Lake Granby Fishing
A 7,046-acre Colorado reservoir in Grand County at 8,284 feet.
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Lake Granby: setting, size and how to reach it
Lake Granby spreads over roughly 7,046 acres of Grand County, by its mapped outline. Its surface sits near 8,284 feet above sea level. Arapaho NRA manages the ground around it. Plan supplies in Granby, near 7 miles from the shore. In CPW terms it is a Northwest Region water.
CPW records brown trout, cutbow, native cutthroat trout, kokanee salmon, lake trout and rainbow trout in this water. Launching happens at 3 boat ramps. The boating entry reads Motor boats (gasoline). CPW calls access easy; pressure runs high. For hard water, CPW has ice fishing listed as yes.
CPW Quality Waters: Elevenmile Dam downstream to the Wagon Tongue Gulch Road bridge at Springer Gulch. This area requires the purchase of a pass through the Forest Service to access the area. This reach offers excellent trout fishing for brown trout as well as the opportunity to catch rainbow trout and cutbows. It is artificial fly and lure only and catch and release.
CPW Fishing Atlas 2025 layers (waterbody outline, Boatable Waters, fishing locations), Census places, retrieved October 25, 2026.
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Tap a fish to open its Colorado page, with limits and records, from Lake Granby.
CPW Boatable Waters species field, CPW state records and stocking report, retrieved October 25, 2026.
Launching a boat at Lake Granby
- Arapaho Bay Ramp on Lake Granbyboat ramp
- Stillwater Ramp on Lake Granbyboat ramp, ANS inspection
- Sunset Point Ramp on Lake Granbyboat ramp, ANS inspection
Atlas fishing locations at Lake Granby
- Lake Granby fishing access near Grand Lakeeasy access, stocked: catchable trout and sub-catchables, 8,284 ft
When the Lake Granby ramp is crowded
- Green Ridge Ramp on Shadow Mountain ReservoirShadow Mountain Reservoir, 4 miles north
- Hilltop Ramp on Shadow Mountain ReservoirShadow Mountain Reservoir, 6 miles north
CPW boat ramp and Fishing Atlas fishing location layers, retrieved October 25, 2026.
Water supply gauge at Lake Granby
Bureau of Reclamation (Station cooperator) storage telemetry for Granby Reservoir (station GRARESCO), recorded October 25, 2026; retrieved October 25, 2026. Provisional data from CDSS.
Colorado reservoirs rise with runoff and drop through irrigation season, so ramps at Lake Granby can change by the week.
Harvest rules for Lake Granby
| 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 |
Drainage matters for walleye, wiper and perch limits; Lake Granby sits west of the Continental Divide. Outside any special regulation, these statewide numbers govern Lake Granby.
Brochure rules for Lake Granby
| Water as printed | Rule | Brochure |
|---|---|---|
| Lake Granby | Ice-fishing shelters must be portable. Gaffs and tail snares prohibited. Bag and possession limit for lake trout is 12, only one of which may be greater than 24 inches. Bag and possession limit for other trout species and kokanee is 4, singly or in aggregate. No size, bag or possession limit for tiger muskie. | p. 26 |
| In Columbine Bay from the inlet of Twin Creek upstream: | Fishing prohibited Oct. 15–Nov. 30. | 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.
Trout stocking dates at Lake Granby
CPW put Lake Granby on its weekly catchable trout report 8 listings; the most recent listing is dated July 24, 2026.
| Report date | What CPW lists |
|---|---|
| July 24, 2026 | catchable trout, CPW Northwest Region |
| June 5, 2026 | catchable trout, CPW Northwest Region |
| July 18, 2025 | catchable trout, CPW Northwest Region |
| July 11, 2025 | catchable trout, CPW Northwest Region |
| June 13, 2025 | catchable trout, CPW Northwest Region |
| June 6, 2025 | catchable trout, CPW Northwest Region |
| May 30, 2025 | catchable trout, CPW Northwest Region |
| March 21, 2025 | 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.
