Pueblo Reservoir Fishing
A 3,363-acre Colorado reservoir in Pueblo County at 4,825 feet.
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Arriving at Pueblo Reservoir: what it is like
About 3,363 acres of reservoir water make up Pueblo Reservoir, which lies in Pueblo County. The water lies at about 4,825 feet of elevation. CPW lists Lake Pueblo State Park as the managing property. Pueblo West lies about 4 miles from the mapped point of the lake. The Southeast Region of CPW covers it.
CPW lists black crappie, blue catfish, bluegill, channel catfish, common carp and cutbow for it. The ramp layer shows 2 boat ramps. For boats, CPW lists Motor boats (gasoline). Expect easy access and high pressure, by CPW notes. The atlas entry shows ice fishing listed as limited.
CPW Quality Waters: The fishery has densities of trout that are just below the Gold Medal standards, but still offers good fishing primarily in the fall, winter and spring. During summer months, the river is often high, limiting angler success. The public access is sporadic, and primarily exists within the town of Montrose. Anglers should take care to know property boundaries before fishing.
CPW Fishing Atlas 2025 layers (waterbody outline, Boatable Waters, fishing locations), Census places, retrieved October 25, 2026.
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The roster for Pueblo Reservoir 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 Pueblo Reservoir
- Northshore Ramp on Pueblo Reservoirboat ramp, ANS inspection, State Parks; Lake Pueblo State Park
- Southshore Ramp on Pueblo Reservoirboat ramp, ANS inspection, State Parks; Lake Pueblo State Park
Shore access around Pueblo Reservoir
- Pueblo Reservoir fishing access near Pueblo West, Pueblo Reservoir SWAeasy access, stocked: catchable trout, sub-catchables and warmwater, 4,825 ft
- Pueblo Reservoir fishing access near Pueblo West, Lake Pueblo State Parkeasy access, stocked: catchable trout, sub-catchables and warmwater, 4,825 ft
- South Fishing fishing access near Pueblo Westfishing access
CPW boat ramp and Fishing Atlas fishing location layers, retrieved October 25, 2026.
The latest reading at Pueblo Reservoir
| USGS gauge | Latest reading | Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|
| Pueblo Reservoir Near Pueblo, Co. | 4,858.45 ft lake elevation | Oct 26 5:15 pm |
US Geological Survey provisional data, retrieved Oct 26, 2026 5:32 pm ET. Provisional readings can be revised.
Storage at Pueblo Reservoir swings with snowmelt and water calls; check it before towing a boat.
The keep-or-release rules at Pueblo 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 |
On the CPW drainage map, Pueblo Reservoir lies in the Arkansas and South Fork Republican drainages. Possession equals what you hold in the field, in camp and at home; at Pueblo Reservoir the chart sets it.
Where Pueblo Reservoir breaks from the statewide chart
| Water as printed | Rule | Brochure |
|---|---|---|
| Pueblo Reservoir | Min. size for largemouth, smallmouth, and spotted bass is 15 inches long. Bag, possession, min. size for walleye and saugeye is 5 in the aggregate, 18 inches long. Only 1 walleye or saugeye in the aggregate longer than 21 inches may be taken per day. Bag, possession, min. size for crappie is 10 fish, 10 inches long. Ba | p. 32 |
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.
When CPW stocked Pueblo Reservoir
The stocking report names Pueblo Reservoir 8 listings, latest October 16, 2026.
| Report date | What CPW lists |
|---|---|
| October 16, 2026 | catchable trout, CPW Southeast Region |
| June 5, 2026 | catchable trout, CPW Southeast Region |
| April 24, 2026 | catchable trout, CPW Southeast Region |
| February 20, 2026 | catchable trout, CPW Southeast Region |
| October 17, 2025 | catchable trout, CPW Southeast Region |
| March 7, 2025 | catchable trout, CPW Southeast Region |
| May 16, 2024 | catchable trout, CPW Southeast Region |
| February 8, 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.
Pueblo Reservoir in the Colorado record book
| Species | Category | Weight or length | Angler | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blue Catfish | heritage length (to 2019) | 35 inches in | Ben Tarver | |
| Channel Catfish | catch and release length | 40.00 in | David Carslay | 2025 |
| Blue Catfish | catch and release length | 38.75 in | Clarence Iversen | 2025 |
| Flathead Catfish | catch and release length | 36.50 in | Manuel Losoya | 2024 |
| White Crappie | catch and release length | 15.75 in | Pam Mitzner | 2023 |
| catfish, blue | weight | 33-8.48 (lbs.-ozs.) | Coy Bowyer | 2023 |
| bass, hybrid striped (wiper) | weight | 26-15.0 (lbs.-ozs.) | Kevin Treanor | 2004 |
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.
