Clear Creek Reservoir (station CLRRESCO), recorded October 25, 2026; retrieved October 25, 2026. Provisional data from CDSS.
Water rights, not anglers, set the level at Clear Creek Reservoir.
Fish legal to carry home from Clear Creek 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 10, possession 10, 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 20, possession 20, 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 Clear Creek Reservoir in the Arkansas and South Fork Republican drainages. Waters stay open day and night all year in Colorado; the chart rows set the bag at Clear Creek Reservoir.
Special regulations written for Clear Creek Reservoir
| Water as printed | Rule | Brochure |
|---|---|---|
| From the gauging station (approximately 0.5 miles above Clear Creek Reservoir) downstream to Clear Creek Reservoir: | Snagging kokanee permitted Oct. 1–Dec. 31. | p. 14 |
| Clear Creek Reservoir | Snagging kokanee permitted Oct. 1–Dec. 31. | 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 Clear Creek Reservoir
CPW logged Clear Creek Reservoir 10 listings on its stocking list, the newest dated May 15, 2026.
| Report date | What CPW lists |
|---|---|
| May 15, 2026 | catchable trout, CPW Southeast Region |
| April 10, 2026 | catchable trout, CPW Southeast Region |
| August 22, 2025 | catchable trout, CPW Southeast Region |
| August 1, 2025 | catchable trout, CPW Southeast Region |
| July 18, 2025 | catchable trout, CPW Southeast Region |
| June 26, 2025 | catchable trout, CPW Southeast Region |
| May 16, 2025 | catchable trout, CPW Southeast Region |
| August 12, 2024 | catchable trout, CPW Southeast Region |
| June 10, 2024 | catchable trout, CPW Southeast Region |
| May 10, 2024 | catchable trout, CPW Southeast 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.
Clear Creek Reservoir beside its neighbors
| Lake | Distance | Acres | Elevation ft | Boat ramps | On the trout report |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clear Creek Reservoir | 405 | 8,880 | 1 | yes | |
| Twin Lakes Lower | 6 miles northwest | 1,708 | 9,204 | 1 | yes |
| Twin Lakes Upper | 7 miles northwest | 764 | 9,185 | 0 | yes |
| Mount Elbert Forebay | 8 miles northwest | 276 | 9,639 | 0 | yes |
| Hallenbeck Ponds | 9 miles northwest | 7 | 10,394 | 0 | |
| Silverking Lake | 10 miles southwest | 7 | 12,624 | 0 |
CPW Fishing Atlas, ramp layer and stocking report, retrieved October 25, 2026.
Around Clear Creek Reservoir on the map
Reservoirs and ponds near Clear Creek Reservoir
- Twin Lakes Lower6 miles northwest
- Twin Lakes Upper7 miles northwest
- Mount Elbert Forebay8 miles northwest
- Hallenbeck Ponds9 miles northwest
- Silverking Lake10 miles southwest
Stores that stock up Clear Creek Reservoir trips
- UpRiver Fly Fishingfly shop, Buena Vista, 14 miles
- Ark Anglersfly shop, Buena Vista, 14 miles
- Taylor Park Marinamarina, Almont, 22 miles
Hiring a guide for Clear Creek Reservoir
- ArkAnglers, LLCfishing guide, Salida
- Salida Fly LLCfly fishing guide, Buena Vista
Nearest towns to Clear Creek Reservoir
- Buena Vista15 miles
- Leadville16 miles
- Aspen33 miles
Clear Creek Reservoir on the county pages
- Chaffee Countyseat: Salida
Piscifun gear to pack for Clear Creek Reservoir
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Photo views of fishing water near Clear Creek Reservoir
Photo: Jeffrey Beall, CC BY 4.0
Photo: Jeffrey Beall, CC BY 4.0
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Photo: Jeffrey Beall, CC BY 4.0
Photo: Mark Crockett, CC BY 3.0
Colorado anglers ask this about Clear Creek Reservoir
In what part of the state is Clear Creek Reservoir?
Chaffee County, CPW Southeast Region, about 7 miles from Twin Lakes.
Is Clear Creek Reservoir a big reservoir?
About 405 acres, at about 8,880 feet.
Can a trailered boat get onto Clear Creek Reservoir from a mapped ramp?
There are 1 boat ramp; Clear Creek Reservoir SWA heads the list.
Are trout part of the fishery at Clear Creek Reservoir?
Expect brown trout, cutbow, kokanee salmon, rainbow trout, snake river cutthroat trout, tiger muskie and trout.
What bag limit does the CPW chart set at Clear Creek 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 Clear Creek 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 Clear Creek Reservoir for stocking recently?
It shows 10 listings on the CPW catchable trout report (2 in 2026, 5 in 2025, 3 in 2024); latest May 15, 2026.
Which store on the list is nearest Clear Creek Reservoir?
UpRiver Fly Fishing, about 14 miles away.
Who reports the water level at Clear Creek Reservoir?
Above: Colorado Division of Water Resources telemetry.
Is Clear Creek Reservoir an ice fishing spot?
Its winter entry reads ice fishing listed as yes; drill test holes first.
Put Clear Creek Reservoir on this season's list
License prices and the full limits chart are on one page.