Rifle Gap Reservoir Fishing
A 250-acre Colorado reservoir in Garfield County at 5,963 feet.
Pick for black crappiePiscifun Carbon X ultralight spinning reel28% OFFSale $57.99 Photo: Jeffrey Beall, CC BY 4.0
Arriving at Rifle Gap Reservoir: what it is like
About 250 acres of reservoir water make up Rifle Gap Reservoir, which lies in Garfield County. The water lies at about 5,963 feet of elevation. CPW lists Rifle Gap State Park as the managing property. Rifle lies about 6 miles from the mapped point of the lake. The Northwest Region of CPW covers it.
CPW lists black crappie, bluegill, brown trout, green sunfish, northern pike and rainbow trout for it. The ramp layer shows 1 boat ramp. For boats, CPW lists Motor boats (gasoline). Expect easy access and high pressure, by CPW notes. The atlas entry shows ice fishing listed as yes.
There is a state eating advice notice for Rifle Gap Reservoir: CDPHE advisory.
CPW Fishing Atlas 2025 layers (waterbody outline, Boatable Waters, fishing locations), Census places, retrieved October 25, 2026.
For the black crappie herePiscifun Carbon XT ultralight spinning reel25% OFFSale $59.99 Species swimming in Rifle Gap Reservoir
The roster for Rifle Gap 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 Rifle Gap Reservoir
- Boat Ramp on Rifle Gap Reservoirboat ramp, ANS inspection, State Parks; Rifle Gap State Park
Shore access around Rifle Gap Reservoir
- Rifle Gap Reservoir fishing access near Rifleeasy access, stocked: catchable trout and warmwater, 5,963 ft
Ramps a short tow from Rifle Gap Reservoir
- Boat Ramp on Harvey Gap ReservoirHarvey Gap Reservoir, 6 miles east
CPW boat ramp and Fishing Atlas fishing location layers, retrieved October 25, 2026.
The latest reading at Rifle Gap Reservoir
| USGS gauge | Latest reading | Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|
| Rifle Gap Reservoir Near Rifle, Co | 5,914.39 ft lake elevation | Oct 27 8:00 pm |
US Geological Survey provisional data, retrieved Oct 27, 2026 8:33 pm ET. Provisional readings can be revised.
Storage at Rifle Gap Reservoir swings with snowmelt and water calls; check it before towing a boat.
The keep-or-release rules at Rifle Gap 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 |
On the CPW drainage map, Rifle Gap Reservoir lies west of the Continental Divide. Possession equals what you hold in the field, in camp and at home; at Rifle Gap Reservoir the chart sets it.
Where Rifle Gap Reservoir breaks from the statewide chart
| Water as printed | Rule | Brochure |
|---|---|---|
| Rifle Gap Reservoir | Bag, possession and min. size for walleye is 3, 15 inches long. Only 1 walleye longer than 18 inches may be taken per day. Bag and possession limit for yellow perch is 20. | 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 Rifle Gap Reservoir
The stocking report names Rifle Gap Reservoir 10 listings, latest October 23, 2026.
| Report date | What CPW lists |
|---|---|
| October 23, 2026 | catchable trout, CPW Northwest Region |
| August 14, 2026 | catchable trout, CPW Northwest Region |
| July 10, 2026 | catchable trout, CPW Northwest Region |
| September 5, 2025 | catchable trout, CPW Northwest Region |
| August 1, 2025 | catchable trout, CPW Northwest Region |
| June 13, 2025 | catchable trout, CPW Northwest Region |
| September 17, 2024 | catchable trout, CPW Northwest Region |
| August 21, 2024 | catchable trout, CPW Northwest Region |
| June 18, 2024 | catchable trout, CPW Northwest Region |
| February 15, 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.