Organized fishing on Lake Granby
Event schedules for Lake Granby are on a separate page.
How Lake Granby measures up to the water around it
| Lake | Distance | Acres | Elevation ft | Boat ramps | On the trout report |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Granby | 7,046 | 8,284 | 3 | yes | |
| Willow Creek Reservoir | 5 miles west | 268 | 8,134 | 1 | yes |
| Shadow Mountain Reservoir | 5 miles north | 1,338 | 8,371 | 2 | |
| Granby Town Pond #1 | 6 miles southwest | 4 | 7,877 | 0 | |
| Grand Lake | 7 miles north | 486 | 8,371 | 1 | yes |
| Monarch Lake | 7 miles southeast | 142 | 8,345 | 0 | yes |
CPW Fishing Atlas, ramp layer and stocking report, retrieved October 25, 2026.
The ground surrounding Lake Granby
Other reservoirs within a drive of Lake Granby
- Willow Creek Reservoir5 miles west
- Shadow Mountain Reservoir5 miles north
- Granby Town Pond #16 miles southwest
- Grand Lake7 miles north
- Monarch Lake7 miles southeast
Where to buy line and lures near Lake Granby
- Indian Peaks Marinamarina, Granby, 2 miles
- Beacon Landing Marinabait and tackle shop, Grand Lake, 2 miles
- Highland Marinamarina, Grand, 2 miles
- Trail Ridge Marinamarina, Grand Lake, 5 miles
- Granby Bait N Tacklebait and tackle shop, Granby, 6 miles
- Grand Lake Marinamarina, Grand Lake, 7 miles
Outfitters who fish Lake Granby
- Bucktail Chartersfishing guide, Grand Lake, (970) 380-1743
- Fishing with Bernie, LLCfishing guide, Granby
- Grand County Fishing Company, L.L.Cfishing guide, Fraser
Beds and gas close to Lake Granby
- Granby7 miles
- Fraser16 miles
- Winter Park20 miles
County guides that cover Lake Granby
- Grand Countyseat: Hot Sulphur Springs
Piscifun tackle sized for Lake Granby
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Reservoirs and creeks near Lake Granby in photos
Photo: Tony Webster, CC BY 2.0
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Photo: Faith Warehime, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Jeffrey Beall, CC BY 4.0
Photo: Jeffrey Beall, CC BY 4.0
Before you drive to Lake Granby, read these
Where in Colorado is Lake Granby?
CPW maps it in Grand County, CPW Northwest Region, about 7 miles from Granby.
How many acres does Lake Granby cover on CPW maps?
Close to 7,046 acres by the CPW outline, at about 8,284 feet.
Which ramp do boaters back down at Lake Granby?
Yes: 3 boat ramps; Arapaho Bay Ramp on Lake Granby is one.
Which gamefish does CPW tie to Lake Granby?
CPW lists brown trout, cutbow, native cutthroat trout, kokanee salmon, lake trout, rainbow trout and trout.
Does the brochure print a special rule for Lake Granby?
Trout, arctic char, grayling, salmon and whitefish (not kokanee): Daily bag 4, possession 8, in aggregate. Extra rules from the brochure apply; they are above.
Can an out-of-state visitor fish Lake Granby on a short license?
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.
When did CPW last list Lake Granby for trout?
The report carries 8 listings on the CPW catchable trout report (2 in 2026, 6 in 2025); latest July 24, 2026.
Where can I pick up bait on the way to Lake Granby?
Closest on our list: Indian Peaks Marina, 2 miles.
What does the latest reading at Lake Granby show?
See Colorado Division of Water Resources telemetry in the band above.
Can I drill holes at Lake Granby?
CPW lists ice fishing listed as yes; no ice is ever certified safe.
Give Lake Granby an early start
Buy the CPW license online before you leave.