Cottonwood Lake, Chaffee County Fishing
A 39-acre Colorado lake in Chaffee County at 9,559 feet.
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Arriving at Cottonwood Lake, Chaffee County: what it is like
About 39 acres of lake water make up Cottonwood Lake, Chaffee County, which lies in Chaffee County. The water lies at about 9,559 feet of elevation. CPW lists San Isabel National Forest as the managing property. Buena Vista lies about 8 miles from the mapped point of the lake. The Southeast Region of CPW covers it.
CPW lists brown trout, cutbow, rainbow trout, snake river cutthroat trout and trout for it. For boats, CPW lists Non-motorized. Expect easy access and high pressure, by CPW notes. The atlas entry shows 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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The roster for Cottonwood Lake, Chaffee County joins the CPW species field with record catches and stocking.
CPW Boatable Waters species field, CPW state records and stocking report, retrieved October 25, 2026.
Where trailers back in at Cottonwood Lake, Chaffee County
No ramp at Cottonwood Lake, Chaffee County shows on the CPW layer, so try a neighbor below.
Shore access around Cottonwood Lake, Chaffee County
- Cottonwood Lake fishing access near Buena Vista, San Isabel National Forest 2accessible fishing area
- Cottonwood Lake fishing access near Buena Vista, San Isabel National Forest 3accessible fishing area
- Cottonwood Lake fishing access near Buena Vista, San Isabel National Forestaccessible pier, easy access, stocked: catchable trout and warmwater, 9,559 ft
Ramps a short tow from Cottonwood Lake, Chaffee County
- Mirror Lake boat rampMirror Lake, 9 miles west
- Buena Vista SWAboat ramp, universal-water ramp, CDOW, 10 miles northeast
- Fisherman's Bridge boat rampboat ramp, CPW, 10 miles east
- Fishermans Bridge Boat Rampboat ramp, 10 miles east
- Railroad Bridge Boat Rampboat ramp, condition good, 12 miles northeast
- Ruby Mountain Boat Rampboat ramp, 12 miles east
CPW boat ramp and Fishing Atlas fishing location layers, retrieved October 25, 2026.
The latest reading at Cottonwood Lake, Chaffee County
Upper Arkansas Water Conservancy District storage telemetry for Cottonwood Lake Reservoir (station COTRESCO), recorded October 22, 2026; retrieved October 25, 2026. Provisional data from CDSS.
Storage at Cottonwood Lake, Chaffee County swings with snowmelt and water calls; check it before towing a boat.
The keep-or-release rules at Cottonwood Lake, Chaffee County
| 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 |
On the CPW drainage map, Cottonwood Lake, Chaffee County lies in the Arkansas and South Fork Republican drainages. Possession equals what you hold in the field, in camp and at home; at Cottonwood Lake, Chaffee County the chart sets it.
Statewide bag and possession chart, 2026 Colorado Fishing brochure (CPW, season March 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027), p. 10, retrieved October 25, 2026.
When CPW stocked Cottonwood Lake, Chaffee County
The stocking report names Cottonwood Lake, Chaffee County 13 listings, latest July 31, 2026.
| Report date | What CPW lists |
|---|---|
| July 31, 2026 | catchable trout, CPW Southeast Region |
| July 17, 2026 | catchable trout, CPW Southeast Region |
| June 19, 2026 | catchable trout, CPW Southeast Region |
| June 5, 2026 | catchable trout, CPW Southeast Region |
| May 1, 2026 | catchable trout, CPW Southeast Region |
| September 5, 2025 | catchable trout, CPW Southeast Region |
| August 22, 2025 | catchable trout, CPW Southeast Region |
| June 26, 2025 | catchable trout, CPW Southeast Region |
| May 23, 2025 | catchable trout, CPW Southeast Region |
| May 9, 2025 | catchable trout, CPW Southeast Region |
| August 12, 2024 | catchable trout, CPW Southeast Region |
| August 1, 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.
