John Martin Reservoir Fishing
A 11,712-acre Colorado reservoir in Bent County at 3,853 feet.
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The short version on John Martin Reservoir
The CPW outline of John Martin Reservoir encloses about 11,712 acres in Bent County. Elevation on the Fishing Atlas reads 3,853 feet. On the Fishing Atlas, the property is John Martin Reservoir SWA. Around 3 miles separates the water from Hasty. CPW manages it out of the Southeast Region.
Expect black crappie, blue catfish, bluegill, channel catfish, common carp and largemouth bass, according to CPW. There are 5 boat ramps on its shore. Boat use on file: Motor boats (gasoline). Access is easy, pressure low, per the atlas. Winter note: ice fishing listed as limited.
CPW Quality Waters: This section of the Uncompahgre River runs from Ridgway Reservoir Dam to the County Road 2 Bridge with two public reaches on Ridgway State Park and Billy Creek SWA serving as the primary access locations. This fishery has healthy numbers of brown and rainbow trout with a handful of fish over 20 inches available. The fishery potential is limited by the flow conditions coming out of Ridgway Reservoir. The Pa-Co-Chu-Puk section of the river on Ridgway State Park requires catch and release and artificial flies and lures only, and the fish can be somewhat picky. The section on Billy Creek SWA al
CPW Fishing Atlas 2025 layers (waterbody outline, Boatable Waters, fishing locations), Census places, retrieved October 25, 2026.
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CPW sources tie these fish to John Martin Reservoir; others may swim there too.
CPW Boatable Waters species field, CPW state records and stocking report, retrieved October 25, 2026.
Boat ramps at John Martin Reservoir
- CR Road 19 Ramp on John Martin Reservoirboat ramp, universal-water ramp, CDOW; John Martin SWA
- East Boat Ramp on John Martin Reservoirboat ramp, CPW; John Martin Reservoir State Park
- East Ramp on John Martin Reservoirboat ramp, ANS inspection, State Parks
- West Bost Ramp on John Martin Reservoirboat ramp, CPW; John Martin Reservoir State Park
- West Ramp on John Martin Reservoirboat ramp, ANS inspection, State Parks
Where to fish from the bank at John Martin Reservoir
- John Martin Reservoir fishing access near Hastyeasy access, stocked: warmwater, 3,853 ft
- Fishing fishing access near Hasty, John Martin Reservoir State Parkfishing access
- Fishing fishing access near Hasty, John Martin Reservoir State Park 2fishing access
- Fishing fishing access near Hasty, John Martin Reservoir State Park 3fishing access
More places to launch near John Martin Reservoir
- East Ramp #2 on Adobe Creek Reservoir (Low Water)Adobe Creek Reservoir (Low Water), 18 miles northwest
- East Ramp #1 on Adobe Creek Reservoir (Low Water)Adobe Creek Reservoir (Low Water), 18 miles northwest
- West Ramp #1 on Adobe Creek Reservoir (Low Water)Adobe Creek Reservoir (Low Water), 19 miles northwest
- West Ramp #2 on Adobe Creek Reservoir (Low Water)Adobe Creek Reservoir (Low Water), 19 miles northwest
CPW boat ramp and Fishing Atlas fishing location layers, retrieved October 25, 2026.
Storage and elevation readings for John Martin Reservoir
| USGS gauge | Latest reading | Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|
| John Martin Reservoir At Caddoa, Co | 3,806.03 ft lake elevation | Oct 27 8:15 pm |
US Geological Survey provisional data, retrieved Oct 27, 2026 8:33 pm ET. Provisional readings can be revised.
A reading well below normal can close ramps at John Martin Reservoir.
Colorado limits that apply at John Martin 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 |
Read the in the Arkansas and South Fork Republican drainages rows of the statewide chart for John Martin Reservoir. The chart above is the baseline at John Martin Reservoir; a brochure entry can override it.
