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Colorado lakes and reservoirs

Sweetwater Lake Fishing

A 73-acre Colorado lake in Garfield County at 7,713 feet.

Get driving directions

Pick for brook troutPiscifun Carbon X ultralight spinning reel28% OFFSale $57.99 ~~$79.99~~

Photo of Sylvan Lake: 23countries, CC BY-SA 4.0

Fishing times todaySolunar periods, sunrise and moonrise for the county around Sweetwater Lake, today and the next 7 days.Best fishing times today

Garfield County

Sweetwater Lake at a glance

Sweetwater Lake holds around 73 surface acres within Garfield County. CPW gives an elevation of roughly 7,713 feet. Access runs through White River National Forest. For gas and groceries, Carbonate sits roughly 10 miles off. It falls inside the Northwest Region on CPW maps.

Anglers come here for brook trout, brown trout, native cutthroat trout, kokanee salmon, rainbow trout and trout, by the CPW list. Boating allowed: Electric. Reaching it is easy; crowds are medium, CPW says. CPW winter status: ice fishing listed as yes.

73acres

7,713feet elevation

0boat ramps

6species listed

CPW Fishing Atlas 2025 layers (waterbody outline, Boatable Waters, fishing locations), Census places, retrieved October 25, 2026.

Directions to Sweetwater Lake Property page

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Species

The fishery at Sweetwater Lake

Every chip for Sweetwater Lake comes from a CPW list, a state record or the trout stocking report.

Brook trout Brown trout Native cutthroat trout Kokanee salmon Rainbow trout Trout

CPW Boatable Waters species field, CPW state records and stocking report, retrieved October 25, 2026.

Access

Putting in at Sweetwater Lake

Bring a float tube or use a ramp nearby: Sweetwater Lake has none mapped.

Walk-up spots at Sweetwater Lake

Sweetwater Lake fishing access near Carbonateeasy access, stocked: catchable trout and sub-catchables, 7,713 ft

Other CPW ramps around Sweetwater Lake

Yamcolo Boat RampYamcolo Reservoir, 18 miles north

CPW boat ramp and Fishing Atlas fishing location layers, retrieved October 25, 2026.

Limits

Bag limits at Sweetwater Lake

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

CPW splits some limits by drainage, and Sweetwater Lake falls west of the Continental Divide. Colorado has no closed season by species, so the chart applies all year at Sweetwater Lake unless a special rule says otherwise.

Statewide bag and possession chart, 2026 Colorado Fishing brochure (CPW, season March 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027), p. 10, retrieved October 25, 2026.

Colorado license and limits

Stocking

Recent trout releases at Sweetwater Lake

Catchable trout reached Sweetwater Lake often enough to earn 8 listings on the CPW report; the last is September 4, 2026.

3listings in 2026

3listings in 2025

2listings in 2024

Report date	What CPW lists
September 4, 2026	catchable trout, CPW Northwest Region
June 5, 2026	catchable trout, CPW Northwest Region
May 8, 2026	catchable trout, CPW Northwest Region
August 15, 2025	catchable trout, CPW Northwest Region
July 18, 2025	catchable trout, CPW Northwest Region
May 16, 2025	catchable trout, CPW Northwest Region
August 27, 2024	catchable trout, CPW Northwest Region
April 19, 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.

Compare

Measuring Sweetwater Lake against close lakes

Lake	Distance	Acres	Elevation ft	On the trout report
Sweetwater Lake		73	7,713	yes
Deep Lake, Garfield County	7 miles west	32	10,467	yes
Heart Lake, Garfield County	9 miles west	315	10,713
Trappers Lake	13 miles north	323	9,632
Lake Of The Woods	16 miles north	16	9,015
Gypsum Ponds	16 miles southeast	14	6,313	yes

CPW Fishing Atlas, ramp layer and stocking report, retrieved October 25, 2026.

Nearby

What sits near Sweetwater Lake

Lakes to pair with Sweetwater Lake

Deep Lake, Garfield County7 miles west
Heart Lake, Garfield County9 miles west
Trappers Lake13 miles north
Lake Of The Woods16 miles north
Gypsum Ponds16 miles southeast

Bait and flies near Sweetwater Lake

Gearhead Outfitters, 205 West 6th Streetsporting goods store, Glenwood Springs, 19 miles
Gold Medal Nets LLCbait and tackle shop, Glenwood Springs, 20 miles
Roaring Fork Anglersfly shop, Glenwood Springs, 20 miles
Alpine Anglingbait and tackle shop, Carbondale, 27 miles
Crystal Fly Shop & Decorfly shop, Carbondale, 28 miles

Registered outfitters around Sweetwater Lake

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

Mountain and plains towns near Sweetwater Lake

Gypsum17 miles
Glenwood Springs20 miles
Eagle21 miles

Counties holding part of Sweetwater Lake

Garfield Countyseat: Glenwood Springs

Piscifun

What Piscifun makes for Sweetwater Lake anglers

Piscifun and Amazon links are affiliate links; the site earns a commission on qualifying purchases.

Know your fish

Species photos for anglers bound for Sweetwater Lake

Brook Trout, Colorado — Brook Trout
Photo: Daniel Mayer (Mav), CC BY-SA 3.0

Native Cutthroat Trout, Colorado — Native Cutthroat Trout
Photo: USFWS Fish and Aquatic Conservation, Public domain

Rainbow Trout, Colorado — Rainbow Trout
Photo: Purefury182, CC BY-SA 4.0

Wiper, Colorado — Wiper
Photo: BenitoJuarez98, CC BY-SA 4.0

Answers

Planning notes for Sweetwater Lake in Q and A form

Which Colorado town makes the handiest base for Sweetwater Lake?

It lies in Garfield County, CPW Northwest Region, about 10 miles from Carbonate.

How much surface does Sweetwater Lake spread across when full?

The outline measures about 73 acres, at about 7,713 feet.

How many CPW ramps reach the water at Sweetwater Lake?

No boat ramp appears for it.

Which species does CPW list for Sweetwater Lake?

The CPW roster names brook trout, brown trout, native cutthroat trout, kokanee salmon, rainbow trout and trout.

How many trout can I keep at Sweetwater Lake?

Trout, arctic char, grayling, salmon and whitefish (not kokanee): Daily bag 4, possession 8, in aggregate.

How much is a one-day license for Sweetwater Lake?

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.

How often does CPW stock Sweetwater Lake?

Yes: 8 listings on the CPW catchable trout report (3 in 2026, 3 in 2025, 2 in 2024); latest September 4, 2026.

Where do anglers at Sweetwater Lake get supplies?

Gearhead Outfitters, 19 miles out.

What does CPW say about ice at Sweetwater Lake?

ice fishing listed as yes, per CPW; conditions change daily.

Plan a Colorado day at Sweetwater Lake

Fees, stamps and special rules sit on the license page.

Colorado license and limits All Colorado lakes