Rifle Gap Reservoir and the reservoirs around it
| Lake | Distance | Acres | Elevation ft | Boat ramps | On the trout report |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rifle Gap Reservoir | 250 | 5,963 | 1 | yes | |
| Harvey Gap Reservoir | 6 miles east | 202 | 6,404 | 1 | yes |
| Rifle Pond, South | 8 miles south | 13 | 5,305 | 0 | yes |
| Meadow Lake | 17 miles northeast | 60 | 9,544 | 1 | |
| Parachute Pond | 20 miles southwest | 7 | 5,074 | 0 | yes |
| Battlement Reservoir #3 | 20 miles southwest | 5 | 10,168 | 0 |
CPW Fishing Atlas, ramp layer and stocking report, retrieved October 25, 2026.
Neighbors of Rifle Gap Reservoir
Colorado lakes in the Rifle Gap Reservoir neighborhood
- Harvey Gap Reservoir6 miles east
- Rifle Pond, South8 miles south
- Meadow Lake17 miles northeast
- Parachute Pond20 miles southwest
- Battlement Reservoir #320 miles southwest
Fly shops and bait stores around Rifle Gap Reservoir
- Timberline Sporting Goodsbait and tackle shop, Rifle, 7 miles
- Gearhead Outfitters, 205 West 6th Streetsporting goods store, Glenwood Springs, 24 miles
- Gold Medal Nets LLCbait and tackle shop, Glenwood Springs, 24 miles
- Roaring Fork Anglersfly shop, Glenwood Springs, 24 miles
Paid guides within reach of Rifle Gap Reservoir
- Alpine Anglingfishing guide, Carbondale, (970) 963-9245
- Alpine Angling/Adventure Travel,Incfishing guide, Carbondale
- Elevated Angling, LLCfishing guide, Carbondale
- Into The Wild Kayak Fishing Adventures LLCfishing guide, Carbondale
- Scotts High Country Anglers LLCfishing guide, Parachute
- Crystal Fly Shop & Decorfly fishing guide, Carbondale, (970) 963-5741
- Harcourt Fly Fishing 3G LLCfly fishing guide, New Castle, (970) 404-1339
Communities within reach of Rifle Gap Reservoir
- Rifle7 miles
- Silt8 miles
- New Castle13 miles
Rifle Gap Reservoir and the counties around it
- Garfield Countyseat: Glenwood Springs
A Piscifun kit for days on Rifle Gap Reservoir
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A photo lineup of the fish at Rifle Gap Reservoir
Photo: Duane Raver, Public domain
Photo: Meine Mutter (Erlaubnis liegt vor), CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: James St. John, CC BY 2.0
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Photo: Nick Loveland, CC0
Rifle Gap Reservoir, question by question
How do I find Rifle Gap Reservoir on a Colorado map?
Head for Garfield County, CPW Northwest Region, about 6 miles from Rifle.
How large a reservoir or lake is Rifle Gap Reservoir?
Some 250 acres, at about 5,963 feet.
Where does CPW map a ramp at Rifle Gap Reservoir?
CPW maps 1 boat ramp, among them Boat Ramp on Rifle Gap Reservoir.
What is on the fish list at Rifle Gap Reservoir?
black crappie, bluegill, brown trout, green sunfish, northern pike, rainbow trout and smallmouth bass, by CPW sources.
What may I take home from Rifle Gap 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 Rifle Gap 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 Rifle Gap Reservoir on the trout stocking report?
10 listings on the CPW catchable trout report (3 in 2026, 3 in 2025, 4 in 2024); latest October 23, 2026.
Which tackle counter on our Colorado list is nearest Rifle Gap Reservoir?
Timberline Sporting Goods sits about 7 miles from the water.
How full is Rifle Gap Reservoir by the latest storage telemetry?
Readings come from the USGS gauge.
Is Rifle Gap Reservoir worth hauling an auger to in winter?
Atlas entry: ice fishing listed as yes. Judge the ice in person.
Aim the truck at Rifle Gap Reservoir this season
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