Rules that change at John Martin Reservoir
| Water as printed | Rule | Brochure |
|---|---|---|
| John Martin Reservoir | Trot-lines and jugs permitted. | p. 26 |
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.
CPW stocking report entries for John Martin Reservoir
Trout report entries for John Martin Reservoir: 1 listing, ending June 12, 2026.
| Report date | What CPW lists |
|---|---|
| June 12, 2026 | 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.
Colorado records caught at John Martin Reservoir
| Species | Category | Weight or length | Angler | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| catfish, flathead | weight | 33-13.6 (lbs.-ozs.) | David Medina | 2023 |
| saugeye | weight | 10-14.0 (lbs.-ozs.) | Rocklyn Beise | 2001 |
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.
Sizing John Martin Reservoir up against the reservoirs nearby
| Lake | Distance | Acres | Elevation ft | Boat ramps | On the trout report |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| John Martin Reservoir | 11,712 | 3,853 | 5 | yes | |
| Hasty Lake | 4 miles east | 60 | 3,759 | 0 | yes |
| Dawn Pond | 17 miles west | 20 | 3,950 | 0 | |
| Adobe Creek Reservoir (Low Water) | 19 miles northwest | 4,782 | 4 | ||
| Nee Gronda Reservoir | 21 miles northeast | 835 | 3,878 | 0 | |
| Northgate Pond #1 | 21 miles east | 8 | 3,608 | 0 | yes |
CPW Fishing Atlas, ramp layer and stocking report, retrieved October 25, 2026.
Close to John Martin Reservoir
Backup lakes when John Martin Reservoir is slow
- Hasty Lake4 miles east
- Dawn Pond17 miles west
- Adobe Creek Reservoir (Low Water)19 miles northwest
- Nee Gronda Reservoir21 miles northeast
- Northgate Pond #121 miles east
Shops worth the stop before John Martin Reservoir
- The Tackle Boxbait and tackle shop, Hasty, 4 miles
Towns that work as a base camp for John Martin Reservoir
- Las Animas12 miles
- Lamar21 miles
- La Junta30 miles
County pages touching John Martin Reservoir
- Bent Countyseat: Las Animas
Reels from Piscifun that suit John Martin Reservoir
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Telling the species of John Martin Reservoir apart by photo
Photo: United States Fish and Wildlife Services, Public domain
Photo: Dezidor, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Steven G. Johnson, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Fabricio Cardenas, CC BY-SA 4.0
John Martin Reservoir: the questions Colorado anglers bring
Which Colorado county holds John Martin Reservoir?
Look in Bent County, CPW Southeast Region, about 3 miles from Hasty.
What size is John Martin Reservoir on CPW maps?
Roughly 11,712 acres, at about 3,853 feet.
Which ramp is closest at John Martin Reservoir?
5 boat ramps, including East Ramp on John Martin Reservoir.
What might a Colorado angler hook at John Martin Reservoir?
CPW records show black crappie, blue catfish, bluegill, channel catfish, common carp, largemouth bass and saugeye.
Which limits apply at John Martin Reservoir?
Trout, arctic char, grayling, salmon and whitefish (not kokanee): Daily bag 4, possession 8, in aggregate. The brochure adds a water-specific rule, shown above.
What does a CPW license cost for a trip to John Martin 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.
Does CPW stock John Martin Reservoir?
CPW records 1 listing on the CPW catchable trout report (1 in 2026); latest June 12, 2026.
How far is the nearest tackle shop from John Martin Reservoir?
The Tackle Box is roughly 4 miles off.
Is John Martin Reservoir low this year?
The water supply band above prints the USGS gauge.
Which Colorado record was caught at John Martin Reservoir?
catfish, flathead, weight 33-13.6 (lbs.-ozs.), by David Medina in 2023.
Does John Martin Reservoir freeze for anglers?
The Fishing Atlas shows ice fishing listed as limited; check ice yourself before stepping out.
Hitch the boat and head for John Martin Reservoir
Read the limits above, then pick a ramp.