Derby dates for Pueblo Reservoir
See the Pueblo Reservoir event page for entry details and results.
Pueblo Reservoir and the reservoirs around it
| Lake | Distance | Acres | Elevation ft | Boat ramps | On the trout report |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pueblo Reservoir | 3,363 | 4,825 | 2 | yes | |
| Anticline Lake | 2 miles east | 6 | 4,742 | 0 | yes |
| Valco Pond #2 | 2 miles east | 7 | 4,725 | 0 | |
| Valco Pond #3 | 3 miles east | 15 | 4,724 | 0 | |
| Valco Pond #1 | 3 miles east | 20 | 4,724 | 0 | |
| Valco Pond #4 | 3 miles east | 9 | 4,719 | 0 |
CPW Fishing Atlas, ramp layer and stocking report, retrieved October 25, 2026.
Neighbors of Pueblo Reservoir
Colorado lakes in the Pueblo Reservoir neighborhood
- Anticline Lake2 miles east
- Valco Pond #22 miles east
- Valco Pond #33 miles east
- Valco Pond #13 miles east
- Valco Pond #43 miles east
Fly shops and bait stores around Pueblo Reservoir
- South Shore Marinamarina, Pueblo, 1 mile
- The Drift Fly Shopfly shop, Pueblo, 7 miles
- Sportsman's Warehouse Pueblosporting goods store, Pueblo, 8 miles
- Blue Heron Flies & Suppliesbait and tackle shop, Pueblo, 8 miles
- J P Fly Fishing Specialtiesfly shop, Canon City, 29 miles
- Royal Gorge Anglersfly shop, Canon City, 29 miles
Paid guides within reach of Pueblo Reservoir
- Colorado Adrenaline Fishingfishing guide, Pueblo, (719) 696-1089
- Rogers' Traditions: Faith, Family, Fishing LLCfishing guide, Pueblo West
- Steel City Anglersfishing guide, Pueblo, (719) 778-3059
- River Sister Fly Fishing LLCfly fishing guide, Colorado City
- The Drift Fly Shop LLCfly fishing guide, Pueblo, (719) 543-3900
Communities within reach of Pueblo Reservoir
- Pueblo West4 miles
- Pueblo7 miles
- Penrose17 miles
Pueblo Reservoir and the counties around it
- Pueblo Countyseat: Pueblo
A Piscifun kit for days on Pueblo Reservoir
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A photo lineup of the fish at Pueblo Reservoir
Photo: USFWS Mountain-Prairie, Public domain
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Photo: Purefury182, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Duane Raver, Public domain
Pueblo Reservoir, question by question
How do I find Pueblo Reservoir on a Colorado map?
Head for Pueblo County, CPW Southeast Region, about 4 miles from Pueblo West.
How large a reservoir or lake is Pueblo Reservoir?
Some 3,363 acres, at about 4,825 feet.
Where does CPW map a ramp at Pueblo Reservoir?
CPW maps 2 boat ramps, among them Northshore Ramp on Pueblo Reservoir.
What is on the fish list at Pueblo Reservoir?
black crappie, blue catfish, bluegill, channel catfish, common carp, cutbow and green sunfish, by CPW sources.
What may I take home from Pueblo Reservoir?
Trout, arctic char, grayling, salmon and whitefish (not kokanee): Daily bag 4, possession 8, in aggregate. A brochure special regulation also names it; see the table above.
Which CPW license do I buy for Pueblo 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.
Is Pueblo Reservoir on the trout stocking report?
8 listings on the CPW catchable trout report (4 in 2026, 2 in 2025, 2 in 2024); latest October 16, 2026.
Which tackle counter on our Colorado list is nearest Pueblo Reservoir?
South Shore Marina sits about 1 mile from the water.
How full is Pueblo Reservoir by the latest storage telemetry?
Readings come from the USGS gauge.
What record does Pueblo Reservoir hold?
Blue Catfish, heritage length (to 2019) 35 inches in, by Ben Tarver in an unprinted year.
Is Pueblo Reservoir worth hauling an auger to in winter?
Atlas entry: ice fishing listed as limited. Judge the ice in person.
Aim the truck at Pueblo Reservoir this season
Every Colorado fee and rule is a click away.