Juniata Reservoir Fishing
A 137-acre Colorado reservoir in Mesa County at 5,703 feet.
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The short version on Juniata Reservoir
The CPW outline of Juniata Reservoir encloses about 137 acres in Mesa County. Elevation on the Fishing Atlas reads 5,703 feet. On the Fishing Atlas, the property is City of Grand Junction. Around 10 miles separates the water from Palisade. CPW manages it out of the Northwest Region.
Expect hybrid sunfish and trout, according to CPW. Boat use on file: None. Access is difficult, pressure medium, per the atlas. Winter note: ice fishing listed as no.
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 Juniata Reservoir; others may swim there too.
CPW Boatable Waters species field, CPW state records and stocking report, retrieved October 25, 2026.
Boat ramps at Juniata Reservoir
Boat access at Juniata Reservoir is not on the CPW ramp layer.
Where to fish from the bank at Juniata Reservoir
- Juniata Reservoir fishing access near Palisadedifficult access, stocked: catchable trout, 5,703 ft
More places to launch near Juniata Reservoir
- Corn Lake Section boat rampCorn Lake, 11 miles northwest
- Connected Lakes Section boat ramp on Colorado RiverColorado River, 19 miles northwest
CPW boat ramp and Fishing Atlas fishing location layers, retrieved October 25, 2026.
Colorado limits that apply at Juniata 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 |
| Smallmouth bass | No bag or possession limit | 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 | No bag or possession limit | 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 west of the Continental Divide rows of the statewide chart for Juniata Reservoir. The chart above is the baseline at Juniata Reservoir; a brochure entry can override it.
Rules that change at Juniata Reservoir
| Water as printed | Rule | Brochure |
|---|---|---|
| Juniata Reservoir | Artificial flies and lures only. Scented flies or lures must be 1.5 inches or longer. Largemouth bass 12–15 inches long must be returned to the water immediately. No more than 2 largemouth bass in any bag and possession limit can be longer than 15 inches. | 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 Juniata Reservoir
Trout report entries for Juniata Reservoir: 3 listings, ending October 10, 2025.
| Report date | What CPW lists |
|---|---|
| October 10, 2025 | catchable trout, CPW Southwest Region |
| March 28, 2025 | catchable trout, CPW Northwest Region |
| October 25, 2024 | catchable trout, CPW Northwest 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 Juniata Reservoir
| Species | Category | Weight or length | Angler | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hybrid Sunfish | catch and release length | 10.88 in | Tristan Francis | 2021 |
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 Juniata Reservoir up against the reservoirs nearby
| Lake | Distance | Acres | Elevation ft | Boat ramps | On the trout report |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Juniata Reservoir | 137 | 5,703 | 0 | yes | |
| Purdy Mesa Reservoir | under a mile west | 30 | 0 | yes | |
| Carson Lake | 10 miles east | 38 | 9,885 | 0 | |
| Davies Reservoir Big | 10 miles east | 9 | 9,391 | 0 | |
| Pitcairn Reservoir | 10 miles southeast | 8 | 9,391 | 0 | |
| Davies Reservoir Little | 10 miles east | 8 | 9,109 | 0 |
CPW Fishing Atlas, ramp layer and stocking report, retrieved October 25, 2026.
Close to Juniata Reservoir
Backup lakes when Juniata Reservoir is slow
- Purdy Mesa Reservoirunder a mile west
- Carson Lake10 miles east
- Davies Reservoir Big10 miles east
- Pitcairn Reservoir10 miles southeast
- Davies Reservoir Little10 miles east
Shops worth the stop before Juniata Reservoir
- Walker's Bait & Tacklebait and tackle shop, Whitewater, 4 miles
- Gearhead Outfitters, 461 Main Streetsporting goods store, Grand Junction, 17 miles
- Western Anglersfly shop, Grand Junction, 17 miles
- Bass Pro Shops Grand Junctionsporting goods store, Grand Junction, 19 miles
- Pepper Custom Baitsbait and tackle shop, Grand Junction, 23 miles
Guide businesses near Juniata Reservoir
- Western Anglers Guide Service LLCfishing guide, Grand Junction
- Colorado West Slope Fly Fishingfly fishing guide, Grand Junction
Towns that work as a base camp for Juniata Reservoir
- Palisade11 miles
- Clifton12 miles
- Fruitvale14 miles
County pages touching Juniata Reservoir
- Mesa Countyseat: Grand Junction
Reels from Piscifun that suit Juniata Reservoir
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Telling the species of Juniata Reservoir apart by photo
Photo: Purefury182, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Photo by and (C)2007 Derek Ramsey (Ram-Man), CC BY-SA 2.5
Photo: BenitoJuarez98, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: USFWS Mountain Prairie, Public domain
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Juniata Reservoir: the questions Colorado anglers bring
Which Colorado county holds Juniata Reservoir?
Look in Mesa County, CPW Northwest Region, about 10 miles from Palisade.
What size is Juniata Reservoir on CPW maps?
Roughly 137 acres, at about 5,703 feet.
Which ramp is closest at Juniata Reservoir?
CPW maps no ramp on it; the nearby ramp list above has the closest.
What might a Colorado angler hook at Juniata Reservoir?
CPW records show hybrid sunfish and trout.
Which limits apply at Juniata 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 Juniata Reservoir?
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.
Does CPW stock Juniata Reservoir?
CPW records 3 listings on the CPW catchable trout report (2 in 2025, 1 in 2024); latest October 10, 2025.
How far is the nearest tackle shop from Juniata Reservoir?
Walker's Bait & Tackle is roughly 4 miles off.
Which Colorado record was caught at Juniata Reservoir?
Hybrid Sunfish, catch and release length 10.88 in, by Tristan Francis in 2021.
Does Juniata Reservoir freeze for anglers?
The Fishing Atlas shows ice fishing listed as no; check ice yourself before stepping out.
Hitch the boat and head for Juniata Reservoir
Read the limits above, then pick a ramp.