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For the brook trout herePiscifun Carbon XT ultralight spinning reel25% OFFSale $59.99 $79.99
Brook Trout
Photo: Photo by and (C)2007 Derek Ramsey ( Ram-Man ), CC BY-SA 2.5 
Native Cutthroat Trout
Photo: USFWS Fish and Aquatic Conservation, Public domain 
Rainbow Trout
Photo: Thesupermat, CC BY-SA 4.0 
Wiper
Photo: USFWS Mountain Prairie, Public domain
Colorado lakes and reservoirs
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Needle Creek Reservoir Fishing
A 38-acre Colorado reservoir in Saguache County at 8,832 feet.
Pick for brook troutPiscifun Carbon X ultralight spinning reel28% OFFSale $57.99 Photo of Gunnison: Jeffrey Beall, CC BY-SA 3.0
Fishing times todaySolunar periods, sunrise and moonrise for the county around Needle Creek Reservoir, today and the next 7 days.Best fishing times today
Saguache County
The short version on Needle Creek Reservoir
The CPW outline of Needle Creek Reservoir encloses about 38 acres in Saguache County. Elevation on the Fishing Atlas reads 8,832 feet. On the Fishing Atlas, the property is Gunnison National Forest. Around 18 miles separates the water from Pitkin. CPW manages it out of the Southwest Region.
Expect brook trout, native cutthroat trout and rainbow trout, according to CPW. Boat use on file: Motor boats (gasoline). Access is easy, pressure medium, per the atlas. Winter note: ice fishing listed as no.
38acres
8,832feet elevation
0boat ramps
3species listed
CPW Fishing Atlas 2025 layers (waterbody outline, Boatable Waters, fishing locations), Census places, retrieved October 25, 2026.
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Targets for a day at Needle Creek Reservoir
CPW sources tie these fish to Needle Creek Reservoir; others may swim there too.
CPW Boatable Waters species field, CPW state records and stocking report, retrieved October 25, 2026.
Access
Boat ramps at Needle Creek Reservoir
Boat access at Needle Creek Reservoir is not on the CPW ramp layer.
Where to fish from the bank at Needle Creek Reservoir
- Needle Creek Reservoir fishing access near Pitkineasy access, stocked: sub-catchables, 8,832 ft
More places to launch near Needle Creek Reservoir
- Dome Lakes SWA on Dome Lake UpperDome Lake Upper, 14 miles southwest
CPW boat ramp and Fishing Atlas fishing location layers, retrieved October 25, 2026.
Limits
Colorado limits that apply at Needle 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 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 Needle Creek Reservoir. The chart above is the baseline at Needle Creek Reservoir; a brochure entry can override 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.
Compare
Sizing Needle Creek Reservoir up against the reservoirs nearby
| Lake | Distance | Acres | Elevation ft | Boat ramps | On the trout report |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Needle Creek Reservoir | 38 | 8,832 | 0 | ||
| Hot Springs Reservoir | 11 miles north | 30 | 8,785 | 0 | yes |
| Dome Lake Lower | 14 miles southwest | 19 | 9,086 | 0 | yes |
| Dome Lake Upper | 14 miles southwest | 31 | 9,096 | 1 | yes |
| Hunt Lake | 19 miles northeast | 5 | 11,476 | 0 | |
| Boss Lake Reservoir | 19 miles northeast | 25 | 10,862 | 0 |
CPW Fishing Atlas, ramp layer and stocking report, retrieved October 25, 2026.
Nearby
Close to Needle Creek Reservoir
Backup lakes when Needle Creek Reservoir is slow
- Hot Springs Reservoir11 miles north
- Dome Lake Lower14 miles southwest
- Dome Lake Upper14 miles southwest
- Hunt Lake19 miles northeast
- Boss Lake Reservoir19 miles northeast
Shops worth the stop before Needle Creek Reservoir
- GSO Fishingbait and tackle shop, Gunnison, 24 miles
- Gunnison River Fly Shopfly shop, Gunnison, 24 miles
- Weekend Warrior Outdoorsmarina, Gunnison, 24 miles
Guide businesses near Needle Creek Reservoir
- ArkAnglers, LLCfishing guide, Salida
- Gunnison Valley Anglers Cofishing guide, Gunnison River, Gunnison
- High Mountain Drifters Guide Service, LLCfishing guide, Gunnison
Towns that work as a base camp for Needle Creek Reservoir
- Gunnison24 miles
- Salida33 miles
County pages touching Needle Creek Reservoir
- Saguache Countyseat: Saguache
Piscifun
Reels from Piscifun that suit Needle Creek Reservoir
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Know your fish
Telling the species of Needle Creek Reservoir apart by photo
Photo: Photo by and (C)2007 Derek Ramsey ( Ram-Man ), CC BY-SA 2.5
Photo: USFWS Fish and Aquatic Conservation, Public domain
Photo: Thesupermat, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: USFWS Mountain Prairie, Public domain
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Answers
Needle Creek Reservoir: the questions Colorado anglers bring
Which Colorado county holds Needle Creek Reservoir?
Look in Saguache County, CPW Southwest Region, about 18 miles from Pitkin.
What size is Needle Creek Reservoir on CPW maps?
Roughly 38 acres, at about 8,832 feet.
Which ramp is closest at Needle Creek Reservoir?
CPW maps no ramp on it; the nearby ramp list above has the closest.
What might a Colorado angler hook at Needle Creek Reservoir?
CPW records show brook trout, native cutthroat trout and rainbow trout.
Which limits apply at Needle Creek Reservoir?
Trout, arctic char, grayling, salmon and whitefish (not kokanee): Daily bag 4, possession 8, in aggregate.
What does a CPW license cost for a trip to Needle 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.
Does CPW stock Needle Creek Reservoir?
CPW has not listed it on the weekly report.
How far is the nearest tackle shop from Needle Creek Reservoir?
GSO Fishing is roughly 24 miles off.
Does Needle Creek 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 Needle Creek Reservoir
Read the limits above, then pick a ramp.