Cottonwood Lake, Chaffee County and the reservoirs around it
| Lake | Distance | Acres | Elevation ft | Boat ramps | On the trout report |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cottonwood Lake, Chaffee County | 39 | 9,559 | 0 | yes | |
| Ptarmigan Lake | 6 miles west | 9 | 12,138 | 0 | |
| Hartenstein Lake | 6 miles northwest | 10 | 11,463 | 0 | |
| Kroenke Lake | 6 miles northwest | 8 | 11,507 | 0 | |
| Wrights Lake | 7 miles southeast | 3 | 8,314 | 0 | |
| Mirror Lake | 9 miles west | 36 | 10,968 | 1 | yes |
CPW Fishing Atlas, ramp layer and stocking report, retrieved October 25, 2026.
Neighbors of Cottonwood Lake, Chaffee County
Colorado lakes in the Cottonwood Lake, Chaffee County neighborhood
- Ptarmigan Lake6 miles west
- Hartenstein Lake6 miles northwest
- Kroenke Lake6 miles northwest
- Wrights Lake7 miles southeast
- Mirror Lake9 miles west
Fly shops and bait stores around Cottonwood Lake, Chaffee County
- Ark Anglersfly shop, Buena Vista, 9 miles
- UpRiver Fly Fishingfly shop, Buena Vista, 9 miles
- Taylor Park Marinamarina, Almont, 16 miles
- Arkansas River Fly Shopfly shop, Salida, 23 miles
- ArkAnglersfly shop, Salida, 23 miles
- Salida Anglers Fly Shopfly shop, Salida, 23 miles
Paid guides within reach of Cottonwood Lake, Chaffee County
- ArkAnglers, LLCfishing guide, Salida
- Salida Fly LLCfly fishing guide, Buena Vista
Communities within reach of Cottonwood Lake, Chaffee County
- Buena Vista8 miles
- Salida23 miles
- Leadville32 miles
Cottonwood Lake, Chaffee County and the counties around it
- Chaffee Countyseat: Salida
A Piscifun kit for days on Cottonwood Lake, Chaffee County
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A photo lineup of the fish at Cottonwood Lake, Chaffee County
Photo: Fabricio Cardenas, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: James St. John, CC BY 2.0
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Photo: BenitoJuarez98, CC BY-SA 4.0
Cottonwood Lake, Chaffee County, question by question
How do I find Cottonwood Lake, Chaffee County on a Colorado map?
Head for Chaffee County, CPW Southeast Region, about 8 miles from Buena Vista.
How large a reservoir or lake is Cottonwood Lake, Chaffee County?
Some 39 acres, at about 9,559 feet.
Where does CPW map a ramp at Cottonwood Lake, Chaffee County?
The ramp layer is empty for this water.
What is on the fish list at Cottonwood Lake, Chaffee County?
brown trout, cutbow, rainbow trout, snake river cutthroat trout and trout, by CPW sources.
What may I take home from Cottonwood Lake, Chaffee County?
Trout, arctic char, grayling, salmon and whitefish (not kokanee): Daily bag 4, possession 8, in aggregate.
Which CPW license do I buy for Cottonwood Lake, Chaffee County?
Fishing two lines at once takes the $14.24 second-rod stamp on top of the license; adult residents pay $44.87 for the license and nonresidents $124.01.
Is Cottonwood Lake, Chaffee County on the trout stocking report?
13 listings on the CPW catchable trout report (5 in 2026, 5 in 2025, 3 in 2024); latest July 31, 2026.
Which tackle counter on our Colorado list is nearest Cottonwood Lake, Chaffee County?
Ark Anglers sits about 9 miles from the water.
How full is Cottonwood Lake, Chaffee County by the latest storage telemetry?
Readings come from Colorado Division of Water Resources telemetry.
Is Cottonwood Lake, Chaffee County worth hauling an auger to in winter?
Atlas entry: ice fishing listed as yes. Judge the ice in person.
Aim the truck at Cottonwood Lake, Chaffee County this season
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